Transport infrastructure
Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (13:18): Fishermans Bend needs Melbourne Metro 2. Planned to become a home to 80,000 people and a host to 80,000 jobs and a university campus, Fishermans Bend does have the potential to be a crucial part of our city. But to unlock that potential, it needs strong public transport links, and to move that many people in and out every day, that means a connection to our suburban train network. The Melbourne Metro 2 project would be similar to the Metro Tunnel, which we are all looking forward to seeing open later this year. It would drill under the centre of Melbourne to connect the Werribee and Mernda lines, providing new connections in the inner north as well as at Fishermans Bend and adding capacity that would enable more trains to run on these and other lines. It is crucial for Fishermans Bend, and it is highly beneficial for many other parts of our state. All too often, though, when new suburbs are built, the roads are built alongside the homes, ready for when the first people start moving in, but the public transport has to wait until years later, which locks people into car dependence, reducing their transport choices and saddling them with the significant costs of owning and running a car or several cars. The government cannot take that approach with Fishermans Bend. The community is already there and growing. We need to see a commitment to building Melbourne Metro 2 as soon as possible to enable the area to grow sustainably.