Jacinta Allan dismisses rail loop concerns as Labor awaits outcome of massive swing in Werribee Victorian premier denies any MPs have told her they want SRL money to be spent elsewhere after byelection battering.
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has sought to dismiss concerns that the Suburban Rail Loop project should be halted after Labor took a battering in the Werribee byelection.
Federal Labor have also turned the heat up on the Allan government in recent weeks, suggesting the $2.2bn it has pledged – but is yet to hand over – could instead be redirected to the long-awaited Melbourne airport rail.
The result has led to soul-searching in the party, with a group of Labor MPs urging a shift away from the Suburban Rail Loop and to fund local projects in Melbourne’s west and north as a result.
Counting resumed in the outer western Melbourne seat on Monday and both major parties expect – if postal votes follow the pattern of those already counted – Labor’s candidate, John Lister, will retain his narrow lead over the Liberal party’s Steve Murphy.
