The Hon Catherine King MP
Press conference, Werribee
JACINTA ALLAN: Well, good morning. Thank you to the team at Riverwalk Werribee for welcoming us here today, and we're absolutely delighted to be here today. There's a big Labor team here today and I'm delighted to be joined by the Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Catherine King, the Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Gabrielle Williams, local Federal Member for Lalor, Joanne Ryan, and Labor candidate for Werribee, John Lister.
And we're all here today to talk about a shared partnership, a partnership between the State Labor Government and the Federal Labor Government to deliver better road connections for the Werribee and the Wyndham Vale community. And we know from listening and talking to residents and motorists in the local area, we hear it from Joanne and John as well, that it's so frustrating. It's frustrating for motorists everywhere to be stuck in traffic, and it's also frustrating for local communities surrounding those streets as well. We also know that by building better road connections, you can support people to get home safer and sooner, meaning they can spend more time on the things they want to do, not being stuck in traffic, more time with their family and loved ones. And that's why our government, also the Federal Labor Government, we've been listening to the local community here in Werribee and Wyndham Vale, and we've already been building better road connections. Already, there's a joint project underway at Ison Road with the Ison Road Overpass, and we're going further with that project by building the Ison Road extension.
And today, I'm absolutely delighted to announce that in partnership with the Albanese Labor Government, building on that existing partnership we have with that investment in road projects already underway in the local Werribee and Wyndham Vale communities, we are announcing two new road projects as part of a $333 million joint investment by the Federal and State Labor Governments to upgrade the Werribee Main Road and also the Ballan Road. These two projects together, in addition to the Ison Road projects, mean that we will be reducing congestion on local roads, providing better direct connections to the Princess Highway, and also to dragging some of that traffic out of the main centre of Werribee because we're delivering those direct connections to where motorists want to go. So this is going to see those multiple benefits. It'll reduce congestion on local streets, provide capacity and room for growth. And also too, it'll see a substantial saving in travel times of up to 10 minutes a day for motorists to go in and out and around the Werribee community.
And we're delivering on these local connections because that's what the community have told us they want to see – that ongoing investment in local road projects that join up, that join up and provide for those direct connections for where people want to go. And all up, this shared investment that's being made around Werribee and Wyndham Vale by the Federal and State Labor governments is over half a billion dollars, half a billion dollars in these projects. And the Werribee Main Road project particularly is a big new exciting project that's going to make a big difference to reducing congestion and saving travel times.
Also too, one of the important features of investing in good strong infrastructure connections, alongside those important outcomes, is that it means jobs. It means jobs. These projects, these two new projects that we're announcing today, means more than 1600 new jobs. They're good jobs. It also means that local tradies- when you have a pipeline of projects, it means local tradies know they've got a pipeline of projects that they can go and work on. And particularly, what's also important, if you're a tradie who happens to be an apprentice, we'll also back you in with our free car rego. That's one of our cost of living measures that we have here in Victoria to support apprentices by offering them a free car rego. And that's what continues to be my focus here in Victoria – firmly focus on building the infrastructure, our growing community needs, and supporting families and households with real practical, meaningful cost of living measures to support them through what we know are really challenging and difficult times as a consequence of those ongoing interest rate rises and the inflationary pressures that have been felt across many parts of our community.
But today, today is a great announcement. It's a great investment. And also too, what I'm particularly keen to emphasise is it demonstrates that ongoing partnership we have with the Federal Albanese Labor Government. It's great to have a partner in Canberra who understands the importance of investing in the Victorian projects, the Victorian projects that are a priority, the Victorian projects that Victorians want and need. And I want to thank the Federal Minister and the Federal Member for continuing to partner with us on great, full, strong local projects, like the Werribee Main Road project and the Ballan Road project that we're announcing today.
I'd now like to hand over to the Federal Minister.
CATHERINE KING: Thanks very much, Premier. It's really terrific to be here in Werribee, of course, with my friend and colleague, Jacinta Allan as Premier, and also Joanne Ryan, the Member for Lalor. And Gabrielle Williams, this is the first opportunity we've had as the new Roads and Infrastructure Minister to be together and it's great to be here. But of course, John Lister, Labor's candidate in the by-election for the seat of Werribee.
