Today Matthew Guy has confirmed that if he was to become Premier, he will cut 24,000 jobs.
After months of flip flopping, he’s finally come clean and confirmed – the Liberals will cut the Suburban Rail Loop meaning Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill would never get the brand new train stations that are currently in early works.
He will walk away from a train to Monash University, to Doncaster, to Deakin and La Trobe University, there will be no orbital rail to connect Melbourne’s suburbs.
Just like Melbourne needed a City Loop all those years ago – with discussions beginning in 1929 and construction completed in 1981, our growing city now needs an orbital rail loop to give effect to the vision laid out in Plan Melbourne.
The Suburban Rail Loop – to be built in partnership with the Albanese Labor Government – is not just a rail line, it’s a network that connects Victoria’s fastest growing centres of jobs, tertiary education, major hospital and research centres and the airport.
But it’s not just the Suburban Rail Loop – Matthew Guy also wants to scrap – he has also threatened the Andrews Labor Government’s Big Build Program that currently supports 50,000 workers. Level crossing removals, road upgrades and train line works – would all be at risk under the Liberals.
He’s walking away from the transport connections that these projects deliver, the jobs they offer and the wages that support Victorian families.
SRL East and SRL North will take around 606,000 car trips and 2.2 million vehicle KILOMETRES off our roads every single day by 2056. Which will result in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, as well as other environmental benefits.
By 2056 it is anticipated there will be more than 230,000 daily extra public transport trips across Melbourne, and an additional 2.4 million walking or cycling trips each day.
The Suburban Rail Loop will deliver up to $58.7 billion in benefits to Victoria and will return up to $1.70 to the economy for every dollar spent.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Suburban Rail Loop and Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan
“Victorians voted for this project, that will create thousands of jobs – and today Matthew Guy has finally come clean: the Liberals will cut the Suburban Rail Loop.”
“Whether it’s building the Suburban Rail Loop, the Metro Tunnel, the North East Link, upgrading suburban roads or removing level crossings only Labor will deliver the projects Victorians need – supporting thousands of jobs.”
Reviewed 16 August 2022