THE South Geelong to Waurn Ponds rail duplication is now under construction but the federal Coalition is claiming the full project may not make it through the Albanese Government’s review of the Infrastructure Investment Program.
Announced earlier in May, the 90-day review will keep $120 billion funding over 10 years of the program but is designed to, according to Labor, “consider the projects that are actual priorities, and assess their cost and deliverability in the current climate”.
The full $893-million South Geelong to Waurn Ponds rail duplication will include upgrades to the Marshall and South Geelong stations, track duplication between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds, removal of two level-crossings at Surf Coast Highway and Fyans Street, signalling upgrades and construction of new shared user paths.
Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Bridget McKenzie visited Marshall railway station, which is presently undergoing car park works, on Tuesday this week.
“We need the certainty that projects like this will not be targeted by this government; we fought so hard and long to deliver the funding for this project, to give our community the infrastructure it needs,” Senator Henderson said.
The rail duplication project has already hit several milestones, including a significantly upgraded Waurn Ponds station, but Senator Henderson said it should not have been part of the review.
“The notion that Labor is reviewing this project, along with so many other projects, is appalling.”
Senator McKenzie said there were 90 Victorian projects in the Infrastructure Investment Program worth a collective $20 billion.
“We know when you phase these projects, we want the whole project delivered, such as this rail duplication project, not just singular phases.”
She said Labor should be putting every project in the Infrastructure Investment Program under the microscope and not ringfence its election commitments.
“I’ve said that publicly since the review was announced – if you [Labor] want to have an independent review, you won the election, that is your right, but you must review everything.”
Labor says the program has grown enormously from a list of 146 when the party last held government to 738 under the previous Coalition government, resulting in projects that did not have “adequate funding, resources or genuine commitment”.