South-Eastern Metropolitan Region
Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:43): (979) My question is to the Minister for Local Government. With the rail loop planning lockout, my question is to the minister to ask why the councils of Whitehorse, Monash and Kingston – the last two being in my electorate – have been locked out of the basic details regarding housing development and the impact of population growth around the Suburban Rail Loop East’s alleged six underground stations. With this failing Labor government under Premier Allan saying the $34.5 billion underground train line between Cheltenham and Box Hill will open by 2035, no detail has been provided to councils affected by this building project. With buildings between 18 and 40 storeys high around the proposed new stations, these councils need to be part of the planning process, but the CFMEU-funded Labor government is refusing to talk to them. Why the secrecy, Minister?