Thursday, 9 March 2023

Adjournment

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers, Minister for Child Protection and Family Services) (19:12): I move:

That the house do now adjourn.

Level crossing removals

Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (19:12): (96) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure and relates to the Level Crossing Removal Project. The action I seek is for the minister to roll out level crossing removal on the Ararat and Maryborough lines in the Ripon electorate instead of focusing on metro Melbourne. Ararat actually has a level crossing on none other than the Western Highway, one of the largest highways in the country. I do not think that we would tolerate a level crossing on the Monash, would we, so why do we tolerate it on the Western Highway? Trucks, cars, buses, motorbikes and probably, I do not know, tuktuks – everything – go down there, and the worst part is it is the entrance to Ararat itself where this level crossing is. Maryborough also has to deal with the same issue. Inkerman Street, Railway Street, which turns into Lean Street, McClure Street and Tullaroop Road could all have their level crossings removed. None have been. I look forward to the minister’s consideration of level crossing removals in country areas, not just in Melbourne.