Opposition Leader Jess Wilson has insisted her policy on the Suburban Rail Loop is clear – before refusing to answer whether her plan to pause and review the $33.5 billion project would mean tools down on work sites.
The Coalition has struggled to explain its stance on the project over the past two days after The Age revealed their policy referred to a pause on new contracts, similar to Premier Ben Carroll’s decision not to sign contracts for station construction until a technical review is completed.
In a statement provided to The Age on Thursday, the opposition said its position “does not mean workers are sent home or tunnel boring stops” on the underground SRL East line from Box Hill to Cheltenham.
On Friday, shadow attorney-general James Newbury said “tools will be down”, that contracts would not be broken and workers would be paid. He added: “Any works that can be paused will immediately be paused.”
That afternoon, the opposition sent out another statement that did not use the same language around workers and machines, but said a Coalition government would avoid significant and unnecessary costs while they assessed the project.
“Pausing the project means not committing to further contracts whilst the review about the project’s future is undertaken. Workers will continue to be paid,” the statement said.
Wilson was due to front the media on Friday afternoon to speak about the government’s dump day, in which 192 annual reports were release at once, but the event was cancelled, prompting Labor to accuse her of being in hiding.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday morning, the Opposition Leader said: “Our position on this is very clear.”
“We’ll pause and review the Suburban Rail Loop immediately upon coming into government, and take what is a swift review within our first 100 days,” she said.
“We’ve worked with the Parliamentary Budget Office to make sure that that review is done in a way that’s disciplined and financially responsible, so we’ll have no cost to the budget.
“But most importantly, as part of that, existing contracts will continue, but no new contracts will be entered into, and that’s exactly what the pause and review means.”
She concluded the press conference as she was asked if that meant tools would be downed at construction sites.
Government minister Anthony Carbines on Friday said the Coalition’s policy was now the same as Labor’s position, and that Newbury had contradicted the opposition’s stance with his “tools down” comment.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Wilson also revealed she had accepted an offer from News24 to take part in an election debate featuring herself, Carroll, One Nation leader Warren Pickering and Greens leader Ellen Sandell.
Wilson’s announcement sought to return fire on Carroll, who had attacked her all week because she has so far declined to attend a televised debate next week hosted by Channel Nine and The Age, which had been slated to include Pickering but not Sandell. Nine is the owner of this masthead.
But Carroll moved quickly to accept the News24 forum in a social media post later on Saturday.
Labor and One Nation have accepted invitations from Nine, but Wilson has argued only she or Carroll can become premier after the November 28 election.
Wilson framed the News24 event – scheduled for November 17 – as a “people’s forum where Victorians get to ask the leaders of various political parties their questions”, rather than a one-on-one between two potential premiers.
“Ben, I’ve said many times before, I’m ready any day to debate you one-on-one,” she said.
Wilson was speaking at Werribee Mercy Hospital to announce a $24.4 million commitment to deliver a new public radiation therapy facility in Melbourne’s outer west, which has been the subject of a public campaign. The funding includes capital costs for the facility, and Wilson said operating costs would be fully funded separately and managed with the Commonwealth.
Hoppers Crossing resident Geoff Beams said he had to travel to either Waurn Ponds near Geelong or Melbourne for treatment for his skin cancer, meaning he had to complete 25 trips that were at least an hour-and-a-half round journey.
“I was tired, and I would have liked to have been close to the family … When you’re undergoing the treatment, you want those around you to provide you support,” he said.
Meanwhile, as the campaign continued four weeks out from the election, Deputy Premier Gabrielle Williams and Roads Minister Paul Hamer appeared in Noble Park to spruik Labor’s commitment to deliver 50 road upgrades across the state, including three projects in Melbourne’s south-east.
Williams also defended the release of the more than 190 annual reports on Friday as standard practice. She said it was also important they be released before the government went into caretaker mode on Tuesday.
“They are there for all Victorians to read at their leisure,” Williams said.
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