Thursday, 27 August 2026

 Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (12:48): (2562) My question is for the Minister for Public Transport: why are you continuing to hide the results of the Wollert rail feasibility study, and when will you release it? An extension of the rail line to Wollert is a priority of both the City of Whittlesea and residents who were sold homes on the promise that public transport would immediately arrive. But the dream has turned sour, as the rail line is continually delayed and commuters are forced to fight through car traffic every morning. The feasibility study is crucial to providing a clearer picture about the viability of the project and informing future decision-making. Yet the study has been pushed back several times, and the Commonwealth project webpage now gives a completion date of mid-2026. Whittlesea council is frustrated with the constant delays, which are creating uncertainty and preventing forward planning. Mid-2026 has passed, and it is almost September. The study must be finished now, and the minister must release it.