Thursday, 15 May 2025

Suburban Rail Loop

Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:16): My question is for the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop. Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles recently refused to back any new money for the Suburban Rail Loop in their second term, saying that they have got other priorities. Given the Commonwealth are only contributing $2.2 billion, will Victorian taxpayers pick up the additional $9.3 billion required from the Commonwealth contribution?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:16): Thank you, Mr Mulholland, for again coming out to talk about the SRL, in what must be a pretty galling exercise for you and for your colleagues. For four elections now, Mr Mulholland, we have heard from Victorians who know that in order to ensure that the city grows and grows well we need to address the challenges of growth and take on the opportunities that come with good planning. As Melbourne moves to be a city the size of London by the 2050s, we know that it is simply not an option to just release land left, right and centre without any consideration for consequence. We know, Mr Mulholland, and you should know firsthand, that spending two hours in traffic to get your kids to sport, spending more than an hour in traffic to get your kids to school, is an example of what –

Renee Heath: On a point of order, President, the minister seems to be confused and is doing a members statement. I would ask you to bring her back to answering the question.

The PRESIDENT: I think there is a point of order there. It is very difficult for me to judge the type of answer the minister is giving, because the side of the chamber that asked the question straightaway started yelling at her. It is very hard for me. I call the minister to the question.

Harriet SHING: The point that I am making, Mr Mulholland, whether you want to hear it or not, is that as we grow as a city we need to grow well. That is how we want to do it. You have never supported, you do not support and you will never support the Suburban Rail Loop. And when I look to the newly appointed Minister for Cities Clare O’Neil, when I think about the work that has gone into the Suburban Rail Loop in partnership with the infrastructure department and when I look to the comments and the statements from the newly returned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, his Treasurer Jim Chalmers – the work that has gone into discussions and the release of a report from Infrastructure Australia, alongside a $2.2 million commitment – and the federal infrastructure minister, now returned to that portfolio, Catherine King, it is clear that this is a project which is needed to ensure that we are –

Evan Mulholland: On a point of order, President, on relevance, I have given the minister plenty of latitude. The question was: will Victorian taxpayers pick up the additional $9.3 billion required from the federal contribution?

The PRESIDENT: I think the minister, towards the end of her answer, was being relevant to the question.

Harriet SHING: You do not like to hear about the fact that we have a partnership with Canberra, because you never gave us any assistance in the nine years that the coalition was in government. What I will say is that the release of $2.2 billion and our priority project under Infrastructure Australia’s own assessment is part of making sure that we deliver infrastructure. We will continue to work through this process, but Mr Mulholland, to say that in fact the Commonwealth has decided not to fund this project shows just how far removed from the reality of the situation you and your colleagues across the opposition sit when it comes to the investment in infrastructure that we need. We will keep working with our partners in Canberra. We will keep working to deliver the things that your community has indicated very clearly – for the fourth time – are needed and are wanted and will occur notwithstanding your fierce objection to the project.

Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:21): On a supplementary, given the ratings agency S&P has previously warned that Victoria’s credit rating risked being downgraded if the Victorian government forged ahead with the first phase of the Suburban Rail Loop without additional funding from the Commonwealth and given you refused to answer my first question, I will ask: does the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop agree with the comments of the Minister for Health that the Victorian government can go it alone on the Suburban Rail Loop?

The PRESIDENT: I think that is asking for an opinion. You can rephrase it if you like.

Evan MULHOLLAND: The Victorian Minister for Health has said the Victorian government can go it alone on the Suburban Rail Loop. Is this government policy?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:22): Mr Mulholland, you were not listening to the answer that I gave to the substantive question, because you do not want to hear about the fact that this project is necessary, because you are so desperate to avoid having a position. You do not support it, you have never supported it, you will not support it into the future; but I know that people in your communities are coming to Liberal MPs and saying, ‘Why won’t you change your position on the Suburban Rail Loop?’ They are coming to you, you know they are coming to you, your colleagues are coming to you, and you do not know what to do about it.

What I will say is the business case – I have got one here, Mr Mulholland; I have actually tabled it a couple of times now – refers to a specific model of a third, a third, a third, Mr Mulholland.

Renee Heath: On a point of order, President, it is outside the standing orders to use a prop.

The PRESIDENT: Yes. I 100 per cent uphold Dr Heath’s point of order.

Evan Mulholland: On a further point of order, President, on relevance, I asked the minister if it is government policy, as the Minister for Health has said, that the Victorian government can go it alone on the Suburban Rail Loop. She has not come near that question.

The PRESIDENT: In the 7 seconds the minister has got I will let her continue her answer.

Harriet SHING: We are literally delivering the Suburban Rail Loop right now and have been since 2022. Dr Heath, if you think that this is a prop, then you should get out and see what is actually happening on the ground.