Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan is adamant the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) will go ahead, amid reports the federal government wants to direct billions in funding towards the Melbourne Airport Rail Link.
Ms Allan spoke to reporters on Saturday afternoon following media reports that the federal government was keen to put the stalled rail link to Tullamarine back on the agenda.
According to reports in the Newscorp and Nine newspapers, sources said the federal government was willing to put more funding towards airport rail, a move which might de-prioritise the SRL.
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The first stage of the SRL, an ambitious plan to build an orbital rail link through Melbourne’s middle suburbs, is estimated to cost $34 billion and the full funding has not yet been secured.
The federal government has committed $2.2 billion to the first stage of the SRL, but says its release is “currently under assessment”.
The $10 billion Airport Rail Link project, connecting Melbourne’s CBD to the airport in the city’s north-west, was delayed for years due to a disagreement between the state government and Melbourne Airport about where to put the train station.
The stand-off was resolved in July last year, with the Victorian government predicting the rail link would be completed by 2033.
Premier is committed to both projects
Asked if the federal government wanted the SRL put on ice in favour of the airport link, Ms Allan said she’d been having a “range of discussions” with her federal counterparts.
“They’ve already invested in the Suburban Rail Loop, in the North-East Link, and we’re continuing to talk to the federal government about the projects that we want to see supported here in Victoria,” Ms Allan said.
“To be clear, in Victoria’s infrastructure pipeline we are already committed to both projects.
“What I will do and what Victorians will expect me to do is continue to fight for our fair share of infrastructure funding.”
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Questioned about the status of funding decisions for the two Victorian mega-projects, federal treasurer Jim Chalmers said the government considered them as separate.
“We don’t necessarily see those two projects that are being talked about in the media today as linked,” he said.
“We’ve made it clear for some time that we’ve made some funding available subject to the relevant and appropriate processes when it comes to suburban rail.
“We’re in discussions with all of the states and territories about the infrastructure pipeline.”
Earlier this week during a press conference alongside Ms Allan in Werribee, federal infrastructure minister Catherine King said $2.2 billion for early works on Suburban Rail East were “currently under assessment”.
“The project report was provided just before Christmas to my department,” she said.
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“My department is working with Infrastructure Australia on that at the moment, and a brief will come to me — that hasn’t occurred yet and I hope that happens shortly.
“It’s under assessment at the moment and when I’ve got [anything] further to say about that … I’ll let you know.”
Victoria’s deputy opposition leader Evan Mulholland said it was the clear the federal government would rather direct its money to airport rail.
“We have got to the point now where the premier is still advocating for the government to give money for the Suburban Rail Loop, to give the $2 billion the federal government promised,” he said.
“The project cannot proceed without federal government money.
“It’s like going to an auction … winning the auction for a house, and not even having the finance secured for the home. That’s what Jacinta Allan’s doing.”
ABC News
Both parties are very road oriented and have no vision to enhance the rail system in Australia
Most MPs do not regularly use public service ie rail mostly pefer tax funded cars and planes transport
major decision-making parties prefer air travel & car to rail conferences!