I've been coming to Werribee for a long time. My sister used to live here. I live not far away in Ballarat and we come this way regularly. And the growth that has happened through here in Werribee and in Wyndham Vale, in particular, is just phenomenal. Because people want to live here. They want to live here, located to good connected public transport, good amenities, great schools, but we also need to make sure that the road infrastructure really keeps up with that housing development. The announcement we're making today, a 50/50 partnership with the Allan Labor Government here in the state, over $300 million to fix up the Werribee Main Road interchange, the intersection there, as well as the intersection at Ballan Road, really is about supporting housing development, but also making sure that we continue to have that amenity, liveability for people to be able to make those connections. It comes on top of the investment that we're already delivering in Ison Road. Again, the bridge- when Jo Ryan and I stood up at the top of that bridge just recently, it was really clear that the traffic connection, this was the missing piece. There's more work being done to deliver the Ison Road extension, but this is really the missing piece, being able to get people on and off the freeway in a way that they're not sitting in traffic. These investments will save over 10 minutes off people's commute time. And if you're trying to get home to family, if you're trying a way to get to work, trying to get your kids to school, 10 minutes is a huge amount of time. There are 10,000 people who travel on that intersection and this will really be an important game changer for them.
Again, I particularly want to thank Jo Ryan and John for their advocacy for this project. This is part of the mid-year economic financial outlook from the Federal Government, so it's in the budget. And it's really been the advocacy and working very closely with the Allan Labor Government that enables us to be able to make sure we are investing in a way that delivers projects, isn't just about putting press releases out, not knowing how much things are costed, making sure that we've actually done the work in advance to actually get these projects delivered. And again, as I said, I want to thank Jo and John for that. Thanks, again.
GABRIELLE WILLIAMS: And my thanks to be here with the three Js, in Jacinta, Jo and John, and of course Catherine as well, and a wonderful celebration and a wonderful couple of projects for us to be here talking about today. I'll keep my comments brief, other than to emphasise the fact that we are currently standing in one of the fastest growing areas in the country. We have estates going up seemingly overnight. I was here just before Christmas having a look at the works that are underway at the Ison Road overpass there, where the extension will be and having those same conversations that Minister King was just talking about, about the missing link being this Werribee Main Road to Princess Freeway connection that we're here to talk about today, as well as the Ballan Road work too. It's a missing link because you can see
if you spend any time with that intersection the level of congestion that exists. And we know that with a fast growing community with more and more people movinginto these new estates that that pressure is going to grow. And we know how important it is that we are able to make our transport network meet that growing demand and to be able to give people who live in these growing communities the best possible connections, whether it be to work, to leisure, to their kids' educational opportunities, to their own educational opportunities, this is about sustaining a quality of life that all Victorians deserve. And this level of infrastructure investment is purely focused on delivering that quality.
Over half a billion dollars of combined investment across these road projects. Why? Because they're important. They're about not only delivering for the community as it is right now, but also making sure that we're future-proofing our transport network for future generations. And in such a fast -growing community, we know how important that is, and we know that for many who are raising young families in this area, that proposition is closer to them than it might be for many of us in thinking about how their kids are going to move around the area, how their lives are going to develop over the next few years and next few decades. Because Minister King is right. People want to live in the western suburbs of Melbourne. There is a lot going for it. It is an incredibly well-connected community and one that we are keen to further boost through projects like those we're announcing today and the many others that are currently underway across our transport and public transport networks in Melbourne's west. It's also about safety. If I had to summarise these projects in a few words I would say it's busting congestion and improving safety. That's what this is all about and as well as of course future proofing our transport network for future generations to come.
