Melbourne Airport Rail Link: Labor members want project to get underway quickly

Tensions have flared at a Labor Party conference amid calls for the government to get on with the stalled $10bn rail project.

The Victorian Labor Party faithful have called on the state government to deliver the Melbourne Airport Rail “as soon as possible” amid talks the project could be delayed.

Internal disputes bubbled to the surface at a Labor conference held over the weekend, where party members voted in favour of the rail project getting underway quickly.

Tensions also flared over power lines being installed in Victoria’s west, AUKUS, and Israel and Palestine.

While debating the Melbourne Airport Rail motion, members warned the party had heavily spruiked the project and its benefits for Melbourne’s north and west as part of its campaign at the November state election.

There are concerns the Melbourne Airport Rail Link could be delayed. Picture: BigBuild.vic.gov.au

The party was reminded of the policy’s popularity in the lead up to the election and that East Keilor had been waiting for a new station for decades.

The at least $10bn project, which will connect Melbourne Airport to the state’s regional and metropolitan train network and link up to the Suburban Rail Loop, was originally slated to be completed by 2029, but has been stalled pending a federal review.

The motion called on the government to note the airport rail as an election commitment and follow through on the promised delivery date.

Senior government Minister Mary-Anne Thomas on Sunday said many resolutions were passed at the conference and they would be all considered “in due course”.

The rail link to the airport was originally slated to be completed by 2029.

Opposition spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said the internal tensions over the project “demonstrates how divided the government is on the issue”.

“This project is one that should be delivered,” Ms Crozier said.

“Of course they should come out and promise that it will be delivered – it is the one infrastructure project that Victoria actually needs.”

More than 100 urgency motions were put up for debate over the weekend, with the conference erupting during a motion attacking the installation of AusNet towers in the state’s west.

Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio was forced to seek leave to defend the troubled Western Renewables Link project, after local state and federal MPs, including Sam Rae and Martha Haylett, teamed up to attempt to force the project to include further consultation and state government intervention.

Ms D’Ambrosio was also accused of heckling branch members who sought to speak up against the project.

The state conference voted to refer discussion on the AUKUS military agreement to Labor’s national policy forum after there was a push from some branches to condemn it.

A majority of delegates – across factions – voted that the motion should be handled by the body responsible for which topics are discussed at ALP national conference in August.

Victorian Labor voted up a motion calling on the federal government to recognise Palestine within this term of government.

But this was a watered-down version of the original motion, proposed by the Socialist Left faction.

The divisive issue among Labor factions was settled on voices in an effort to delicately deal with the subject.

It’s understood the party leaders Daniel Andrews and Anthony Albanese did not want to see the vote take place, although the state conference has no power over federal Labor policy.