Hume City Council supports Melbourne Airport’s underground station wish
Bill Shorten has weighed in on the controversial Melbourne Airport rail link, as a local council pleas for an underground station.
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A federal government Minister has backed the state government’s option for the Melbourne Airport rail link despite one council readying to send an impassioned plea.
Hume City Council will write to Maribyrnong MP Bill Shorten as well as Federal Transport Minister Catherine King, State Transport Minister Jacinta Allan and Sunbury MP Josh Bull to ask for their support for an underground railway station at Melbourne Airport.
The state government revealed in September the elevated above ground option for the rail link at Melbourne Airport was its preferred option as it would reportedly save taxpayers money and allow the project to be completed sooner.
Mr Shorten backed the state government’s approach for the project – which is predicted to cost between $8bn-$13bn project and be completed by 2029 – labelling the airport rail line and station a “giant win” for all Victorians.
“My understanding is that it would be significantly more expensive to build an underground station at Melbourne Airport,” he said.
“Victorians have been waiting a lifetime for an Airport rail link and now it is becoming a reality and has only been achieved due to having Labor governments in both Victoria and federally.”
This comes despite Melbourne Airport publicly voicing its preference for the proposed station to be below ground for “passenger experience” and “future connectivity”.
“Melbourne Airport is probably our biggest ratepayer, it is probably one of the biggest employers we have got and I think we owe it to them to back them on this,” Hume Cr Jack Medcraft said.
“The number of jobs it would create in our city just to build this would be enormous.
“If we don’t advocate for this and demand this, we will be held to account in the future.”
However, it wasn’t all smooth passage for the airport with Cr Jodi Jackson questioning the direct benefit the project would have on Hume residents.
“I am not against the underground rail, I think the underground rail would be the optimal choice, I just worry by us advocating for this whether (it) will delay the opportunity for Melbourne to have a railway line and access to the airport,” Cr Naim Kurt said.
The federal and state governments have committed $5bn each to the project.
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