And I also, finally, just concluding, say- and very clearly, that projects like this come about because of strong advocacy, and we're very fortunate in this part of the world to have had some great advocacy, and we've got of course our federal member, Jo, here is a federal member for Lalor who's been an important part of that, and an incredible candidate in John Lister, who has wasted no time not only as a candidate but as a civilian, making sure that he's putting his knowledge of the area to good use in advocating for the projects that matter most for the people who live here.And it's only because of advocacy like that that we can be in a position where we can be announcing the types of investment that we are here today, investment that willmake a real and meaningful difference to people's lives, that ten minutes saved, but also that greater connectivity, that ability to be able to plan your life in a growing community and know that you are going to be well-served, not only here and now, but long into the future across multiple generations. So thank you for all who have been involved in advocating this project. Jo?
JOANNE RYAN: Good day and welcome to Werribee for all of you that have travelled here today. It's an absolute pleasure to be joined by the Premier, by the State Minister, and of course my federal colleague, Catherine King, the Minister for Infrastructure, and John Lister, our candidate for the seat of Werribee. We've summed up what the projects are about. They're about limiting travel times, reducing travel times, they're about reducing congestion and they're about safety. It's really important in this growing community, and it's really important because we do things here that other parts of Melbourne don't have to do. We have to grow community from the ground up, every day. The houses start, the school comes, council build a community centre. The real work's done by the families who live here. They have to build a community, they have to get to know their neighbours, they have to get connections together.
Anything we do that makes their lives a little bit easier is important to me. And I know it's important to John Lister, because I know he understands like I understand, as a local, both the challenges and the incredible opportunities we have here in this work corridor. We are building an incredibly cohesive multicultural community from the ground up. So I want to thank my state colleagues, Catherine, for the commitment that we've made today, because I know it will deliver relief for families, give them more time with one another to get to know their neighbours and help us build this great city.
JOHN LISTER: Thank you, Jo. Thank you Premier and ministers, and Jo who’s been a long time friend and mentor, and I think it's pretty clear that teachers get things done. I'm honoured to be with her today to be announcing this project, which is going to make a difference to so many lives here in Werribee and Wyndham Vale. One thing I'd say is I've grown up around here, I remember when most of this was paddocks. And I know with a growing community, we need to grow with it. That's why this project is really important. It was only at about 4.30am this morning that I was out in the fire truck going out the back of Wyndham Vale and I saw the traffic start to back up. It happens that early. So any project that helps families get to and from work and to and from the city to home is extremely valuable. They're going to make a big impact on the lives of locals.
This interchange was originally built for a town, a town of a few thousand people, but we're building a new upgraded interchange for a new city. And so it's really important that we're here today to see how Labor is investing in the Western suburbs. It'll also help- it'll become our new gateway to the city. So people coming from as far away as places like, I don't know, Essendon or Whittlesea, will be able to come and enjoy our great city even more. But I think most importantly and something I want to reflect on is that Labor gets these things done because we live here and we understand the pressures that people are under, and I will be working with a Labor government to deliver these projects for the western suburbs and for Werribee, Wyndham Vale, Manor Lakes, Little River, all the other communities in our area. So thank you very much for coming out to Werribee today. It's always good to have people out here and seeing how beautiful this community is.
JACINTA ALLEN: Thanks, John. Thanks a lot. All right. Questions?
JOURNALIST: How long have these projects been in the pipeline for?
JACINTA ALLAN: So, Ison Road, to paint the full picture because I think Catherine made the comment about how these projects fit together, a couple of years ago, the joint federal and states funded the Ison Road Overpass, and that project is underway, and we went further last year with the Ison road extension. And work on that is going to start this year, and those projects will be completed by 2026.
But to continue to provide the links around Werribee to get traffic out of Werribee, to make those connections into the Princess Freeway, we needed to add the Werribee Main Road project. And so this project has gone through a business case process. The Ballan Road was a road project that we committed to in the 2022 election, and it's great to have the Federal Labor Government partner with us on these projects. So, this is all part of having a pipeline. When you have a pipeline of projects, projects that you get on and deliver in sequence, they logically fit together. You can get that outcome where you reduce congestion. You take cars out of local streets, you make those direct connections that saves people significant time, travel time, and also provides for that opportunity for communities like this to continue to grow.
JOURNALIST: That 333 million, has that already been budgeted for?
