Vic Daniel Andrews and the Statue of Limitations

[Saint]

Has the Melbourne airport rail actually been canned as I was driving through Tullamarine today and there we’re works being done with signs saying it was the melb airport rail ?

Early works package started a year ago and is still going on. You can't half-relocate pipes and conduits, so they're finishing the jobs they started.

I think a good chunk of the package which hadn't started might not be going ahead.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

Early works package started a year ago and is still going on. You can't half-relocate pipes and conduits, so they're finishing the jobs they started.

I think a good chunk of the package which hadn't started might not be going ahead.

It's in the 90 day infrastructure review. Only the early works are getting completed pending the review

 

[Saint]

It's in the 90 day infrastructure review. Only the early works are getting completed pending the review

Nobody in the industry thinks it'll happen.

All the staff working on the project have been re-assigned and moved on. If they were to miraculously say it survived the review, they'd have to completely resource the project from scratch with all new people.

The only question is "what are they going to do with the $10b committed to the project which is now savings"?

Melbourne Airport killed it good.

 

[The Punter]

Just on the EWL tit for tat, the Andrews Government is building the West Gate Tunnel project not only as a replacement for EWL, but also because they would have been up for a lot more than $1.3b for not building it if they had not gone ahead with the West Gate Tunnel project and got TransUrban to build it for them.

The original 2014 election promise was for essentially an extra off ramp on the West Gate Bridge to Hyde St at $500m.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

Just on the EWL tit for tat, the Andrews Government is building the West Gate Tunnel project not only as a replacement for EWL, but also because they would have been up for a lot more than $1.3b for not building it if they had not gone ahead with the West Gate Tunnel project and got TransUrban to build it for them.

The original 2014 election promise was for essentially an extra off ramp on the West Gate Bridge to Hyde St at $500m.

The WGT is basically the west bit of EWL.

Transurban aren't mugs. They knew what they were doing proposing it.
WGT will make Transurban rich while doing SFA to fix traffic.

 

[The Punter]

The WGT is basically the west bit of EWL.

Transurban aren't mugs. They knew what they were doing proposing it.
WGT will make Transurban rich while doing SFA to fix traffic.

On TransUrban - spot on. Victoria is to them what Homer Simpson is to that donut delivery guy.

The second part of EWL was from City Link to the Western Ring Road. They were going to build it as much as possible along existing easements near the train tracks out that way. It separated the Ballarat traffic from the Geelong traffic - something I'm not sure the WGT is going to do, or do effectively.

 

[Not Important]

Victoria is headed in a dark direction indeed. Remember how Melbourne used to be consistently voted the most liveable city on earth, prior to it becoming Dan's Kleptocracy?

you can always move. nice weather in fnq, where you'd feel at home.

 

[Not Important]

All this fuss over $380m?

You couldn't even buy a French submarine with that.

yeah, the commonwealth games issue has been a mess tho. fortunately for dan, the libs are a basket case.

 

[Sttew]

yeah, the commonwealth games issue has been a mess tho. fortunately for dan, the libs are a basket case.

And Bingo! Like clockwork out comes the “$380M is nothing, but what does it matter, the Opposition is shit” justification

 

[Ghost Patrol]

And Bingo! Like clockwork out comes the “$380M is nothing, but what does it matter, the Opposition is s**t” justification

Are you gonna have to wait four more years for that lawn bowls trophy?

 

[FireKrakouer]

you can always move. nice weather in fnq, where you'd feel at home.

I did move to QLD, along with 80k others since covid. Another reason why Victoria is doomed, their best and brightest have all up and left, the brain drain is real unfortunately

 

[FredLeDeux]

I did move to QLD, along with 80k others since covid. Another reason why Victoria is doomed, their best and brightest have all up and left, the brain drain is real unfortunately

The 80k Victorians who moved to Qld because of covid have resulted in improving the average IQ of both states.

 

[Saint]

On TransUrban - spot on. Victoria is to them what Homer Simpson is to that donut delivery guy.

The second part of EWL was from City Link to the Western Ring Road. They were going to build it as much as possible along existing easements near the train tracks out that way. It separated the Ballarat traffic from the Geelong traffic - something I'm not sure the WGT is going to do, or do effectively.

When you say "second part", it was always supposed to be the first part. The Liberal Govt was told multiple times that the Western part needed to be built before the eastern part (the part they contracted to build the week before caretaker mode). They decided to ignore that advice because their project served Liberal seats. It was Liberal Govt flat out ignoring Departmental advice on multiple occasions. So they can't complain when the Andrews Govt just proceeded as if the Department of Transport didn't exist.

