26th of February 2025, 3:23pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Legalise Cannabis Victoria has welcomed new federal funding of $7 billion to build a rail line from Melbourne Airport to Sunshine Station and transform Sunshine Station but is demanding to know when work will actually start.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese committed $5 billion to the airport rail link and on Wednesday added a further $2 billion to upgrade the Sunshine Station.
LCV West Metro MP David Ettershank says residents, investors, and business will have more confidence in the west if a work start-date is locked down.
“We’ve heard that the federal and state governments will partner to build the rail link to Tullamarine Airport,” Mr Ettershank said.
“And $2 billion will go towards upgrading Sunshine station, with the Victorian government also bringing forward their funding. At Sunshine there’ll be an extra platform and a dedicated spur line to make Sunshine the hub for rail services to the airport.
“The airport rail link will be a huge benefit to both passengers and the thousands of workers who live in the west and work at the airport, but the multibillion-dollar question now is WHEN will work start?
“We also need to recognise that these initiatives will do little or nothing for the hundreds of thousands of westies, who simply don’t have access to any form of local public transport: Westies who want the government to take action now, not after the next electoral cycle.
“Legalise Cannabis has long called for an upgrade of bus services to the west. Let’s roll that out now. Bus services don’t need new infrastructure – the roads are there – and better buses will immediately benefit the community.”
Mr Ettershank said the airport rail link and station upgrade would make travel easier in Victoria’s north and west.
“Given it’s an election year, I’m not that surprised by the $7 billion announcement,” he said.
“Labor’s vote slumped by 16.5 per cent in the Werribee by-election, but interestingly voters didn’t turn to the Coalition, they turned to the smaller parties, like Legalise Cannabis.
“We will continue to hold the big parties to account, which is why I call on Labor to announce the start date for work on the airport rail link and Sunshine station upgrade.”
The Prime Minister also committed $300 million for rail electrification in Melton.
“This is a long-standing commitment to the Melton community, and we commend the government for finally, hopefully, honouring that commitment,” he said.
“We also call upon the State Government to honour its previous commitment to electrification of the Wyndham Vale Line. We hope the people of Wyndham Vale have not been forgotten now that the by-election is over.”
[Ends]