JACINTA ALLAN: So, in terms of- I'll speak for our commitments. In terms of the commitments for the state government, the Werribee Road project is a new project that we will commit- we have committed new road funding towards. The Ballan Road project is a project that we'd already allocated funding to with that commitment that we made in 2022.
JOURNALIST: The Werribee Main [indistinct], when did that come about? Was that before the by-election?
JACINTA ALLAN: Yes. So, as I just said before, this project has gone through a business case process and it is all part of having a logical sequence, just like we have a pipeline of level crossing removals. And we get on and deliver level crossings. As we get rid of one, we move on to the next one. So too, we have a pipeline of road projects. And this is a road project. The Werribee Main Road project was identified as the next priority. You do the Ison Road Overpass, you do the Ison Road Extension. The next logical piece of project to move on to is the Werribee Main Road. And what's terrific here is we're not doing it alone. We've got a partner in Canberra, in the Federal Labor Government who's working with us, working not just with Victorians but also with the Werribee and Wyndham Vale communities, because we understand what's important to them, because we listen to the needs of local communities.
JOURNALIST: Premier, what steps are the government taking and what steps is the government considering regarding the mass protests [inaudible]…
JACINTA ALLAN: Can I just- can we just close out on this and then we’ll go to other matters?
JOURNALIST: There’s long been safety concerns about this intersection. There've also been calls for speed limits to be reduced, I guess until something is done to improve it. Is that a consideration while you're waiting for work to begin?
JACINTA ALLAN: Can I take that on advice? Unless anyone around me wants to provide update on speed limits. But can we come back to you on this? Construction is already underway on the Ison Road Overpass, and we’ll commence on the extension this year. And so there will be an ongoing period of construction, which as we know, it comes- a bit of disruption comes with construction, but the end outcome is well worth it when you get that reduction in congestion, the extra capacity that provides for growth and that significant travel time saving that will be experienced by families in this community.
JOURNALIST: [Indistinct] construction question for Minister King, but…
JACINTA ALLAN: Do you want to stick with infrastructure, or do you want to…
JOURNALIST: Just around the protests this evening, what steps is the government taking? What preparations is the government taking? What further steps is it considering regarding a mass protest this weekend?
JACINTA ALLAN: So firstly, let me be clear, in terms of- Vicpol have the tools and the powers and the resources that they need to deal with any protest that occurs at any time of the day, at any time of the day. And I want to be clear that I support the right to peaceful protest. I think all Victorians support- many Victorians support that fundamental principle of the right to protest, but the right to protest peacefully. And what is testing though, what we are seeing is really testing the public's patience is this behaviour at particular locations and a particular set of behaviour by some protesters. And so, what we- what I've been advised by Victoria Police is that in terms of any protest activity on this coming weekend, that Victoria Police will be there in large numbers. They will be there in large numbers, and should any protest activity turn violent, they have the powers to arrest. They have the powers to move on people. But it shouldn't come to that. It shouldn't come to that. And I think the public patience is being tested by a small number of people who are ignoring that fundamental principle that comes with the right to peacefully protest, is to respect that right and to respect the difference of opinion in our community. So Victoria Police, I'm advised, will be there in large numbers and will be moving to arrest should any protester turn violent.
JOURNALIST: [Inaudible]… the Australian Open though?
JACINTA ALLAN: Sorry?
JOURNALIST: Is it right for protesters to be targeting the Australian Open, given that it draws such a large tourist crowd?
JACINTA ALLAN: I think it would be disgusting. I think it would be disgusting to target the Australian Open, and that would really break, I think, the patience of the public. I think it's important to recognise that we've already seen enough hurt, we've already seen enough hurt as a consequence of that conflict in the Middle East, conflict around the world. I've said this a number of times. Conflict around the world should never bring and should never be used as an opportunity to bring division and hate to our streets. But we have seen a small number of people choose to use that overseas conflict for their own purposes, to drive hate and division here in our streets. And that is not just testing the patience of the public. I think to target the Australian Open would be a disgusting act. But let's be clear, Victoria Police are operationally ready. They will be there in large numbers and they have the powers they need should any activity turn violent. They have the powers they need to arrest and to move people on.
