Wednesday, 15 September 2021

Motions

West Gate Tunnel

Mr FINN, Ms TAYLOR
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Motions

West Gate Tunnel

Debate resumed on motion of Mr DAVIS:

That this house:

(1)   notes the material released in August 2021 by Transurban on the West Gate Tunnel (WGT) Project to investors, including that:

(a) tunnelling has not commenced as a result of disputes arising between the project parties;

(b) project completion in 2023 is no longer achievable and, due to continued uncertainty in relation to the resolution of commercial matters and timing for commencement of tunnelling, a further update on the expected project completion date cannot be provided at this stage;

(c) the contracted total cost of the project was $6.7 billion, with estimates of additional costs to complete the project differing among project parties and remaining uncertain; however, based on preliminary independent analysis, Transurban estimates the D&C subcontractors’ construction costs could increase by $3.3 billion, with the D&C subcontractors’ claims being higher;

(d) in order to reach a commercial settlement, Transurban believes all project parties would be required to make a meaningful financial contribution;

(2)   further notes the WGT Project, a Transurban market-led proposal, was signed in December 2017 and was subject to a report by the Victorian Auditor-General;

(3)   further notes the mismanagement of the WGT Project by the Andrews Labor government, a project that is now late, over budget and the subject of legal dispute;

(4)   insists that the state government pay no more than the contracted amount and not further extend any toll concession; and

(5)   calls for a pause on the collection of WGT-related tolls levied on existing CityLink roads.

 Mr FINN (Western Metropolitan) (12:33): I rise to support the motion moved by Mr Davis on the West Gate Tunnel Project, and I tell you what, when it comes to the West Gate Tunnel Project it is very difficult to know where exactly to start. I think it is worth going back just to give a small precis. I was chair of the committee that oversaw this project some years ago, and I recall thinking to myself then, ‘There is something that is very, very wrong here’—and nothing has changed since. I have to say that having seen what I have seen over the last, what is it, five years—and I have said this publicly before, so I suppose it should come as no surprise to anybody—it would not surprise me at all if, when this project is fully examined, perhaps by IBAC, somebody or other or more than one person in fact might end up in jail.

There is something desperately wrong with this project, and I am deeply concerned, particularly as a representative of the western suburbs, that the people of the west are getting screwed over here quite comprehensively, because this project was designed by Transurban for Transurban and the only beneficiary of this project in fact will be Transurban. It seems to me that any perceived benefit—and I say ‘perceived’ because there is not going to be any real benefit—that the people of the west might have from this project is a very, very long way away. That is something that we do not deserve, because we had the promise of the east–west link, which was going to give us the answer to the traffic problems that are strangling the western suburbs of Melbourne. But instead the Andrews government gave this very, very dodgy deal to its dodgy mates at Transurban, and the people of the west are going to suffer.

Not only are many of us particularly in the north-west paying extra tolls—higher tolls on the Tulla, on CityLink—but we are also having to wait for an extended period for a tunnel. Well, you have got to wonder if it is ever going to be finished or not. And even when it is finished, it is quite extraordinary that anybody would have put up a project that is going to do for the western suburbs what the Eastern Freeway and Hoddle Street do for the eastern suburbs. Why would you do that? I do not understand that. I have asked numerous people if they can explain it to me, but they cannot. Members opposite cannot. We had the CEO of Transurban before us when we were on the committee, and Mr Ondarchie will back me up here, because we sat there looking at Mr Charlton thinking to ourselves, ‘What have we got here?’—

A member interjected.

Mr FINN: And I don’t expect you’ll get one either, I have to say. We had the secretaries of various departments in. None of them had any idea what was going on. All they did was deny, deny, deny that anything was happening between Transurban and the government. Well, those denials were barefaced lies, and in my view, given they were giving sworn testimony at the committee, and as far as I am concerned, those lies were a contempt of the Parliament because it is very, very clear—and I think I am the only one listening to this—

Mr Ondarchie: On a point of order, Acting President, the contribution of the member is very important to this debate, and unfortunately there are a lot of conversations going on from the front of the room all the way back. I wonder if you could bring the chamber back to order.

The ACTING PRESIDENT (Ms Patten): Thank you, Mr Ondarchie. Yes, we will try and bring the roar down to a steady purr, as it were.

Mr FINN: Thank you, Acting President. I am all in favour of a steady purr. I thank Ms Pulford for her support during that time and also of course Mr Ondarchie, who sat with me through that committee that I have been speaking of for quite some time. Quite frankly, anybody who examines the transcripts of the committee inquiry will come to the exact same conclusion that I have, that there is something very, very wrong with this particular project. It has got worse since we examined it about seven or eight years ago now. It has got worse because we have had the problem—I am not sure exactly how long I have got here—

Mr FINN: In that case I will be very, very quick. We have had a problem with the toxic soil, and the people out in my area are going to have this dumped on them—at Ravenhall, at Sunbury, at Bulla. They are going to have this carcinogenic, toxic soil dumped upon them. So the people of the west are copping it left, right and centre and from various angles, and it is disgraceful, it is despicable and it is something that we did not ask for. We do not want it, and as far as I am concerned the government can get stuffed.

 Ms TAYLOR (Southern Metropolitan) (12:39): I move:

That debate on this motion be adjourned until later this day.

Motion agreed to and debate adjourned until later this day.
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