Door ajar for rail loop rethink as premier finds feet
Nick Wilson, Callum Godde and Eleanor Wilson |
Victoria’s newly minted premier has left the door open to review a contentious rail line worth tens of billions of dollars, but vowed not to rip up signed contracts.
On his first full day in the top job on Wednesday, Premier Ben Carroll reached into his past with a visit to a Kmart in Melbourne’s city centre to unveil new worker protection laws.
The Niddrie MP started his career at the retail giant’s storefront in Airport West, at the eager age of 14 years and nine months.
“Some of my best memories are from working at Kmart Airport West,” he told reporters, alongside new Deputy Premier Gabrielle Williams.
“But the truth is, I also have memories I carry with me today, of being intimidated, being abused, being threatened.”
The new laws will grant courts powers to restrict access to workplaces for people who assault, intimidate or stalk workers for up to 12 months.
Mr Carroll, a former lawyer and political adviser, was sworn in as premier on Tuesday after Jacinta Allan sensationally stood down following an internal revolt and tense leadership stand-off.
Mr Carroll has framed his leadership as a “new chapter for Victoria” and sought to differentiate himself from Ms Allan and former premier Daniel Andrews.
Ms Allan and Mr Andrews have been vocal supporters of building the Suburban Rail Loop, a 90km orbital line stretching from Cheltenham in Melbourne’s southeast to Werribee in the outerwest via the airport at Tullamarine.
The eastern section from Cheltenham from Cheltenham to Box Hill is expected to cost $34.5 billion, with tunnelling to begin later in 2026.
The Victorian coalition has vowed to “pause and review” the mega project if it knocks Labor off at the November state election.
While he hasn’t made any commitment about the loop’s future, Mr Carroll left the door ajar for a review.
“I’m going to run a disciplined, proper cabinet process,” he said.
But in question time, Mr Carroll was coy when asked if he would cancel construction of Labor’s signature project.
“The government that I lead will treat every single dollar with the respect it deserves,” he said.
“We will not be cancelling contracts – that era is over.”
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson accused Mr Carroll of talking out both sides of his mouth by simultaneously not ruling out a review and remaining steadfast on contracts.
“It just shows once again that the new premier is two-faced,” she said
Suburban Rail Loop seemed to be a “very expensive investment” and “a lot of people have reservations about it”, former federal Labor leader Bill Shorten said.
“Running the ruler over that will be pretty urgent,” he told ABC TV.
Mr Shorten was among Labor party elders who rushed to support the new premier, conceding the party’s chances were slim at the November election with Ms Allan at the helm.
Former Victorian premier Steve Bracks said Mr Carroll’s ascension to the top job put the party in good stead.
“It’ll be a very tight election, but one that Labor can win,” he told AAP.
He suggested the leadership change would give a “bit of spark” to Labor for the election, but acknowledged it would be “hand-to-hand combat” across the state’s 88 lower house seats.
Mr Andrews echoed the sentiment as he congratulated Mr Carroll and hailed Ms Allan, his former factional ally deputy.
“I believe premier Carroll and his team can win in November,” he said on Wednesday.
Despite Mr Carroll moving fast to address criticisms that had plagued Labor, he still needed to convince voters he could lead, Redbridge pollster and former Liberal strategist Tony Barry said.
AAP