JOURNALIST: Can [inaudible]… around the Australian Open precinct to protect it from any protests?
JACINTA ALLAN: I'll take my operational advice from Victoria Police and I will not be necessarily conveying that operational advice that in a way that would compromise the operational integrity of Victoria Police. But let's be clear, Victoria Police already have the tools and the powers they need to move people on where there is a risk of community safety and to arrest people should protests turn violent. But also, let's step back for a moment and also just consider that there is a difference of opinion. Everyone can have their own opinion, their own difference of views, but we must have respect for those differences of opinion. And just as Victorians can find it in their hearts- to find space in their hearts and their minds to respect difference, I think what comes when people have a different view is they also need to respect that, and they should not be targeting the Australian Open. That would be disgusting. There should not be protests that turn violent. And I already announced in December of last year actions that we are taking on face masks, on violent behaviour at protests, on disruptive behaviour at protests and the banning of the display of terrorist symbols- proscribed terrorist symbols of protests. These are actions we have taken that will become law, sending a very, very clear message around how patience of the community is being tested here. Let's not break that test. Let's not break that patience, and respect that everyone has a right to go about their day, particularly on Australia Day, in the way that they choose.
JOURNALIST: Do you think it’s wrong for First Peoples’ Assembly to be encouraging people to attend these protests?
JACINTA ALLAN: Look, the First People's Assembly are an independent- they’re an independent body, and they are an elected body, and they are independent of government. And how they choose to conduct themselves is a matter for them. But I think it is important to remember that Australia Day- and I'll be out on Australia Day, I'll be attending official Australia Day events like I have done for the best part of the last 30 years. I've attended Australia Day events almost every single year that Australia Day first became a public holiday around the nation in 1994. So I've attended Australia Day. So I'll attend Australia Day events as well, many, many Victorians.
But for some it is a difficult day. For some it is a difficult day. I think we can all find space in our hearts and in our heads to respect that, to understand that. Respect also goes both ways. We've got to make sure that for those who want to acknowledge the day in their own way have the space to do that and also those who want to go and participate in Australia Day events also have the opportunity to do opportunity to do so.
JOURNALIST: Can you guarantee families wanting to go to the city on Sunday that they'll be safe?
JACINTA ALLAN: Well, Victoria Police provide strong safety for our community every single day, every single day. Victoria Police, we have more police on the streets here in Victoria than any other jurisdiction in the nation and those police are backed with the tools and the resources and the powers that they need. And in terms of their preparations for Sunday, my advice is that they will be there in large numbers, if they are operationally ready, and they'll be operationally ready with the tools and the powers to arrest people, should people- should events turn in an ugly way. But they shouldn't. No one should be going to a protest- no one should be abusing that right to peaceful protest, going with the intent to cause violence.
And I know, overwhelmingly, the vast majority of people who attend protests go for the purpose of coming together to present a view about an issue, not to turn violent, but we have seen the public's patients being tested here by a small number of people, a small number of people and the behaviour of those small number of people, which is why I announced in December the actions we are taking to crack down on that behaviour.
JOURNALIST: Do you think the police won't be marching in uniform by the march next month?
JACINTA ALLAN: Look, that is a matter that has been resolved between Victoria Police and Midsumma. I'll be attending the Midsumma March next month.
JOURNALIST: Next month?
JACINTA ALLAN: Yes, next month. And I think also too, it's important to that equality is non-negotiable here in this state. Everyone should have the right to be who they are, pray to their God and practice their faith and to love who they love. And they should be able to do that respectfully and freely. And so I am a bit disappointed. I am disappointed that these issues have not been able to be resolved because there'll be many members of Victoria Police who will have wanted to attend in uniform, both to show their support for the community, but also as members of a community who are proud to be who they are within the Victorian community.
So it is disappointing, it is disappointing, but this is an outcome that is being resolved between the Victorian police and the Midsumma organisers.
JOURNALIST: Just on the Australian Day protests again, you mentioned a sense of unhappiness about certain behaviours. Over the years, Police have had very little issue with the invasion day protests. They said yesterday that by and large the people attending the pro-Palestine protests have been well behaved. What specifically are you talking about, those certain behaviours?
