Thursday, 18 May 2023

Ministers statements: women in transport infrastructure

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery) (14:37): I am delighted to update the house today on the central role that women are having in building transport infrastructure across our city and state. Just recently, with the members for Greensborough and Eltham, we opened the new Greensborough and Montmorency stations as part of the work on the Hurstbridge line. More trains are running on that line thanks to our project director on that project, Antonia and her terrific team. Last Thursday I visited the Metro Tunnel site with Rail Projects Victoria CEO Nicole Stoddart, where we saw work going on in building a spectacular new town hall station as part of this critically important project that will not only provide more trains in and out of the city but also connect the communities from Pakenham, Cranbourne and Sunbury through the Metro Tunnel.

On that same day last week I am advised that the member for Oakleigh, along with a colleague from the Southern Metropolitan Region in the other place, visited Glenhuntly to see the removal of boom gates on Glen Huntly Road. Those boom gates were removed by an all-women team, an all-women team who got rid of the boom gates, who have worked incredibly hard –

A member interjected.

Jacinta ALLAN: We know you oppose it – and of course made the streets and communities safer.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Before I call the member for Caulfield on a point of order, I will remind the Deputy Premier to direct her response through the Chair.

David Southwick: You have just taken my point of order. Thank you very much.

Jacinta ALLAN: Isn’t it a great project to see those level crossings being removed in Glenhuntly? The reasons why we are removing level crossings and the reason why we have more women working on these projects than ever before is because of the deliberate policy settings set by the Andrews Labor government, which stand in stark contrast to others.

I note this weekend in Bendigo there is an event on that is going to demonstrate yet again a failure of leadership from some in our community to stand up and support more women into Parliament. Do you know who has made this prediction? The Leader of the Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition himself has already predicted he will not get more women into Parliament because he cannot even get it through his Liberal Party state council.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, on an unanswered adjournment question asked on 22 February 2023, 84 days ago, to the Minister for Roads and Road Safety to fund and upgrade Clegg Road at the Wellington Road intersection in Wandin North, where there is an accident on average every six weeks, including a tragic fatality recently – it is adjournment matter 53 – I would ask if you could ask the minister to please respond to that overdue adjournment.

The SPEAKER: The matter will be followed up.