Tuesday, 2 December 2025
Questions without notice and ministers statements
Ministers statements: Metro Tunnel
-
Table of contents
-
Bills
- Consumer Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
- Parks and Public Land Legislation Amendment (Central West and Other Matters) Bill 2025
- State Taxation Further Amendment Bill 2025
- Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority Bill 2025
- Voluntary Assisted Dying Amendment Bill 2025
- Justice Legislation Amendment (Vicarious Liability for Child Abuse) Bill 2025
-
-
Bills
- Consumer Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
- Parks and Public Land Legislation Amendment (Central West and Other Matters) Bill 2025
- State Taxation Further Amendment Bill 2025
- Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority Bill 2025
- Voluntary Assisted Dying Amendment Bill 2025
- Justice Legislation Amendment (Vicarious Liability for Child Abuse) Bill 2025
Please do not quote
Proof only
Ministers statements: Metro Tunnel
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:10): About that great Metro Tunnel, I was absolutely delighted and proud to join more than 70,000 Victorians on Sunday to catch the very first trains through the Metro Tunnel. There were families, there were students, there were workers and there were plenty of gunzels as well, all coming to witness the biggest transformation to our rail network in more than 40 years, and didn’t Victorians just love it. Obviously not every Victorian, but everyone else did. They walked into State Library –
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Evelyn has a point of order, in the correct format.
Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, just to be factual, I wonder if the Premier will say that the Metro Tunnel was $2.6 billion over budget.
The SPEAKER: The member for Evelyn will resume her seat. The Premier to continue.
Jacinta ALLAN: Victorians walked into the State Library station and saw platforms deeper than Marvel Stadium. They rode those Victorian-made high-capacity trains through the brand new tunnels and used the longest escalators in Melbourne through our most beautiful new stations, looking forward to that brand new era for our city. This is what great cities do. They make it easier to get around, fairer for people to access universities, health care and work and easier to get home to the people you love.
A lot has been said in recent days about the Metro Tunnel project, but some made this observation: they called the Metro Tunnel a waste. The Leader of the Liberal Party described the Metro Tunnel as a waste. No surprise from the Liberals, who previously called it a hoax, said it would divide our city, refused to fund it and indeed cut funding to the Metro Tunnel. Well, it is real, it is open, it is happening. Passengers are using it right now to connect around our city and state. This, at its heart, is a fairness project. It is about giving people fair and better access to the services they need and the jobs they rely on, and it connects them to opportunities for the future.