The Turnbull Government has announced a new $1.52 billion investment in Victorian infrastructure to ease congestion and provide better rail services right across the state.
People deserve better public transport no matter where they live. That is why the Coalition is unlocking funding for major upgrades to rail in regional Victoria, creating over 1,000 new jobs.
The Turnbull Government will provide majority funding for these works, investing $1.42 billion to improve services on most regional lines in the state. Victoria has offered to provide $150 million towards these works.
This investment will see new services added, travel times slashed and stations upgraded, and include:
- $555.6 million – Ballarat Line
- $435 million – Gippsland Line
- $140 million – North East Line
- $110 million – Surf Coast rail including Waurn Ponds duplication
- $114 million – Warrnambool Line
- $91 million – Bendigo and Echuca Line
- $95 million – Avon River Bridge upgrade
- $20.2 million – Murray Basin freight rail, taking the total Commonwealth commitment to the project to $240 million
- $10 million – Shepparton Line
The Commonwealth will also provide $30 million towards a Melbourne Airport rail link, as announced in the recent Budget. We ask the Andrews Government to constructively partner with us on the completion of the business plan, providing access to information and officials so that we can get on with this long-overdue project.
The Premier made the disappointing decision to cancel the East West Link, wasting over $1 billion. While Victorians have been left without a road, the Victorian Government is holding approximately $70 million in interest earned from the Commonwealth’s $1.5 billion prepayment for the East West Link.
This $70 million could be immediately deployed to upgrade suburban roads and congestion points. We look forward to working with the Andrews Government to agree priority projects for investment.
We remain committed to the East West Link, and will provide $3 billion to any Victorian Government to deliver this vital project.
These commitments take the total amount of Commonwealth funding available for Victorian projects to $4.5 billion, a significant investment to cut travel times, create jobs and make life better for more Victorians. Over 19 per cent of total current Commonwealth infrastructure funding is available to Victoria.
Further funding is available for metro and regional rail in Victoria under the $10 billion transformational National Rail Program announced in the recent Federal Budget. Victoria will also significantly benefit from the once in a generation $8.4 billion Inland Rail project between Brisbane and Melbourne.
We are building the roads and rail to ensure that Victoria has the top quality infrastructure it deserves, particularly to grow the regions and improve the liveability of Melbourne.
Today’s announcement provides an additional $509 million on top of our $1 billion commitment to Victorian infrastructure announced in the Budget, and builds on the Commonwealth’s existing investments in Victoria. This includes $500 million for the Western Highway, $200 million for the Tullamarine Freeway Widening, and the $1.5 billion infrastructure package announced in November 2016 incorporating:
- $500 million to upgrade the Monash Freeway;
- $350 million to complete the M80 Ring Road upgrades;
- $220 million for Murray Basin freight Rail;
- $345 million for a Rural and Regional Roads Package; and
- $85 million for an Urban Congestion Package.
The Turnbull Government is determined to deliver the road and rail projects to set the state up for future decades.
Victorians deserve quality roads and rail projects. My Government will deliver them.
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