WGT is doing the same thing, to accommodate traffic between CityLink/CBD and the Ring Road, but does it in the M1 corridor instead of a new corridor. So it's less intrusive, but means there's more pressure on the Western/CityLink corridor than if they'd built it along the original alignment.

 

[Saint]

I did move to QLD, along with 80k others since covid. Another reason why Victoria is doomed, their best and brightest have all up and left, the brain drain is real unfortunately

Brain drain to Queensland. Now I've heard everything. I don't think the Victorians who move to the Gold Coast to vote for people like Stuart Robert are going to be missed for their contribution to the cultural fabric of Victoria. Perhaps just a natural re-ordering of things.

 

[FireKrakouer]

The 80k Victorians who moved to Qld because of covid have resulted in improving the average IQ of both states.

Brain drain to Queensland. Now I've heard everything. I don't think the Victorians who move to the Gold Coast to vote for people like Stuart Robert are going to be missed for their contribution to the cultural fabric of Victoria. Perhaps just a natural re-ordering of things.

 

[Saint]

It's a fact of life that most people like living around their own. If I thought Clive Palmer and Pauline were good people, I'd probably want to live in Qld too, where that opinion is not considered lunacy.

The facts are that Queensland has always had a problem with people in their 20's, usually University educated, leaving for greater opportunities either south, or overseas. They make it up with 40+ and 50+ cohorts moving in, plus immigration.

Net interstate migration to Qld by age group – evidence of brain drain?

Over the ten years to 2017, Queensland gained residents via interstate migration across all age groups, but it gained far fewer people in net terms in their twenties than you might expect (see char…

queenslandeconomywatch.com

 

[Sttew]

Brain drain to Queensland. Now I've heard everything. I don't think the Victorians who move to the Gold Coast to vote for people like Stuart Robert are going to be missed for their contribution to the cultural fabric of Victoria. Perhaps just a natural re-ordering of things.

Although, our neighbour (family of 4) moved to SE QLD in early 2021. The lockdowns in Melbourne nearly crippled his business, a successful fresh food software company for the restaurant industry. He was one of the first people in Melbourne to contract Covid on a trip to London in February/March 2020 when he went over to open a London office. When he moved to SE QLD he still had some 30 f/t and 20 contractors in Melbourne. As of a month ago the Melbourne office now has only 2 people. He now has offices in London and LA and head office in SE QLD. That's one case...

 

[Roby]

Although, our neighbour (family of 4) moved to SE QLD in early 2021. The lockdowns in Melbourne nearly crippled his business, a successful fresh food software company for the restaurant industry. He was one of the first people in Melbourne to contract Covid on a trip to London in February/March 2020 when he went over to open a London office. When he moved to SE QLD he still had some 30 f/t and 20 contractors in Melbourne. As of a month ago the Melbourne office now has only 2 people. He now has offices in London and LA and head office in SE QLD. That's one case...

Wow, what an amazing piece of anecdotal evidence. Not.

Where are all these other businesses that have closed down compared to other countries? Melbourne fared far better.

 

[tandino]

Venue named 27 times in Games business case was ‘never’ hosting, insists Andrews

The premier says a pre-existing aquatic centre at Kardinia Park was never going to host Commonwealth Games events, despite the business case stating so.

www.theage.com.au

Venue named 27 times in Games business case was ‘never’ hosting: Premier

Premier Daniel Andrews has insisted an aquatic centre in a safe Labor seat was never going to host competitions for the now-cancelled 2026 Commonwealth Games, despite it being mentioned 27 times in the just-released business case.

A week after dumping the Games in five regional hubs because the project cost had almost tripled to up to $7 billion, Andrews disputed a report in The Age that aquatics were moved from Kardinia Park to Armstrong Creek outside Geelong.

“No decision was ever made to have it at Kardinia Park,” Andrews said in July. “It was never at Kardinia Park.”

The 2022 business case, released on Saturday after Victoria reached a $380 million settlement with Commonwealth Games organisers, listed Kardinia Park as the aquatics and gymnastics venue 27 times.

“Kardinia Aquatic Centre will undergo a redevelopment, including pools (competition, warm up and diving), development of a compliant dive tower and springboards as well as improvements to amenity such as change rooms, entry zone, etc,” the document states.

Armstrong Creek was not referenced once. Nor was Waurn Ponds, which the government in October announced would host gymnastics rather than Kardinia Park as stated in the business case.

Kardinia Park is in the safe Labor seat of Geelong, which was held with a 10 per cent margin before last year’s election. Armstrong Creek and Waurn Ponds are in the neighbouring electorate of South Barwon, held on a tighter 3 per cent margin.

Labor campaigned on the Games in the regions and extended its lead in both seats at the November election.