JACINTA ALLAN: Well, this goes back to the package that we announced in December. The unprecedented set of actions we are taking that I announced in December because we have seen, we have seen- it is a small number of people and you mentioned this in your question Nicole. By and large, these protests have been respectful and peaceful, but we have seen a small number of people, we have seen a small number of people act in an entirely inappropriate way. That is why we have moved- we have already acted on the banning of face masks, the banning of attachment devices and also giving Victoria Police stronger powers around the use of prescribed terrorist organisations, symbols and flags.
That set of actions is in response to what we have seen over the past year, and it is
appropriate because it is about making sure you can absolutely have the right to peaceful protest in this state, but we also need to be able to protect that right by having measures in place for people who want a small number of people who don't want to respect that.
JOURNALIST: Have you've got any advice for- it sounds like the rally at the Australian Open is actually the far-right rally as opposed to pro-Palestine or the invasion day. Have you got specific, I guess, feelings about that?
JACINTA ALLAN: I have a lot of thoughts on the far-right. The evil rise of anti-Semitism here in Victoria, Australia and around the world is appalling. It's disgusting. It's heartbreaking. It's absolutely heartbreaking to see people with hate in their hearts using this conflict as an opportunity to see the ugly head of anti-Semitism rise in the way it has in this country. And I'm appalled by it. And what we have done here in Victoria through the strong set of actions we've already taken, the banning of the Nazi symbol, the banning of the Nazi salute, and also too, we have in the Parliament right now, we've introduced into the Victoria Parliament at the end of the last sitting year, a bill that would make this sort of anti -Semitism a hate crime. It would put this behaviour into the Crimes Act and give police the powers they need to prosecute this as a crime. This is a strong response to this evil rising of anti-Semitism that we are seeing in our community.
That bill has been in the Parliament since November of last year and the Victorian Liberal Party are yet to say if they support this legislation. They are yet to say if they will join with us and put this hateful behaviour, this use of anti-Semitism as an evil weapon into the Crimes Act. This is a bit typical of this Liberal Party. The former leader of the Liberal Party kicked out of his party room a member of his party who organised a rally where the Nazis turned up. Well, the Victorian Liberal Party today is led by someone who organised a rally where the Nazis turned
up.
JOURNALIST: Is the State Government dragging its feet when it comes to re-housing the Lost Dogs’ Home? There was a letter that was sent to your colleague Danny Pearson stating that not enough compensation has been provided for them to issue [indistinct].
JACINTA ALLAN: Yes, so there's a process underway with the operators of the Lost Dogs’ Home and we've committed to support them through this process, both through the process itself and with support to find a new home. Now the acquisition process is around the other precinct yet to get underway. So we have the time and we're continuing to work with the operators of the Lost Dogs’ Home.
JOURNALIST: [Indistinct] said the process had stalled. Is that correct?
JACINTA ALLAN: That's not the advice I have, my advice is we continue to work with them and it's important to note that the acquisition process has not commenced. That's my advice on the [indistinct] precincts.
JOURNALIST: What's your understanding in terms of how [indistinct] the Lost Dogs’ needs?
JACINTA ALLAN: That would not be appropriate to canvas in this forum because that’s a matter to discuss directly with the operators of the Lost Dogs’.
JOURNALIST: It’s fair to say that it’s a loved institution, I'd say, in Victoria and Melbourne. Will the Government, I guess, help in its- commit to finding a land if it's unable to within the timeframe?
JACINTA ALLAN: We've made a commitment to work with the Lost Dogs’ Home. I understand it's a disruptive process for them. We've made a commitment to support them through the process and provide them with support to find a new home.
JOURNALIST: What does that mean, working to all of this?
JACINTA ALLAN: We're working on a timeline that will support the Lost Dogs’ Home to be able to find a new home.
JOURNALIST: In the meantime, do you support upgrades within the home?
JACINTA ALLAN: I've pretty much covered all the information I have that's being able to be provided around our ongoing work with the Lost Dogs’ Home.
