Tuesday, 28 July 2026

 David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan) (13:10): (2435) My constituency question is to the Minister for Transport Infrastructure. My constituent has lived in Rockbank for many years and recalls Labor’s election promise in 2014 to electrify the Melton line. Over a decade later the government proudly boast that they are now finalising the design, scope and planning to inform future delivery. That future delivery is, according to Jeroen Weimar, premised upon commencing construction in 2030, 16 years after it was first promised. Meanwhile NEXTDC’s Geelong data centre in Corio secured state planning approval in just 28 days and their Fishermans Bend centre in 75 days. My constituent asks: how can huge data centres that are environmental vampires receive rapid planning approvals while major transport infrastructure such as the Melton electrification keeps getting delayed and delayed and delayed?