Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. This week you met with the Victorian Minister for Public Transport and Minister for Major Projects, and I hope you discussed the north-east Victorian rail line, which is maintained by the ARTC. Can you give us an update on the scope of works for the $100 million upgrade? When will the scope of works be released for public consultation, and when will work commence? Can you tell the community of north-east Victoria when we can expect completion of the track works that will allow operation of the new trains?

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question and note that we have had a meeting with the Victorian minister. We did it this week. We are working on the line that you've stated. We are spending $100 million on that line. We will look to start the consultations in around about the middle of this year. It is vitally important, that being part of the link not only for a commuter network but also on what we need to do on the Inland Rail. It's incredibly important that we get the agreement in place so that we can deal with any land acquisitions requirements and, working with the minister for Victoria, we look forward to a vast improvement as part of this coalition's investment in infrastructure, especially investment in rail infrastructure. We are very proud of our $10 billion rail infrastructure package and also the near $10 billion that we'll be spending on the Inland Rail.