Get on with rail upgrade’
Coker: Government needs to act on $750m duplication
Prime Minister Michael McCormack on why $675 million — 90 per cent of the funding — was not available until 2025-26.
“When I asked the minister why nearly all the federal funding is being held over until the next term of parliament, the minister didn’t have a response; instead he refused to consider bringing the funding forward,” Ms Coker said.
She said commuters could not wait that long.
“In the fast growing region of Corangamite, peak hour trains through Geelong are running at 140 per cent capacity and commuters regularly face significant delays and overcrowding,” she said.
“As the region continues to grow, demand for improvements to vital infrastructure like this rail upgrade will only increase.
“The Federal Government needs to fund the rail duplication in this term of parliament, not start construction in 2025-26.
“People travelling from Waurn Ponds are facing delays and overcrowding, and services cannot increase until the upgrade is completed.”
Mayor Bruce Harwood said with the rapid growth in Geelong the infrastructure was vital and in line with the council’s proposals for rail improvements.
“Geelong is growing at a rapid rate and this upgrade is a vital part of the bigger picture of how we move people into and through our city in the future,” Cr Harwood said.
“It links in closely with the Greater Geelong Council’s proposal for a fast rail connection between Geelong and Melbourne, which would ultimately connect up with the planned Tullamarine Airport Link.
“It will also be vital to the communities in towns west of Geelong such as Colac and Winchelsea, who also need a fast and reliable connection into and through Geelong.
“We can’t afford to wait years for this infrastructure — we need work to start now.”
In his reply to Ms Coker, Mr McCormack said all infrastructure had to be built over a phased period.
“You cannot build it all at once,” Mr McCormack said.
“When you’re spending a record $100 billion on infrastructure, you can’t spend it all in the one year, but we’re getting on with building a better Corangamite.”
A spokesperson for Mr McCormack told the Geelong Advertiser the Government was committed to the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Rail Line Upgrade.
“The 2019-20 Budget included a commitment of $700 million to South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Upgrade (Stages 2 and 3). This commitment was in addition to the $50 million provided for in the 2018-19 budget,” the spokesperson said.