Wednesday, 18 March 2026

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:06): (1270) My question is to the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop. Minister, it has been revealed that now the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority director-general –

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: I am sorry; Mr Mulholland, could you start again with the question, please?

Evan MULHOLLAND: It has been revealed, Minister, that the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority director-general Kevin Devlin, the now interim CEO of the Suburban Rail Loop Authority:

… repeatedly raised concerns with then-minister Jacinta Allan about union misconduct and the abuse of its industrial muscle …

Given his comments, do you still have confidence in Mr Devlin?

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:07): Thanks, Mr Mulholland. Interestingly, in your question you do not refer to comments made by Mr Devlin, you refer to reports, and there is a difference. What we have been very, very clear about –

Evan Mulholland interjected.

Harriet SHING: Sources, Mr Mulholland – I will take up that interjection. A source is not a comment, a source is an assertion. A source is an unnamed assertion, and a source is not in fact the first-person account that you are seeking to make it out to be. Let us just be really, really clear again, as the Premier has also been really, really clear: any allegations, complaints, concerns or issues in relation to unlawful, inappropriate, unsafe or criminal activity in or around our construction sites should be reported immediately to the very body that is in a position to be able to take action on it – that is, Victoria Police. There are also a range of other avenues that people can and indeed should pursue. They include the construction complaints referral service and the work of the Labour Hire Authority, which has cancelled 147 licences since its operation. That is the Labour Hire Authority which you opposed. You opposed the legislation that delivered the very body that is delivering on compliance measures around the very issues that you now say require attention. We also have a situation whereby 70 charges have been laid. Victoria Police is doing its work. We have written to the Fair Work Commission asking for it to determine the extent to which it has concerns that are backed up by issues around compliance with statutory obligations to make –

Evan Mulholland: On a point of order, I am really waiting patiently, President, but on relevance, I asked the minister whether she still had confidence in Mr Devlin.

The PRESIDENT: I think the problem I have got is that the minister stated that it was not confirmed that that particular statement was made by that particular person. So if the question is on the basis of that comment, it makes it difficult. I will let the minister continue.

Georgie Crozier interjected.

Harriet SHING: I will take up that interjection, Ms Crozier. You are saying that Mr Mulholland’s preamble was just context. Well, I am indeed just giving you context. What I would also say is that the independent umpire responsible for approving enterprise agreements is required to be satisfied under the Fair Work Act that agreements have been made genuinely and without coercion. We have written to the Fair Work Commission looking for assurances that those matters have indeed been ticked off in accordance with the referral of industrial relations powers that we have made to the Commonwealth. Mr Mulholland, what I would say is unambiguously what the Premier has said: if there are any issues relating to criminal, unlawful, unfair, unsafe or otherwise inappropriate conduct in or around construction sites, then we would urge people to refer them to the relevant authorities. As this relates to a project that is on time and on budget – we have got tunnel-boring machines here; tunnel boring is kicking off in the middle of the year – and is within the scope of the business and investment case of 2021, I would say, yes, Mr Mulholland.

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:11): Given the minister was talking about context and added context and whether they were sources or not, I will go to something on the record. During Mr Devlin’s tenure on the board of Roads Australia, he contributed to a document that said that major infrastructure projects were being hit by 30 per cent cost blowouts due to entrenched industrial lawlessness and criminality. Given this advice from the SRLA interim CEO and director-general of the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority, do you still stand by your discredited nearly decade-old SRL East costings that it will only cost between $30 billion and $34.5 billion?

The PRESIDENT: I am concerned about how that is related to the substantive question or the answer.

Evan MULHOLLAND: On a point of order, President, the supplementary is perfectly related to the substantive. Both spoke about the SRL interim CEO and his comments.

The PRESIDENT: The minister can answer as she sees fit.

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:12): Well, if we are talking about loops, Mr Mulholland, it is not just rail, is it? We are talking about the discourse that you have just tried to turn yourself into as far as this supplementary question is concerned. Again you seem to be confusing the nature of a direct statement of fact or an opinion as expressed and speculation, sources, reviews and reports. I want to be really, really clear with you, Mr Mulholland: the business and investment case – and again I have here a copy of it if you would like to read it – says very clearly that the cost of the Suburban Rail Loop East, between $31 billion and $34.5 billion, is on time and on budget. It is a project that continues to be backed up by Victorians at four elections, by Infrastructure Australia, by the Prime Minister, by the Treasurer, by the infrastructure minister and by this government that will deliver the homes that people need within walking distance to everywhere, from Australia’s largest universities to hospitals and their jobs. Why won’t you get on board?