My adjournment is for the Minister for Transport Infrastructure, and the action I seek is that the minister brief me on debunking some of the ridiculous pieces of information that have been spread about the Metro Tunnel project. I have spoken in this place so many times about the benefits that this project will deliver for folks right across Melbourne but especially for my community in Melbourne’s west. I will continue to do so as the project tracks along for completion by the end of this year. As I said to my husband, it is only probably a couple of months away.
People said it could not be done. Those opposite called this project a hoax and pulled out all the stops to try and stop this project. Never once did they back it in, and the misinformation that has been spread about this project by so many out in the community is I think incredibly disappointing. I think the most ridiculous myth that has been spread about the tunnel is the line about trains not fitting into the tunnel. We have specific high-capacity Metro trains that have been designed and built specifically for these train lines. Would you believe they are now operating today along the Sunbury, Pakenham and Cranbourne corridors, which will be connected, yes, by the tunnel.
Some people cannot even grasp that these stations have been built with the latest in platform safety equipment, with platform screen doors that will line up with these trains, which I will add is so that people cannot fall off the platforms or, worse, throw themselves in front of a train. We have seen what happens when these tragedies happen and the impact they have on our network, so it is incredible that the Metro Tunnel has been built with safeguards to manage these types of risks. But do you know why misinformation about projects like the Metro Tunnel is so frustrating – because it undermines their importance and the overwhelming benefits that they will deliver to our city, like the fact that folks will be able to catch a train from Sunshine and be six train stops away from Melbourne Uni for the first time in Melbourne’s history, that our veterans will be able to catch a train to the Shrine of Remembrance at Anzac Station or that in about 10 years, thanks to this tunnel, students will be able to catch a train from Albion Station all the way to Monash University in Clayton, which will be part of the Suburban Rail Loop and save 15 minutes on their travel time. As well, there is this fact – and this is my favourite fact actually: the Metro Tunnel will enable anyone in Melbourne, whether they are from the north, the east or the south-east, to catch a train to Sunshine station, which will soon become a major transport hub, and continue on towards Melbourne Airport as part of the airport rail link without having to change trains at Sunshine.
It is so important to call this stuff out, and I invite the minister to join me in setting the record straight on this fantastic project as we approach the opening of this tunnel very, very soon.
