Allan has time to abandon Melbourne's gargantuan folly. But it's about to run out
This means that if the government quit the SRL now, it could break the main works contracts it has already signed for a fraction of their nominal, $5.3 billion value. There are no hidden nasties like there were in the East West Link contract the former Coalition government booby-trapped for Labor on the eve of the 2014 state election.
Once the tunnel boring machine is loaded onto freight transport in Guangzhou, the costs incurred by the main works consortia – this first to get its hands dirty is the Suburban Connect consortia comprising of Acciona, CPB Contractors and Ghella – will escalate quickly.
By Christmas, the Victorian government will be standing deep in a hole at Clarinda with a choice only to keep digging.
This calculus should be front-of-mind for anyone reading revelations by my colleagues Patrick Hatch and Kieran Rooney about the North West Strategic Assessment, a wafty title given to a secret government document detailing urgent rail projects needed in parts of Melbourne far removed from the proposed route of SRL East.
In the eight years since a room full of PwC consultants started dreaming up plans for an orbital rail loop around Melbourne, the public transport needs of the city's fast-growing western and northern suburbs has gone from pressing to dire.
Loading
Former premier Daniel Andrews promised to electrify the Melton and Wyndham lines within weeks of unveiling his plans for SRL. While nothing has been done on the former, the latter is ploughing ahead despite Infrastructure Australia warning about the business case and funding model and the federal government privately urging the state to change tracks.
Premier Jacinta Allan and many of her ministers remain convinced of the electoral popularity of the SRL. Two days after the federal election wiped out the last two Liberal-held seats in Melbourne's eastern suburbs and silenced murmurings around her leadership, Allan went so far as to suggest it's the SRL wot won it.
Yet how can a Labor government, in good conscience, prioritise another rail line for a part of Melbourne already well serviced by public transport above the provision of basic transport services for communities living in neglected parts of the city?
As one Labor MP who represents a Melbourne growth area explained, access to reliable public transport isn't just about moving people around or enabling townhouse and high-rise developments. Fundamentally, it is about opportunity to study, to work and to prosper.
Loading
That opportunity should not be equal only for people living east of the Maribyrnong River or inside Melbourne's ring road.
The state and federal government's combined $4 billion investment to rebuild Sunshine station and untangle the knot of metro, regional and freight lines that run past its existing platforms is the first significant step towards modern rail transport for people living in Caroline Springs, Melton, Tarneit and Wyndham Vale.
It should be the start of a more substantial pivot away from giving Melbourne's east what it wants and providing the west and north what they need.
SRL East is a project which, in the unlikely event it is completed on time, will run its first service in 2035. Its opportunity cost is being counted now, on a daily basis, across health, mental health, education and other essential services, where jobs are being cut and agencies defunded.
Loading
In the new currency of Victoria's public sector, every metre of SRL tunnel equates to $130 million that could otherwise be spent on teachers or nurses or preventive healthcare or government schools.
Before the last state election, when then opposition leader Matthew Guy promised to axe the SRL and redirect the money into hospitals, Daniel Andrews delivered a pithy retort. 'Not rail or hospitals,' he tweeted. 'Both.'
