Tuesday, 28 May 2024

Shepparton rail line

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (13:37): In a media release dated 14 August 2021 the then Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan stated that stage 3 upgrades to the Shepparton line would be completed in 2023. But we are now halfway through 2024 and the job is not done. There are reports that an extra $11.4 million was committed to the Shepparton line stage 3 upgrade project in the recent federal budget for the 2024–25 year. The Victorian Labor government has obviously gone over its budget for the project and run out of money before it could finish the signalling upgrades, which are essential for the full nine weekday services to begin. This is just one more example of Labor’s financial mismanagement and cost blowouts, and unfortunately the Shepparton community are being disadvantaged by Labor’s incompetence.