Suburban Rail Loop Authority on new year’s hiring blitz

The Suburban Rail Loop has embarked on a new year’s hiring blitz, offering bureaucrats pay packets up to $400,000 a year and generous work from home options.

The Suburban Rail Loop Authority has embarked on a new year’s hiring blitz offering massive pay packets and generous work from home options to lure new recruits.

Despite the project threatening a historic credit downgrade which would severely impact the state’s debt crisis, Jacinta Allan remains vehemently committed to the $34.5bn rail line.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also threw his weight behind the project this week — despite the Commonwealth failing to deliver the $2.2bn it committed to the project in 2022.

Five senior vacancies were advertised by the SRLA this week as part of a recruitment drive to fill key positions including two high-paying director roles.

A Director, Policy and Innovation role was advertised with a top tied pay rate of $290,600 for a fixed five-year term, while a $248,629 was on offer for an Integrity and Insurance Director, a Deputy Director of Development and Property and a Requirements manager.

A package director is also being sought with a pay offer of up to $419,000 a year — one of 13 vacancies to be listed since January 1.

“Locking in millions of funding on jobs this week seems like the government is making a point,” one senior industry source said.

The project is facing a funding black hole of up to $20bn. Picture: Mark Stewart

The jobs include the option to work from home as part of a flexible work arrangement.

“We put our people first and emphasise a work-life balance. Our hybrid working model and flexible work arrangements strike that balance,” a position description said.

“We understand that work/life balance is an important part of our employees’ lives.

“That’s why we have a wide range of flexible work/life balance options including working from home, flexible working hours and generous leave provisions including the 44/52 model of employment and paid parental leave.”

Credit agencies have also put the state government on notice that it would face disastrous financial consequences if it pushed ahead with the SRL without Commonwealth funding.

The Allan government has locked in just $11.8bn of funding for the project, leaving a funding black hole of up to $20bn.

The Prime Minister on Thursday backed the SRL saying it was “an important project for a growing city”.

But the federal government has refused to say when it will hand over its promised $2.2bn in funding for the project.

“One of the things about Suburban Rail Loop that I know as well is it’s not just about a rail line,” Mr Albanese said.

“It’s about housing and it’s about infrastructure more broadly as well, and about making this great city of Melbourne more liveable, more sustainable … and more productive.”

An artist’s concept of a Suburban Rail Loop station at Cheltenham. Picture: Suburban Rail Loop Authority

Victorian shadow minister for Major Projects warned Labor’s mismanagement of major projects was putting the financial stability of the state of Victoria at risk.

“It says everything you need to know about the priorities of the Allan Labor Government that it is hiring expensive bureaucrats for the unaffordable Suburban Rail Loop, rather than investing in the cost of living, roads and crime crisis that Premier Allan has created,” he said.

“It’s clear that the Allan Labor Government has lost its way. Victorians deserve better than a government clinging to an unaffordable vanity project while ignoring pressing needs across our state.

“More bureaucrats for the SRL won’t help the people of Werribee, the SRL won’t even get to Werribee until the end of this century.”

A government spokesperson said the SRL needed the “best experts on board to deliver this complex project”.

‌”We are competing with overseas projects and interstate markets and our employment offers reflect the specialist technical skills and expertise needed to plan, design and deliver a multi-generational project,” he said.

“With major works to begin this year, construction is ramping up across all station sites to prepare for tunneling next year - Brad Battin’s Coalition Cuts Squad have said they’ll cancel the project, sacking 4000 workers, ripping up contracts, failing young families who are looking for homes and leaving tunnel boring machines to sink in the ground.”

Originally published as Suburban Rail Loop Authority on new year’s hiring blitz