Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:30): The Suburban Rail Loop is a city-shaping project that will change the way we live, work and move around the state as it grows. With rising fuel costs, Victorians know that we must support households, families and workers by delivering faster and more affordable connections now and better opportunities and livability for future generations. The current fuel supply issues we are experiencing have made it abundantly clear that Victorians need and want to spend less on petrol or diesel and less time in traffic. Labor has in that regard made public transport free until 30 April this year. That is on top of our existing public transport cost-of-living relief support, including free transport to under-18s and to seniors, carers and disability support pensioners on weekends and capping the V/Line network travel at metro prices. Responsible government also demands long-term action to address the causes of cost-of-living pressures like filling a tank or spending hours in congestion. With the Suburban Rail Loop, Labor is making the savings that come with accessible and reliable public transport available to even more Victorians, all while helping to take growth pressures off our outer suburbs by delivering more homes within walking distance of existing jobs, schools, health care and Australia’s largest universities. No matter where they live, the Suburban Rail Loop will bust congestion and get Victorians home to their families quicker and safer. But all of this is at stake under a Liberal–One Nation partnership. Let us be clear: when those opposite talk about pausing and reviewing, they are really saying they will sack over 3000 workers, they will slash 70,000 homes – on top of the 300,000 they are blocking across Melbourne as part of their ‘anywhere but Brighton’ and ‘keep out of Kew’ housing policy – and they will force more Victorians to spend more time in the car and more money at the petrol station, denying families the housing choices they deserve. While those opposite spend their time ripping each other apart, we are laser focused on saving Victorians time and money. We have only ever had one position on the SRL, and that is that we are building it.