Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 3:46:07 to 3:50:44
Senators challenge the projected housing benefits of the Suburban Rail Loop and discuss changes to the project's scope, including the cancellation of certain station interchanges.
Topics: Infrastructure, Land management
Speakers: Hon Bridget McKenzie, Lachlan Wood, Jessica Hall, Unknown Speaker, Interjection
>> The report found that, and I quote, the assertion that the SRL East will build 70,000 homes in the precincts is inconsistent with the analysis outlined in the business and investment case and the mechanisms in the current precinct planning documents. Did the Commonwealth assessment of the project um's benefit distinguish between housing developments that would occur regardless of of the SRL and additional housing directly attributable to SRL East.
>> I'm Can I come back to you on that? I just want to check the report on how they've characterized that.
>> Yeah. And outside of Belgrove's assessment like what other detailed assessment did the department do?
So as I said we did the internal assessment and then also there was the work that IIA did as well
>> which IA was very clear. Anyway, can you get back when can you
get back to me? I'll have a look over lunch and see if I can excel.
>> So given um the auditor general's um report, have you reviewed the project's housing benefit assumptions subsequently to the auditor general's
>> No, we haven't. Senator,
>> are you going to
>> uh I would expect our advice about the release of the next branch of funding once those reviews have been completed will take that into account.
>> Okay. Um, and will it take into account housing built directly attributable to SRL East versus housing that uh would have occurred without the project.
>> We'll we'll consider what identified
>> Victorian government's word for it. Um, did the Minister King seek a formal briefing on the Victorian Auditor General's finding and their implications for the Commonwealth's $6 billion >> Has the Commonwealth requested an update the cost estimate, funding strategy or benefit assessment from Victoria in response to the Victorian Auditor
General's report? Uh I would expect we will get a further and updated information once the reviews have been
>> So you're waiting for the reviews.
>> Correct. Well, one of those the rapid review has been completed. The independent technical review is still underway.
>> Sorry. And apologies if you've already the rapid review. You did say this. I didn't write it down. When when was that handed to government?
>> Uh so I believe it was done internally and I don't have the date. I'll double check on what the date of that was. That was the review that identified the $1 billion worth of savings um when the [snorts] Victorian government announced that they were looking to review the total project cost.
>> So that hasn't been handed to um you have no visibility on the rapid review.
>> I I don't have a report on it. No. So we've spoken about it. It's we've spoken about it in the governance meetings which has been consistent with what has been said publicly um by Victoria. Um,
would you expect to get a copy of that?
>> Uh, I would expect that the followup rap uh independent technical review will capture that information as well.
>> Getting a a copy of that independent report. That's the one that you're expecting
>> early new year. Y
>> Okay. Um, and from that independent you will then potentially request an updated cost estimate funding strategy.
>> Correct.
>> Or cost benefit assessment.
>> Yes. In so far as
>> will that all be included in this independent review?
>> I don't want to speculate on what'll be in specifically, but I would expect it will have impacts on cost and potentially benefits. And so we'd want to be reviewing updated information on
>> and scope and schedule.
>> Sorry. Yes,
>> in scope and schedule.
>> Okay. Scope and schedule. Um, in terms of Premier Ben Carol's announcements regarding the SRL,