Wednesday, 23 February 2022

Metro Tunnel

Ms WATT (Northern Metropolitan) (09:57): Yesterday I joined the Premier and the Minister for Transport Infrastructure at the site of the western entrance—

The PRESIDENT: Order! Members! Dr Cumming, can you please take your seat. If you want to have a discussion, both of you go out. Ms Watt.

Ms WATT: I might start again, if I may. Yesterday I joined the Premier and the Minister for Transport Infrastructure at the site of the western entrance of the Metro Tunnel in Kensington. The Metro Tunnel has entered an exciting new phase of construction, with the first of almost 40 kilometres of rail having been delivered in the past week as work gears up to install rail systems and tracks for the project’s massive 9-kilometre twin tunnels. What I was reminded of was the incredible job creation that this project brings about. Our major transport infrastructure projects are keeping around 18 000 people in jobs and supporting around 36 000 indirect jobs across the state, with 900 apprentices alone working on the Metro Tunnel, getting their first start in a new career.

This project will transform the inner city, but it will also completely revolutionise travel across our state—one massive, connected line all the way from Cranbourne and Pakenham in the south-east out to Sunbury in the north-west. Commuters, residents and travellers of all kinds will be able to access the important Parkville precinct, with Melbourne University and the hospitals right on the escalators leading out of the station, or go right into the CBD at State Library and Town Hall stations. While some in this place trash investment into major infrastructure projects or talk a big game but never, ever deliver, this Labor government is getting on with the job. We are getting the Metro Tunnel done a full year ahead of schedule, creating jobs while slashing travel times and creating space for hundreds of thousands of travellers across the network.