JOURNALIST: Just back on the Liberal Party, what is your message to Peter Dutton, who said [indistinct] your approach to anti-Semitism is disgraceful? He said that the New South Wales Premier’s approach has been effective.
JACINTA ALLAN: When did he say this, Mitch?
JOURNALIST: Well, yesterday.
JACINTA ALLAN: OK. I'd say to Peter Dutton, and I'd say to any Liberal who wants to use this issue as a weapon, to stop. To stop. Enough. We are seeing enough hurt and division around the country as a consequence of this conflict overseas that they should stop. And if Peter Dutton is fair dinkum about working with communities, about working with governments around the country on this evil of anti-Semitism, he would tell his Victorian Liberal colleagues to support the bill that is in the Victorian Parliament right now. So stop using this as a political weapon, stop using this as a political tool, to look at what we are doing here in Victoria. We have already taken huge and important steps, the banning of the Nazi symbol, the banning of the Nazi salute, the introduction of anti-vilification into the Victorian Parliament that puts this sort of hateful behaviour as a crime, hateful behaviour that the Victorian Liberal Party are yet to say if they support.
I’d say to Peter Dutton, perhaps stop the politics and look at working with us. I will work with any leader, any leader. That's why the National Cabinet on Tuesday was important. I will work with any leader who will work constructively with us to both support communities who are hurting, to support communities who are hurting and who need our work on helping them heal, and also to do everything we can to crack down on the evil of anti-Semitism.
And I just repeat those two points I made before. We have in the Victorian Parliament a bill that the Victorian Liberal Party can come out today and they support. A bill that puts hate- hateful speech, anti-Semitic speech into the Crimes Act where it belongs. They can say today if they support that and I would encourage Peter Dutton to pick up the phone to his colleagues here in Victorian, to tell them to get on and support this bill.
But secondly too, the Victorian Liberal Party today is led by someone who organised a rally where the Nazis turned up. The former leader of the Liberal Party kicked out of his party room- he wouldn't have someone in his party room who organised a rally where the Nazis turned up. Today, the Victorian Liberal Party are led by someone who did such a thing. I'd suggest that's where Peter Dutton might want to focus his efforts on here in Victoria and stop the division. Communities here have seen enough of it. They need our leaders to work together to work on how we can heal, stop the division and hurt, and focus on being united, on stamping out the evil of anti-Semitism.
JOURNALIST: Let's go back to what you were saying about the quality of [indistinct] …
JACINTA ALLAN: [Talks over] [Indistinct]
JOURNALIST: … but I just want to ask you [indistinct], the US President Donald Trump this week made an executive order for the government to only recognise two genders male and female. What's your response to that? How many genders do you think Government should recognise?
JACINTA ALLAN: Really? I'll say this in a broad sense. We are seeing too much US-styled division come into our country, and it's the responsibility of leaders to call it out and not respond to it and stand up for their communities. Every Victorian should have the right to practice their faith, whatever that faith may be, and do so safely, and to love who they love and to be who they are. That's what's important here. What happens in the US happens in the US. What we should be focused on here is saying: enough of that US-style division. We’ve had enough hurt. We've got enough division. We don't need to add to that with this sort of tokenistic behaviour. We've got to focus on supporting people, to be who they are, to love who they want to love, and to practice their faith, whatever their faith may be.
JOURNALIST: Can I just get a response from the Minister [indistinct].
CATHERINE KING: Sure. Thanks for taking the questions as well. Look, I agree wholeheartedly with the Premier of Victoria, and I think you would have seen the Prime Minister responding to similar questions. And we're not going to have a running commentary every single day on what the President of the United States says and does. We think very firmly in this country that I think everyone has had enough of division, enough of people feeding and trying to engender hatred, whether it be anti-Semitism or on issues around gender equality. We're getting on with the business of government. We're getting on with the business of delivering for our communities and making sure that we actually continue to have a socially inclusive and a great place for people to live. And that sort of division and people and politicians who want to feed that division here in this country really should have a long, hard look at themselves and think about what they are doing to our community cohesion.
