Revelations in The Age today that the Metro Tunnel's promised opening has been pushed out to 2026, and replaced with a 'soft' off peak opening is a broken promise that is symbolic of the blowouts and mismanagement on this project.
This is despite the Labor Government allocating $727 million in the May budget to "switch on" the Metro Tunnel, which demonstrates a catastrophic failure of major project management and a blatant disregard for Victorian taxpayers.
Evan Mulholland, Shadow Minister for Major Projects said: "Victorians are being taken for a ride and it's not on the Metro Tunnel."
"This is an absolute con job, plain and simple. Victorians have been promised countless times by Jacinta Allan that the Metro Tunnel would open in 2025. Now, after pouring an additional $727 million into the budget specifically to get this project 'switched on,' we're told we have to wait even longer."
"The idea of a 'soft opening' is just a smokescreen to hide the fact that they've botched this project from start to finish.
"$5 billion in blowouts on just one project means all Victorians will be paying the price. These are the same people that expect Victorians to believe that the Suburban Rail Loop will be immune from cost blowouts.
"This isn't an isolated incident. Time and time again, the Jacinta Allan either as Minister or Premier has proven Labor cannot manage major projects, with $48 billion worth of cost blowouts on major projects across the life of this rotten government.
"From the West Gate Tunnel to the Suburban Rail Loop, Victorians are paying the price for Labor's incompetence - not just in higher taxes, but in endless delays, disrupted lives, and a lack of the vital infrastructure we desperately need.
"Labor can't manage money, can't manage major projects and Victorians are paying the price "
