Tuesday, 26 August 2025

Suburban Rail Loop

John BERGER (Southern Metropolitan) (00:51): (1874) My adjournment is for Minister Shing, the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, and the action I seek from the minister is to invite the member for Bulleen in the other place on a tour of the Suburban Rail Loop – yes, the Suburban Rail Loop, Australia’s biggest transport and housing project, a project that will be delivered under the Allan Labor government – out on site for a tour of the project that he said would never go ahead. He seems to have had a change of heart. As Australia’s largest growing city, Melbourne will be home to almost 9 million people by the 2050s, around the size of London today. The Allan Labor government knows we must manage the immense opportunities and challenges growth brings by ensuring that there is affordable and high-quality housing on the doorstep of world-class public transport close to jobs, schools and universities and essential services. That is why we are building this once-in-a-generation project. Victorians have backed this project at four state and federal elections, because they know it is essential for the future of the city and state, for housing choices and for liveability.

Last week yet another Liberal Party leadership aspirant said if the project is commencing, the project goes ahead, and it is simple as that. That is the same guy who went to two elections vowing to scrap the $34.5 billion project. The Shadow Treasurer has backed down from his budget reply commitment to stop it, down tools and shut the project. Meanwhile the L-plate leader is having a bet each way. He says, ‘I’m not going to leave two massive holes in the ground but would also pause construction on the irresponsible Suburban Rail Loop.’ We do not know how long the Liberal Party’s newest policy will stand, but we know that they cannot be trusted with it. Works on the Suburban Rail Loop are steaming ahead, with 3000 workers currently on site, 3000 workers working hard. Victorian families deserve to know if blocker Battin will sack them or keep them in limbo. The Liberals do not know the first thing about building the city-shaping infrastructure that this growing state desperately needs.