Federal Labor’s $2bn for Melbourne airport rail link

The Albanese government will pour billions into Melbourne’s long-awaited airport rail link and fixing the state’s roads.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Melbourne. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw.

The Albanese government will pour billions into Melbourne’s long-awaited airport rail link and fixing the state’s roads in a bid to appeal to Victorian voters ahead of the federal election.

On Wednesday, Anthony ­Albanese announced an extra $2bn investment in Melbourne’s airport rail link, taking the federal funding commitment for the project to $7bn.

The extra $2bn will be allocated for building platforms and a dedicated spur line at Sunshine station in Melbourne’s west, which the Prime Minister said would become a “hub for ­regional rail services connecting to the airport”.

“Airport rail is essential for a great, global city like Melbourne,” Mr Albanese said.

The Albanese government’s investment in Melbourne’s west comes after state Labor suffered a large swing against it in area – which is traditional Labor ­heartland – at the Werribee by-election.

Mr Albanese also announced a “$1.2bn suburban road blitz” to fix the state’s roads, with the first three projects slated for Beveridge in Melbourne’s north, and Cranbourne West and Carrum in the city’s southeast.

“There will be more to come, in suburbs and regions that need this investment the most,” Mr Albanese said.

Melbourne’s stalled airport rail link has been classed by the Victorian government as being part of its controversial Suburban Rail Loop project.

Funding for the Suburban Rail Loop East – the mega ­project’s first stage will run between the eastern Melbourne suburbs of Cheltenham and Box Hill – has reportedly been a source of tension between the Albanese and Allan Labor governments.

The commonwealth has so far provided the Victorian government with $2.2bn for the Suburban Rail Loop East, which is estimated to cost $34.5bn.

On Wednesday, Mr Albanese dismissed reports of any tension between him and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan over the direction of the Suburban Rail Loop.

“We are on the same page,” he insisted.

“Infrastructure is hard, but governments have to build infrastructure in growing cities if they’re going to improve the lives of our citizens.

“Suburban Rail Loop East is a missing link in Melbourne’s transport network.”

Ms Allan welcomed the federal government’s cash injection, and said it demonstrated the importance of having “a partner in Canberra that delivers the road and rail projects our growing city needs”.

Ms Allan said Sunshine station works would be completed by 2030 but was unable to say when the airport rail link would be finished.