Thursday, 7 April 2022

Northern Victoria Region transport infrastructure

Ms LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (18:30): (1885) My adjournment matter is directed to the Minister for Transport Infrastructure, and it is following the recently announced federal government funding for the Beveridge intermodal freight terminal and the Camerons Lane–Hume Freeway interchange. The action that I am actually seeking from the minister is that she ensures that the state government’s share of funding for these projects is included in the upcoming 2022–23 state budget.

The Beveridge intermodal freight terminal is one of two freight terminals that are part of the Melbourne intermodal terminal package. Locating a terminal in Beveridge is essential to connect the Melbourne intermodal scheme with the inland rail project, a 1700-kilometre freight line connecting Melbourne and Brisbane via country Victoria and New South Wales. The Beveridge terminal will create 20 000 new jobs within the northern growth corridor, an area that is projected to have a population of 150 000 in the next 30 years.

The importance of the Beveridge intermodal freight terminal has not been lost on the federal government, with the Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, last week announcing an additional $1.2 billion for the project, taking the federal government’s total investment in the project to $1.62 billion. This investment is in addition to $740 million for the western interstate freight terminal at Truganina, bringing the federal government’s total investment in both terminals to $2.36 billion. Despite the importance of the Beveridge intermodal freight terminal to Victoria’s freight network, the Andrews Labor government has failed to commit any funding towards construction of the project.

Similarly, the Camerons Lane–Hume Freeway interchange is another vital project that the federal government has committed to, announcing $280 million towards the interchange and other road connections in last week’s federal budget. The Camerons Lane interchange will improve connectivity to the new estates, opening land for 30 000 homes and supporting the creation of local jobs. The interchange will enable one of Melbourne’s fastest growing communities to move around and allow them to access employment, public transport, sporting precincts and other services. Most importantly, the interchange is essential to ensure full accessibility to the Beveridge intermodal freight terminal.

Once again the Andrews Labor government has refused to commit any funding for this project. Both the Beveridge intermodal freight terminal and the Camerons Lane–Hume Freeway interchange are vital projects that will transform the communities within the northern growth corridor. The terminal is an essential piece in transforming Victoria’s freight and rail networks, and the interchange also plays a vital role in this. It is time the Andrews Labor government committed their share of funding for both these projects. I call on the minister to make sure the funding is included in the upcoming state budget.