It was a brilliant line and, as it turns out, complete bollocks.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
15 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Eagles back $20-million man Reid to handle the hype
The numbers are eye-watering, but West Coast coach Andrew McQualter is confident Harley Reid won't feel a burden upon becoming the highest-paid player in the AFL. Reid's contract status has hit the headlines again this week after his manager Nick Gieschen flew to Perth to have further talks with the Eagles. They have tabled a number of different-length deals to Reid, whose current contract runs out at the end of 2026. One is reportedly worth in the vicinity of $24 million over 11 years, with Victorian clubs also willing to offer long-term deals in excess of $2 million a season. Reid is already one of the most talked about players in the league, but can the 20-year-old Victorian handle being the highest paid? When the $20 million-plus figure was put to McQualter, the first-year coach was quick to compare it to how much he himself was paid during his final season as a player in 2012. "My 45,000 on the Gold Coast," McQualter quipped with a laugh. When asked about the burden of Reid becoming the highest-paid player in the league, McQualter said the pressure came from being the best, rather than the money being earned. "For me, I'll take the contract out of it, because I think it's irrelevant," McQualter said. "It's when you're one of the best players in the competition - there's a burden that comes with it, and that's for anyone. "That's what comes with being a great player in our competition, and it's the skill of being able to cope with that. "We train that from a mental perspective. It's challenging, but the best players embrace it, and they go about their business, which I'm sure Harley will be one of those." Reid will be the centre of attention yet again when he lines up in Saturday's western derby against Fremantle. The star midfielder has hit top form in recent weeks, and his performance in the round six derby last year will still be front of mind for Fremantle fans. Reid tallied 19 disposals, seven clearances and three goals to lead the Eagles to an upset 37-point win, and Dockers coach Justin Longmuir said he's well aware of the "threat". "He's a good player. He's one of the most exciting, promising young players in the comp," Longmuir said. Given it's a Fremantle home game, Reid is set to cop plenty of boos. Reid has a tendency to get caught up in battles with rival players or the crowd, but he showed a great deal of restraint and maturity during last week's 49-point loss to Richmond. "I think he certainly embraces it," McQualter said of the booing. "It's a lot for a young man to have that attention, but he seems to cope with it pretty well, and he's getting better. "Last week, when he got thrown into a security guard, he just went and gave a fist bump to the security guard and moved on, which was pleasing to see."
Courier-Mail
17 minutes ago
- Courier-Mail
Hawks respond to Harley Reid rumour as fresh details emerge
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has provided some insight on whether the Hawks really are 'obsessed' with Harley Reid. Reports earlier this week stated the Hawks were 'obsessed' with Reid and now the Hawks coach has had his say. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. 'I saw the word obsessed and I went in the next day and I said to a couple of list guys, 'Are we obsessed with Harley Reid?' and then I saw some of the numbers that were getting thrown up and I said 'What is happening here?' And they're like 'just don't even read the papers',' Mitchell said on SEN's Fireball this morning. 'He's obviously a good player but he's contracted to West Coast and he's having a pretty good year. A bit like 'Daysy' getting sat on in his first game back, it's a bit like, 'oh', I mean this 20-year-old is getting sat on most weeks now. He's a good player.' Harley Reid's future remains up in the air. (Photo by) Earlier this week, AFL Media's Cal Twomey reported that the Eagles have put what would be 'the biggest deal in AFL history' to the star youngster, keeping him at West Coast through to the end of 2037 with its value totalling over $20 million. Channel 7's Ryan Daniels said the deal was far more eye-watering with Reid potentially set to pocket $2.2m per season for 11 years. 'The proposed deal would be for two years initially, with an option for Harley to extend that to 11 years, until the end of 2037, and be worth around $2.2 million per season. The total number would likely be north of $24 million,' Daniels said. Reid's manager, Nick Gieschen, has recently arrived in WA and attempted to downplay the reported offer. X Learn More SUBSCRIBER ONLY 'I don't think anyone is ready to be the highest-paid player in the comp,' Gieschen said. 'But nah, we're working through it. Nothing's finalised. We're in negotiations but we'll take every day as it comes. 'Harley is enjoying his time here and like I said before, we're talking about what the future looks like. We're having discussions with West Coast and we'll go from there. 'Nothing in concrete, we're just talking at the moment and we'll see where we get to.' With easily the biggest deal ever seen in AFL history reportedly on the table, it's tough bidding for any Victorian clubs to swoop in and lure him away. 