Scott Morrison rejects Daniel Andrews funding request for Suburban Rail Loop

Scott Morrison has ignored a Labor government plea to help fund Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop, with the PM wishing Daniel Andrews “all the best on that project”.

Scott Morrison has rejected the Andrews government’s pleas to plough federal money into the $34.5bn first stage of the Suburban Rail Loop mega-project.

Victoria has been lobbying for commonwealth support this year to build the 26km tunnel from Cheltenham to Box Hill, part of a proposed 90km line that could cost as much as $120bn.

But in an interview with the Herald Sun, the Prime Minister indicated he was not willing to contribute to Daniel Andrews’s signature public transport commitment.

“All the best to them on that project. I understand what he’s doing, it’s over a very long time frame, but we’ll make our investments where we think we can make the biggest difference,” Mr Morrison said.

Concept designs for Suburban Rail Loop stations were released by the state government earlier. Picture: Supplied.

“We’ll let the state government do the things they’re responsible for, and they can get on with it.”

The Prime Minister also confirmed the Coalition would take its promise to help build the East West Link to a fourth consecutive federal election next year.

The federal government put $4bn on the table in 2019, with the rest of the money for the project to come from a deal with the private sector through tolls.

But the Victorian Premier has consistently refused to budge on building the project he axed upon his election in 2014, costing taxpayers $1.1bn.

“I know what his view is, he knows what my view is,” Mr Morrison told the Herald Sun during his visit to Melbourne last week.

“We’ve held faith with that and you’ll find it in the budget in every set of papers. We haven’t walked away from it.”

Scott Morrison and Daniel Andrews were pictured together at the Remembrance Day in Melbourne last week. Picture: Getty Images

At the last federal election, the Labor Party promised $10bn for the Suburban Rail Loop.

The opposition is yet to recommit to backing the project, with infrastructure spokeswoman Catherine King saying earlier this month that she would have “more to say” soon about the “incredibly important” project.

But Mr Morrison said his infrastructure priorities in Victoria were the “massive investments” in the long-awaited Melbourne Airport rail link, as well as a fast rail connection to Geelong.

Asked if he was willing to contribute to the Suburban Rail Loop, he said: “They’re getting on with that. I mean, the state government has to do some things.”

Trains are expected to run at least 20 hours a day on the eastern suburbs portion of the project once it opens in 2035, after up to eight years of construction pain and the acquisition of more than 300 homes and businesses.