E&OE….
Topics: East-West Link, Monash Upgrade
JON FAINE:
Mr Hunt, good morning to you.
GREG HUNT:
Good morning Jon.
JON FAINE:
However you fund it, you've still got to decide what order to build it in. What priorities – and how do you take the politics out of the priorities – does the Turnbull Government have?
GREG HUNT:
Sure. Look, I think the first thing we need is a long term vision.
At the moment many of your listeners will be caught in congestion, caught in traffic. It could be the Monash car park, it could be the Eastern Freeway.
And so what we need is an agreed plan with the Andrews Government. And we are opening the door to work on a long term plan.
Just yesterday we struck an agreement with the Queensland Labor Government.
So we're working across party lines – and that was for a light rail system for the Gold Coast to be completed by 2018 in time for the Commonwealth Games.
And so we're really focused on practical plans.
For me – for Melbourne – my suggestion which has obviously been outlined today is that we look at two road, two rail, and one port project long term – being the cross-city rail tunnel, the cross-city road tunnel, the East-West Link – which inevitably will have to be built – the long term future of the missing quadrant of the ring road, the North East component which would have to go underground.
Progressively…
JON FAINE:
Under Eltham in other words.
GREG HUNT:
Yep. It would certainly have to go underground.
And then progressively undergrounding the different rail lines in return for the value capture which was just discussed by your – by Karl – who was speaking previously.
And then opening up the river port area as you move port facilities out to – whether it's to Hastings, to Geelong, to Portland – for people to live in the inner area, to really create a new vibrant area, and in the meantime get on with fixing the Monash Freeway.
There's a Monash upgrade which Infrastructure Australia has said is ready to proceed.
JON FAINE:
And you're re-floating a tunnel under the inner north of Melbourne?
GREG HUNT:
Look, I think that there's no question that you need both a cross-city rail tunnel and a cross-city road tunnel.
There are people as we speak, as I say, who are caught in the Monash car park, who are caught on the Eastern Freeway.
And some days are better than others, some days are worse than others.
But the history to come is that unless there is this combination of rail and road projects, it will get worse.
And we have an incredible city, but you have to plan – as did Batman and Fawkner and Hoddle and Hamer and Borthwick and my father 50 years ago.
You have to plan for the next, not just decade, but the next generation and the next century. And start with the Monash, work on the two cross-city tunnels, and then the broader plans.
And that's how you make sure that the next generation of Melburnians, as well as the present immediately with the Monash project, have a better quality of life.
JON FAINE:
Bill Shorten was floating ideas for infrastructure projects. The State Government have just announced an infrastructure council.
So different people are prioritising different aspects of the same problem, and coming up with different solutions.
Don't – aren't we at risk of now ending up with competing models, competing decision-making bodies, State Government prioritise one set, you prioritise a different list and everyone wonders, well, how do you work your way out of which ones get built here?
GREG HUNT:
No, I disagree on that respectfully, and the reason is that we've laid out a vision, and it's something I've worked on with Matthew Guy, as well as…
JON FAINE:
Well, he's the Opposition Leader, he's not the Premier…
GREG HUNT:
… the Prime Minister, to make sure that there's a comprehensive approach, looking out over what the State needs and what Melbourne needs…
JON FAINE:
But don't you need to talk to the Premier…
GREG HUNT:
…immediately, and in the long term…
JON FAINE:
…rather than the Opposition leader, Greg Hunt?
GREG HUNT:
And then, the point is that we are looking to partner with the State Government. At the moment there's nothing that's real.
We want to work with them. We can start immediately by trying to strike a partnership and an agreement on fixing the Monash, the car park which really runs from the South Gippsland Freeway through to Clyde Rd, the whole area in relation to Warrigal Road.
All through there more can done. And Infrastructure Australia says this is the project that is ready to proceed.
And then to look at the broader picture. So this is a good faith…
JON FAINE:
…but doesn't that…
GREG HUNT:
…open invitation to sit down with the Premier.
JON FAINE:
But well, that's – your mindset there was to say I've talked to Matthew Guy about it – it's not party political in the minds of anybody…
GREG HUNT:
No, no exactly. And that's…
JON FAINE:
…except the politicians, Greg Hunt. From the point of view of the taxpayers it crosses party lines. And yet you and others keep talking about it. The Premier talks about…
GREG HUNT:
No, I couldn't disagree with you more Jon Faine, and I won't have you talk over me on this occasion.
JON FAINE:
… Daniel Andrews says I'll talk to – he says I'll talk to Bill Shorten about it. And you say you'll talk to Matthew Guy about it.
GREG HUNT:
Jon, I will not have you talk over me on this occasion. And the reason why is because the article today – the article today – finishes with the very point that we – it's time to sit down with the Premier, Daniel Andrews.
My point about working at Federal and State level is that both the State Opposition and the Federal Government come with a common thought through approach, which is exactly what people want.
Now, at the same time, here's an offer to the Premier – let us work with you on a practical long term approach.
So it's not just cherry-picking one project – it's setting out a vision and a plan and then a process for Melbourne.
I would suggest starting with the one project which can relieve congestion, which can help get people out of their cars, which can help give people more time at home in the immediate short term, which is the Monash upgrade.
JON FAINE:
Yep.
GREG HUNT:
But then also looking at the two tunnels, at the future of the port, at the future of the ring road and at the future of Melbourne's rail lines – these are the deep things which will have a…
JON FAINE:
Sure.
GREG HUNT:
…profound third century impact on the quality of life for Melburnians but with a practical start now, on the Monash.
JON FAINE:
And be it a bit awkward, won't it, with Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey on the backbench when Parliament resumes today?
GREG HUNT:
Oh, look, I think that people accept that there has been change.
These are very good – very good –Australians who are committed to the country. And yes it has been difficult for some but I don't think that they could have dealt with in a better, more constructive way.
And so we move forward. And right now what we'll see is we are talking about the ability to partner with the states…
JON FAINE:
Yes.
GREG HUNT:
…on rail, on road, on the vision for getting people out of their cars and reducing congestion and giving them more time. So the door is open to work with Victoria.
JON FAINE:
Thank you for your time this morning.
(ENDS)