'If I'm really honest I actually don't know. I don't have anything to do with the financial stuff. It doesn't seem right for us. At some point that's going to happen isn't it? Whether it's in this CBA or the next one, but the money in the game continues to go up,' Mitchell said. Harley Reid could be set to sign the biggest contract in AFL history. (Photo by) 'The average salary continues to be higher and higher and higher and as they should be. Everyone wants to play the game and the spectacle of what we're putting on at the moment is pretty good. I think the players deserve what they're getting, it's just how you attribute that. 'With our midfield as an example, being pretty workman-like and making sure that we're consistent across the board. If you're putting $2 million into one player, that makes it a little bit more difficult of course.' As rumours surrounding Reid's future continue to swirl, Eagles skipper Liam Duggan believes the young star will stick with the club. 'I'm really eager for Harley to sign. I mean, he's going to be paid very well regardless of where it is, and he's going to get a long-term deal regardless of where it is,' he said on Triple M. 'But all I can speak of at the moment is that his investment in what we're going after at the moment is second to none. 'He has been so dialled into what we're going after as a footy club at the moment, he's been very vocal in that amongst the group, the way he's playing, you can see that in the way that he's playing, and I think our supporters would be able to see that in the way that he's going about his footy right now.' Originally published as Hawks respond to Harley Reid rumour as fresh details emerge
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Hawks respond to Harley Reid rumour as fresh details emerge
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has provided some insight on whether the Hawks really are 'obsessed' with Harley Reid. Reports earlier this week stated the Hawks were 'obsessed' with Reid and now the Hawks coach has had his say. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. 'I saw the word obsessed and I went in the next day and I said to a couple of list guys, 'Are we obsessed with Harley Reid?' and then I saw some of the numbers that were getting thrown up and I said 'What is happening here?' And they're like 'just don't even read the papers',' Mitchell said on SEN's Fireball this morning. 'He's obviously a good player but he's contracted to West Coast and he's having a pretty good year. A bit like 'Daysy' getting sat on in his first game back, it's a bit like, 'oh', I mean this 20-year-old is getting sat on most weeks now. He's a good player.' Earlier this week, AFL Media's Cal Twomey reported that the Eagles have put what would be 'the biggest deal in AFL history' to the star youngster, keeping him at West Coast through to the end of 2037 with its value totalling over $20 million. Channel 7's Ryan Daniels said the deal was far more eye-watering with Reid potentially set to pocket $2.2m per season for 11 years. 'The proposed deal would be for two years initially, with an option for Harley to extend that to 11 years, until the end of 2037, and be worth around $2.2 million per season. The total number would likely be north of $24 million,' Daniels said. Reid's manager, Nick Gieschen, has recently arrived in WA and attempted to downplay the reported offer. 'I don't think anyone is ready to be the highest-paid player in the comp,' Gieschen said. 'But nah, we're working through it. Nothing's finalised. We're in negotiations but we'll take every day as it comes. 'Harley is enjoying his time here and like I said before, we're talking about what the future looks like. We're having discussions with West Coast and we'll go from there. 'Nothing in concrete, we're just talking at the moment and we'll see where we get to.' With easily the biggest deal ever seen in AFL history reportedly on the table, it's tough bidding for any Victorian clubs to swoop in and lure him away. 'If I'm really honest I actually don't know. I don't have anything to do with the financial stuff. It doesn't seem right for us. At some point that's going to happen isn't it? Whether it's in this CBA or the next one, but the money in the game continues to go up,' Mitchell said. 'The average salary continues to be higher and higher and higher and as they should be. Everyone wants to play the game and the spectacle of what we're putting on at the moment is pretty good. I think the players deserve what they're getting, it's just how you attribute that. 'With our midfield as an example, being pretty workman-like and making sure that we're consistent across the board. If you're putting $2 million into one player, that makes it a little bit more difficult of course.' As rumours surrounding Reid's future continue to swirl, Eagles skipper Liam Duggan believes the young star will stick with the club. 'I'm really eager for Harley to sign. I mean, he's going to be paid very well regardless of where it is, and he's going to get a long-term deal regardless of where it is,' he said on Triple M. 'But all I can speak of at the moment is that his investment in what we're going after at the moment is second to none. 'He has been so dialled into what we're going after as a footy club at the moment, he's been very vocal in that amongst the group, the way he's playing, you can see that in the way that he's playing, and I think our supporters would be able to see that in the way that he's going about his footy right now.'
