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Do They Represent Me?

Should the government pause or stop work on the Suburban Rail Loop, a new train line being built through Melbourne's middle suburbs?

Council only · 2 votes

Background

The Suburban Rail Loop is a planned orbital (circling) rail line through Melbourne's middle suburbs; work on the first stage (SRL East) began in 2022, with trains due in 2035. The Council rejected motions to pause it until Infrastructure Victoria assessed it (November 2023) and to halt it over credit-rating concerns (August 2024). In August 2026 the Auditor-General reported SRL East would more likely than not cost over $34.5 billion, and that Treasury had warned the budget could not fully fund it without limiting other spending. That week Premier Ben Carroll announced $1 billion of savings and a review to find another $1 billion, said no further contracts would be signed until the review was complete, and said the project would be delivered on time and under budget; the Coalition said it would pause and review the project if elected.

What each side said

Summarised from the debate in Parliament, with sources below.

For “agree”

Supporters of a pause said the project was not recommended by Infrastructure Victoria and its business case did not support informed decisions — "Let us ask for an independent assessment by Infrastructure Victoria" (Evan Mulholland, Liberal, 2023) — and that debt and a credit-rating warning threaten other services (Georgie Crozier, Liberal, 2024). The Libertarian and One Nation also supported both motions, and Moira Deeming (now Family First) the 2024 one.

For “disagree”

The Government said the SRL was taken to two elections and meets suburb-to-suburb travel needs: "a long-term commitment which future generations will thank us for" (John Berger, ALP). The Greens opposed pausing it, saying transport priorities should be set through an integrated transport plan (Katherine Copsey, Greens, 2023); Legalise Cannabis and Animal Justice also voted No.

How the parties voted

Across the linked votes below. Second and third readings count five times as much as other votes. Parties are in alphabetical order. How this is worked out

How each party voted across the linked votes
Party Record Votes with a party position
Animal Justice Consistently against 2 of 2
Democratic Labour Did not vote 0 of 1
Greens Consistently against 2 of 2
Labor Consistently against 2 of 2
Legalise Cannabis Consistently against 2 of 2
Liberal Consistently for 2 of 2
Libertarian Consistently for 2 of 2
Nationals Consistently for 2 of 2
One Nation Consistently for 2 of 2
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Did not vote 0 of 2

The votes behind this question

Each vote (division) recorded in Parliament that this question is based on, in date order.

15 November 2023 · Legislative Council

Suburban Rail Loop

Question put
Result
Question negatived. Ayes 15, Noes 22.
Matches “agree”
An Aye vote
Weight
Normal
Why it's linked
Council motion moved by Evan Mulholland. Aye = support the motion; agree = Aye.
How each party voted on Suburban Rail Loop, 15 November 2023
Party Aye No Position
Animal Justice 0 1 No
Democratic Labour 0 0 Did not vote
Greens 0 4 No
Labor 0 15 No
Legalise Cannabis 0 2 No
Liberal 11 0 Aye
Libertarian 1 0 Aye
Nationals 2 0 Aye
One Nation 1 0 Aye
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers 0 0 Did not vote
Every name (Ayes 15, Noes 22) in the vote of 15 November 2023

Ayes (15)

Matthew Bach, Melina Bath, Gaelle Broad, Georgie Crozier, David Davis, Renee Heath, Ann-Marie Hermans, David Limbrick, Wendy Lovell, Trung Luu, Bev McArthur, Joe McCracken, Nick McGowan, Evan Mulholland, Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell

Noes (22)

Ryan Batchelor, John Berger, Lizzie Blandthorn, Katherine Copsey, Enver Erdogan, Jacinta Ermacora, David Ettershank, Michael Galea, Shaun Leane, Sarah Mansfield, Tom McIntosh, Rachel Payne, Aiv Puglielli, Georgie Purcell, Samantha Ratnam, Harriet Shing, Ingrid Stitt, Jaclyn Symes, Lee Tarlamis, Sonja Terpstra, Gayle Tierney, Sheena Watt

Official record: Minutes of the Proceedings Nos. 44, 45 and 46 (LC-60-045-02)

28 August 2024 · Legislative Council

Suburban Rail Loop

Question put
11 SUBURBAN RAIL LOOP — Georgie Crozier moved, That this House —
Result
Question negatived. Ayes 17, Noes 22.
Matches “agree”
An Aye vote
Weight
Normal
Why it's linked
Council motion moved by Georgie Crozier. Aye = support the motion; agree = Aye.
How each party voted on Suburban Rail Loop, 28 August 2024
Party Aye No Position
Animal Justice 0 1 No
Greens 0 4 No
Labor 0 15 No
Legalise Cannabis 0 2 No
Liberal 11 0 Aye
Libertarian 1 0 Aye
Nationals 2 0 Aye
One Nation 1 0 Aye
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers 0 0 Did not vote

Independents, each counted on their own: Moira Deeming (Aye), Adem Somyurek (Aye)

Every name (Ayes 17, Noes 22) in the vote of 28 August 2024

Ayes (17)

Melina Bath, Gaelle Broad, Georgie Crozier, David Davis, Moira Deeming, Renee Heath, Ann-Marie Hermans, David Limbrick, Wendy Lovell, Trung Luu, Bev McArthur, Joe McCracken, Nick McGowan, Evan Mulholland, Adem Somyurek, Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell, Richard Welch

Noes (22)

Ryan Batchelor, John Berger, Lizzie Blandthorn, Katherine Copsey, Enver Erdogan, Jacinta Ermacora, David Ettershank, Michael Galea, Shaun Leane, Sarah Mansfield, Tom McIntosh, Rachel Payne, Aiv Puglielli, Georgie Purcell, Samantha Ratnam, Harriet Shing, Ingrid Stitt, Jaclyn Symes, Lee Tarlamis, Sonja Terpstra, Gayle Tierney, Sheena Watt

Official record: Minutes of the Proceedings Nos. 80, 81 and 82 (LC-60-081-03)

Sources

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