Melbourne Airport gets public support over Rail Link

While the state government and Melbourne Airport squabble over what a long-awaited railway station will look like, Leader readers have had their say.

MP Catherine King says the federal government is supportive of negotiations between the state government and Melbourne Airport.

An exclusive Leader polls shows overwhelming support for an underground railway station to service Melbourne Airport, strongly opposing the state government’s preferred option of above ground.

The state government and Melbourne Airport are at loggerheads over plans to build a railway station with the former presenting an above-ground elevated station as part of its business case for the Rail Link.

While local federal Bill Shorten recently put his support behind the state government’s plans, federal Transport Minister Catherine King refused to indicate which option she favours.

“The Australian Government wants to see the benefits of a Melbourne Airport Rail Link flow to all Victorians as soon as possible, and will continue to work with the Victorian Government to deliver a rail link that does exactly that,” her office said in a statement.

“We support negotiations between the Victorian Government and Melbourne Airport operator, Australia Pacific Airports (Melbourne) Pty Ltd, in reaching an outcome on the best option for the Melbourne Airport station in a timely manner.”

There is strong public support for an underground station, which is also the option preferred by the Melbourne Airport.

A Leader poll, which got more than 200 responses, 78 per cent said they would prefer an underground railway station as opposed to an above ground station.

Both the state and federal governments contributing $5bn each to the rail link project, with the business case predicting the project to cost between $8bn-$13bn.

The state government prefers the elevated option because it believes it will be able to be made faster and for less money.

The Melbourne Airport said the underground option would work for “all airport users, not just those who arrive by train, and that it is a station all Victorians can all be proud of”.