Thursday, 28 August 2025

Suburban Rail Loop

Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (23:27): (1900) The action I seek is from the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop. I have received disturbing correspondence from a resident living within 100 metres of the Suburban Rail Loop site in Heatherton who since early 2025 has experienced debilitating symptoms from vibrations and noise caused by the SRL works. These symptoms include nausea, vertigo, vomiting, insomnia and extreme fatigue, which has resulted in them becoming isolated and sometimes bedbound. These serious health effects are shared by other members of the household and disappear entirely when these residents are away from the property – a clear link to the site-related disturbances. Despite repeated complaints and medical documentation, the SRL authority responses so far have been deeply inadequate: dinner vouchers, massages, a suggestion that residents install double-glazed windows and daytime relocation to a co-working space, provided you leave the house before 7 am, are no substitute for the natural right of families to enjoy the peace and quiet of their own home as they wish.

The residents’ experience is not unique, and their story reflects a broader and growing concern in the community that goes beyond the temporary disruption of construction works. This is about the right of people to live safely in their homes without suffering physical harm or psychological distress or the erosion of their quality of life. Real people are seeing health, employment and quality of life damaged by this project, and I have been advised that the SRL has even acknowledged that these disturbances will continue until an acoustic chamber is completed in 2026. This is an unacceptable delay for residents whose health, employment and wellbeing are already being severely impacted. Accordingly, I ask the minister to urgently investigate these serious health complaints, direct the authority to engage with affected residents in a meaningful and compassionate way, consider appropriate compensation options and, most importantly, ensure that effective acoustic and vibration mitigation measures are implemented as a matter of urgency well before further avoidable harm is inflicted on residents.

Harriet Shing: So you support the project now?

Richard WELCH: No, I do not.