The Victorian opposition has announced it will proceed with the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) if tunnelling has begun by the time of the next state election in November 2026. Matthew Guy, the Coalition's public transport spokesperson, stated on Tuesday that stopping the project after construction has started would be more costly than completing it.
Guy, who previously campaigned against the $34.5bn project in two elections, told an ABC Radio forum that if tunnels are half-constructed, 'we can't fill them in'. He added that the Coalition would ensure the project is managed 'on time and on budget', which he noted would be rare for major projects.
Opposition leader Brad Battin later echoed Guy's view, confirming the party's stance is 'identical'. Battin said the government could halt the project before December, before 'holes have been dug', but if boring machines start, the Coalition would continue it and manage it better.
Labor minister Harriet Shing, who oversees the SRL, assured the forum that tunnel boring machines would arrive in December and begin work next year. The first stage, SRL East, is a 26km stretch between Cheltenham and Box Hill, with $9.3bn committed by the Victorian government and $2.2bn from the Albanese government.
The full loop is planned to connect Box Hill to Melbourne airport and Werribee, though no timeline or budget exists for that stage. The project has boosted Labor's support in eastern electorates, but some Labor MPs have expressed concerns about its cost and its focus on the well-serviced east over the west, which has less transport infrastructure.
