Carina Garland (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. What is the Albanese Labor government's response to the known views of Victorians in relation to the Suburban Rail Loop East?

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. She's a fine representative of the south-eastern suburbs of Victoria. I know that she, like many Victorians, is a very keen supporter of the Suburban Rail Loop. On this side of the House, we've long been supporters of the Suburban Rail Loop. We know that planning for our medium- to long-term future requires vision, dedication and a commitment to work cooperatively with states and territories.

The Suburban Rail Loop will be truly transformational to the state of Victoria. The first section—Suburban Rail Loop East—is a project that delivers twin tunnels with six underground stations at Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Burwood, Glen Waverley and Box Hill. It's due to open in 2035, and it will open up access to key education, health and employment centres in Melbourne's east and south-east. The benefit will also go people in the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland, who will be able to access Monash University, the newly opened Victorian Heart Hospital and Monash Children's Hospital, all without needing to head into the centre of Melbourne, saving them an hour on public transport for that trip. It's a project that will relieve pressure on our roads as well as reduce congestion and travel times across our suburbs.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for La Trobe will cease interjecting.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a significant investment in transformational public transport. That is what Labor governments do.

Suburban Rail Loop East will also support up to 24,000 jobs in the construction phase. Early works are already underway right now in Clayton, and they'll begin in Glen Waverley early in the new year. Preparatory works are also about to kick off at Burwood and Monash and Box Hill, ahead of construction of the new Box Hill Suburban Rail Loop station. The Albanese government has committed $2.2 billion to the early works of Suburban Rail Loop East. The detailed business and investment case of the loop, released by Victoria last year, demonstrated the benefit-cost ratio of up to 1.7, meaning $1.70 would be returned for every $1 invested. This is a completely transformational project for the state of Victoria. It's a project that has the support of our government, and it's pretty clear from Saturday that it has the overwhelming support of the Victorian community as well.