Victorian Parliament today overwhelmingly rejected a Liberal stunt to delay the $1.6 billion project to remove nine dangerous and congested level crossings in Melbourne’s south east.
Continuing to play politics with the removal of these congested death traps, the Liberal Opposition took the unprecedented step of trying to revoke the Planning Scheme Amendment that enables the project to proceed.
Those attempts failed, with the Upper House of Victorian Parliament overwhelmingly voting against the Liberal stunt, and in favour of the removal of every level crossing between Dandenong and the city.
If successful, this Liberal stunt would have put 2,000 jobs at risk and delayed the removal of these congested death traps.
The Planning Scheme Amendment for the project is a standard approval that outlines the conditions and controls on the project’s construction, in accordance with Victoria’s statutory planning obligations.
Its revocation would have set a dangerous planning precedent for both government and private major projects across Victoria.
The Labor Government is getting on with this vital project, which will remove Victoria’s worst level crossings, rebuild five stations, upgrade signalling and power and create 11 MCGs worth of new parks, paths and open space.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan
“This is yet another failed stunt by the Liberal Opposition to stop us removing these dangerous and congested level crossings and creating more than 2,000 jobs.”
“They didn’t remove a single one of these level crossings in Government and are now doing everything they can to stop us getting rid of them.”
“This stunt has failed and we’re getting on with this $1.6 billion project, which will reduce road congestion, improve public transport and make communities throughout Melbourne’s south east safer.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020