Thursday, 29 August 2024

Suburban Rail Loop

Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (17:59): (1107) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop. The Allan government’s own cabinet is divided on the SRL. MPs in marginal seats are clearly worried about how unpopular the SRL is in their community, let alone the cost and the resources it diverts from important sectors. Deputy Premier Ben Carroll, several cabinet members and senior Labor figures have been warning against the project and have lost faith in the Allan government. It seems almost certain that there is a U-turn coming from Premier Allan to save her own position as Premier. It is great to see the government finally realising what we have been saying for years: Labor’s financial mismanagement means we simply cannot afford the SRL. Unfortunately, the government are seemingly having this epiphany after hundreds of local properties have already been acquired, after local businesses have had to shut down due to SRL works, after high-rises have begun construction and after community precincts such as Box Hill Gardens have already been destroyed. But most importantly this realisation comes after $6 billion has already been spent on the SRL and certain other contracts signed. When the SRL is shelved, how will those who have had their homes taken, businesses shut down and community destroyed be compensated? Many of those in SRL precincts who have not yet had their properties acquired are left in limbo wondering what is happening. To make matters worse, in recent years the government has repeatedly promoted the SRL, yet now they are considering rephasing the project – a cop-out way of admitting that they were wrong.

They told us that the SRL was a piece of infrastructure we cannot afford not to build, but they now realise we just cannot afford to build it or perhaps that we also cannot afford to cancel it. This creates unacceptable uncertainty. The action I seek from the minister is to confirm without delay whether the project will continue, whether the project will be cancelled or whether the project will be rephased, and if it is to be rephased, to provide clear details on what that means for timelines and what that means for residents under compulsory acquisition, for businesses considering relocation or closure and for community groups negotiating and signing up to new arrangements.