Wednesday, 18 June 2025

 John BERGER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:43): (1646) My question is for the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop. Minister, what benefits will the Suburban Rail Loop have for my constituents in Southern Metropolitan Region? With the construction underway on the Suburban Rail Loop, we are closer every day to the delivery of more opportunities and more homes for Victorian families exactly where we need them. Tunnel-boring machines will arrive this year ready to carve out the Suburban Rail Loop tunnels and will be digging under Melbourne in 2026. The Suburban Rail Loop is truly powering ahead. Major works will create up to 8000 direct jobs, and more than 3000 people are already working on that project. It will reconfigure how Victorians travel around Melbourne, connecting commuters to job precincts, hospitals, universities and more. It is also the largest housing project in Victoria, with 80,000 new homes to be built around these hubs. It has been fantastic to visit several of the station sites with the minister over recent months. I thank the minister for her work and engagement, and I look forward to seeing the benefits it will bring to my community.