Wednesday, 19 November 2025

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:21): How opportune that today I am in a position to talk to the work of the Suburban Rail Loop and indeed a project that our government has only ever had one position on – namely, that we are building it. Instead, and in contrast, the Liberals’ sixth leader in seven years has given Victorians yet another confused and chaotic response to add to the growing scrap heap of policy positions taken on a project that the public has endorsed at four elections, that the Prime Minister has backed in and that we are continuing with. The Leader of the Opposition has said that the Liberals will pause and review where construction is at. Well, I can tell her where construction will be at. Giant tunnel-boring machines will be carving out twin tunnels, and major works will be underway across six new stations. The 3000 Victorians already working on this project would have been offered cold comfort by the words of the current leader. Make no mistake: 4000 jobs are on the line next November because the Liberals know that cutting projects and sacking workers is their absolute priority.

Evan Mulholland: On a point of order, President, correct me if I am wrong, but ministerial statements are not an opportunity to attack the opposition.

The PRESIDENT: My understanding of the standing orders is that a minister can make a statement. They do not say anything other than that, so the minister is making a statement similarly to how a member might make a members statement.

Harriet SHING: So not only are you wrong on the standing orders, Mr Mulholland, you are also wrong on reading the room when it comes to the Suburban Rail Loop with your 22 different positions on Australia’s largest housing and transport infrastructure project. Next November, the Liberals are saying, they will cut, they will slash, they will stop, and they will sack 4000 workers from their jobs if given the opportunity. They will leave tunnel-boring machines to sink into the ground. They will deny the opportunity of home ownership to 70,000 households who deserve the chance not to have to lie awake at night wondering whether home ownership will be an opportunity that they can access in the same way that their parents did. We are getting on with doing the job. You should get on board. What a shame and a disgrace that you are so confused yet again about this project.