2026-11-04
The Victorian Greens say serious allegations about how the Melbourne Airport Rail Link route was chosen show the urgent need for stronger integrity laws, and for transparency and accountability for major government decisions.
The Age reports today that a planning expert’s submission to the Big Build royal commission alleges a secret working group was set up in late 2017 or early 2018, at the direction of then-transport minister Jacinta Allan, to build the case for a Sunshine route before the 2018 election. The submission also alleges the cost of the more direct Maribyrnong route was inflated by an unnecessary 3.5 kilometres of tunnelling, adding an estimated $3.8 billion to $4.6 billion, and that a senior public servant was told documents must say Sunshine “or I’ll sack you.”
The Auditor-General found in 2022 that the options assessment for the project was “not sufficiently rigorous” and lacked transparency. The project now carries a $12 billion joint state and federal funding commitment.
Quotes attributable to Victorian Greens Leader Ellen Sandell MP:
“These are deeply alarming allegations about integrity under this Labor Government. The Auditor-General has already found the assessment behind this project lacked rigour and transparency, and every new revelation raises more questions about secrecy and political interference in Labor’s major projects.
“If these allegations are proven, billions of dollars of public money were put at risk to deliver a politically predetermined outcome at the behest of Labor. That would be an extraordinary betrayal of public trust.
“Victorians deserve to know whether major infrastructure decisions are made in their interests or in the interests of the Labor Party. Premier Ben Carroll must release every document behind this route decision, guarantee full cooperation with the royal commission, and make sure public servants can come forward without fear.
“After 12 years of this rotten Labor government, Victorians deserve stronger integrity laws, real transparency and money out of politics. Only the Victorian Greens will deliver that.”