John Pesutto requests ‘urgent’ update from Anthony Albanese as $1.7bn SRL contract signed

The Allan government has finally coughed up the documentation required to unlock key funding for the Suburban Rail Loop following the opposition’s calls for an “urgent” project update.

The Allan government has finally coughed up the documentation required to unlock key funding from the Albanese government for the state’s most controversial project, the Suburban Rail Loop.

Infrastructure Minister Danny Pearson on Tuesday revealed that the government had “recently” delivered the missing information as part of a Project Proposal Report sent to the Commonwealth.

“We’ve provided the documentation,” he said.

“I think that’s up to the Commonwealth now to run its processes.”

Mr Pearson said the federal government now “absolutely” has all of the information required to release the funding.

Pressed over when exactly the documents were sent, Mr Pearson refused to provide a straight answer.

“I don’t know precisely when, but in recent times,” he said.

Infrastructure Australia has been requesting the information for two years.

Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said her department had received a draft report.

“The department will work with Infrastructure Australia and the Victorian Government to undertake a coordinated assessment of the proposal,” Ms King said.

It comes after Opposition Leader John Pesutto urged the Prime Minister to come clean to Victorians about whether he will fund the controversial Suburban Rail Loop after the Allan government announced another $1.7 billion contract had been “locked in”.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto has penned a letter to the PM requesting a Suburban Rail Loop funding update. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Despite a multimillion funding shortfall, Premier Jacinta Allan on Sunday revealed the second and final tunnelling contract for the $34.5 billion first stage of the mega project had been signed with global consortium Terra Verde.

The unveiling of the $1.7 billion deal to build 10km twin tunnels between Glen Waverley and Box Hill – which Ms Allan boasted was “under the initial benchmark” – came with a warning from Transport Infrastructure Minister Danny Pearson.

“The reality is that there is just simply no stopping this project now,” he said.

The comments were met with fierce backlash from the opposition, with Mr Pesutto penning a letter to the Prime Minister requesting an “urgent” funding update as he renewed calls for the project to be paused.

Anthony Albanese has pledged just $2.2bn to the SRL. Picture: Martin Ollman

“It is now reaching a stage of urgency where, as the Commonwealth Government, you must provide certainty to the Victorian people,” he wrote.

The state government has been banking on the federal government matching its $11.8 billion commitment to the project, with the other third expected to be reeled in through “value capture”.

But Mr Albanese’s initial pledge of just $2.2 billion for the first stage of the SRL has been put on hold, with an audit of the 2022 election commitment finding there was “no evidence” of a merit review.

Mr Pesutto said while the Commonwealth had “rightly decided not to release its existing $2.2 billion commitment” until a new business case was independently approved, Victorians “deserve clarity”.

“The Allan Labor Government appears to be proceeding with the Suburban Rail Loop, despite a funding shortfall of at least $22 billion for the Suburban Rail Loop East stretch alone,” he wrote.

“I respectfully urge your Government to confirm whether you intend to fund the Suburban Rail Loop, and to convey to the Allan Labor Government the serious concerns regarding the viability of the project.”

Jacinta Allan said the government was “not wasting a moment” on the SRL. Picture: NewsWire / Aaron Francis

The letter comes after multiple credit rating agencies warned the Allan government that it was on track for a downgrade, if it pushed ahead without Federal Government funding, while the state’s net debt projected to hit $188bn by 2028.

Despite a series of budget blow outs on other major projects, including the Metro Tunnel, Ms Allan on Sunday assured that SRL East “absolutely remains on time and on budget”.

She pledged to have tunnel boring machines in the ground by 2026.

The first SRL tunnelling contract, worth $3.6bn, was signed with CPB Contractors, Ghella and Acciona Construction to tunnel from Glen Waverley to Cheltenham in December.

“Early works are powering ahead, and two tunnelling contracts have been signed,” Ms Allan said.

“We are not wasting a moment.”