Asked on Tuesday if he had misled the public with his answers last month, Andrews said he had not and still claimed aquatics were never going to be at Kardinia Park.

“That’s the business case, that’s not the government’s decision,” Andrews said. “And I’m telling you, it was never going to be at Kardinia Park.”

The document, made with input from two government departments and a government agency, informed the government’s decision to bid for the Games.

High-level renders were developed for upgrades to the Kardinia aquatic centre, the financial workings state. A new gymnastics venue was also expected to be built next door.

“The capital investment of the 2026 Games (including the new gymnastics and aquatic centre at Kardinia Park), will enable venues in regional Victoria to keep pace with these changing demands to attract major events and compete with major metropolitan stadia.”

Andrews said there was no legacy benefit to hosting events at the existing aquatic centre, which already has a 50-metre swimming pool.


“What’s the benefit of that long term? When you need community pools and aquatic centres in rapidly growing local communities.”

He did not explain why the business case, which was made with government input and informed the government’s decision, would cost venues that were never supposed to host the Games.

“I’ve already indicated to you, it’s hardly the greatest piece of work ever done, that’s very, very clear because the estimates are a long way from what the cost was going to be.”

The government is continuing with $2 billion worth of legacy infrastructure to the regions, including new and upgraded community sports facilities and $1 billion in social and affordable homes.

New gymnastics, diving and aquatics facilities at Kardinia Park were expected to cost up to $45 million, including up to $18 million to continue running the facilities until 2042, according to the original business case.

In October, the government pledged $111 million to an aquatic centre in Armstrong Creek.

Waurn Ponds would also host new gymnastics and weightlifting facilities, according to the October announcement. Waurn Ponds was also never mentioned in the 2022 business case.

Andrews on Tuesday rejected that such decisions – to build new facilities instead of upgrading existing ones – had added costs to the business case and ultimately helped blow the budget almost three times over.

 

[tandino]

When you say "second part", it was always supposed to be the first part. The Liberal Govt was told multiple times that the Western part needed to be built before the eastern part (the part they contracted to build the week before caretaker mode). They decided to ignore that advice because their project served Liberal seats. It was Liberal Govt flat out ignoring Departmental advice on multiple occasions. So they can't complain when the Andrews Govt just proceeded as if the Department of Transport didn't exist.

WGT is doing the same thing, to accommodate traffic between CityLink/CBD and the Ring Road, but does it in the M1 corridor instead of a new corridor. So it's less intrusive, but means there's more pressure on the Western/CityLink corridor than if they'd built it along the original alignment.

Just on WGT, was it reasonable for the State to tip in an extra $1.9 Billion to cover overruns? Shouldn't that be a matter between Transurban and the builders?

 

[Not Important]

And Bingo! Like clockwork out comes the “$380M is nothing, but what does it matter, the Opposition is s**t” justification

fact 1. the commonwealth games matter was a mess.

fact 2. dan is doing just fine, two party preferred. as i pointed out. ipso facto, given this and other negative matters, the obvious reason is bc of your bedraggled lot is hopeless.

it's rightist peeps like you who have your heads up your arses who are part of the reactionaries problem.

 

[Not Important]

The 80k Victorians who moved to Qld because of covid have resulted in improving the average IQ of both states.

don’t think kracksy got the import of your post. he’ll feel at home with ol’ mates pauline, bob, karen, malcolm.........

imagine the sparkling conversation.

 

[hamohawk1]

Still prefer Dan to anything the opposition is offering but i think the 3rd term staleness is setting in.

For mine, the silver bullet for the liberals might be when the proposed planning 'reform' doesn't deliver near the impact for provision of housing that Dan is relying on.

His investment in PT has been fantastic but theres been a few big things (not including Covid - not going there) where he just hasn't come out well in the last 18 months - airport rail loop, comm games, delivering social housing on budget

 

[Sttew]

Venue named 27 times in Games business case was ‘never’ hosting, insists Andrews

The premier says a pre-existing aquatic centre at Kardinia Park was never going to host Commonwealth Games events, despite the business case stating so.

www.theage.com.au

What embarrassing admissions by Dan. No wonder he is being asked what other business cases that he has relied upon are flawed

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

Still prefer Dan to anything the opposition is offering but i think the 3rd term staleness is setting in.

For mine, the silver bullet for the liberals might be when the proposed planning 'reform' doesn't deliver near the impact for provision of housing that Dan is relying on.

His investment in PT has been fantastic but theres been a few big things (not including Covid - not going there) where he just hasn't come out well in the last 18 months - airport rail loop, comm games, delivering social housing on budget

The flaw in PT investment is the service hasn't really been upgraded.