I'm happy to take some broader questions.
JOURNALIST: When do you release the 2.2 billion for the Suburban Rail Loop?
CATHERINE KING: Yeah, so the $2.2 billion dollars for the early works for Suburban Rail East, that is currently under assessment. The project report was provided just before Christmas to my department. My department is working with Infrastructure Australia on that at the moment, and a brief will come to me. That hasn't occurred yet, and I hope that happens shortly.
JOURNALIST: I'm sure the Premier is pretty keen to get that money soon. When- do you think it will come before the federal election?
CATHERINE KING: Again, it's under assessment at the moment, and when I've got further to say about that once I've received a brief, I've not received the brief from my department or Infrastructure Australia's yet. When we've got more to say about that, I'll let you know.
JOURNALIST: Has there been - is that a significant holdup? We were told that everything went to Infrastructure Victoria some months ago.
CATHERINE KING: So Infrastructure Australia …
JOURNALIST: Sorry.
CATHERINE KING: … it’s come to my department just recently, and to Infrastructure Australia. They undertake their processes. I don't seek to interfere in that. Infrastructure Australia is independent. I could seek advice from my department, and I would hope I would get that brief shortly but I haven't done that as yet. It's still under assessment.
JOURNALIST: And why has the Government taken all this debt in relation to Rex?
CATHERINE KING: Yeah, so thank you very much for the question. So today, we have announced that the Australian Government will acquire the $50 million of debt from Rex's largest creditor, PAG Holdings. That is necessary in order to make sure that we don't have any adverse outcomes for regional communities. Of course, the largest debtor- creditor could at any stage have put the company into liquidation, and we have been seeking to do everything we can to avoid that because we want to make sure that regional communities continue to have access to these services and much needed services that they need. In announcing that today, that will occur through the course of today, that what that actually then allows for, as you’d be aware, the accelerated sale processing in 2024 was not successful. There were no credible bidders for the airline itself. What this allows for is for the administrators now to undertake a second sale process, which they will start the process of doing. And we’re trying to make sure that we provide that with every opportunity of success, because we know for regional communities, particularly those where Rex is the only airline that is actually fly into these communities, just how critical those connections are, and we want to make sure those services continue to be delivered.
JOURNALIST: [Talks over] Does this …
CATHERINE KING: That of course, sorry, comes on top of the Australian Government's continuation of guaranteeing the tickets so that if you book on Rex, you will either get your flight or you'll get your money back. That guarantee hasn't had to be called upon, and we're really pleased that passengers are continuing to book on Rex Airlines as well, and as well as supporting the administrators to keep Rex Airlines going. We've also, of course, through our fair work entitlement guarantees, we've had over 306 claims against that. We've paid out over $7.1 million already in employee entitlements to those Rex airline workers who've lost their job, and we’ll continue to work through those claims as they come in.
JOURNALIST: So will the Commonwealth end up having an ongoing stake if and when the airline is sold?
CATHERINE KING: Well, at this stage, we are a creditor. We're stepping into the shoes of the major creditor who, as I said, that's really to avoid any adverse event that could have occurred. That creditor could have put the company into liquidation or called for it to be put into liquidation at any stage. We're now stepping into their shoes, taking over the last remaining part of that substantial debt in order to provide an opportunity for a second sale process to continue. Obviously, as a creditor, we would be seeking to get that money, that debt back, through any second sale process, but that would be making its way through the voluntary administration.
JOURNALIST: Just very quickly, one more for the Premier [indistinct]. Just on the police pay review, police are saying they’re being strong-armed to accepting a lowball deal. Do you think that’s a case?
JACINTA ALLAN: We've been consistently of the view that Victoria Police deserve a pay rise. They deserve pay and conditions that reflect the important work they do every single day, keeping our communities safe. We’ve reached an agreement that would have provided Victoria Police with a pay rise in the middle of last year. We reached that agreement with the Police Association leadership. But as we know, that- the Police Association leadership was not able to execute that agreement with its members. As a result of that, the Police Association asked for this process to go into the Fair Work Commission conciliation process and asked for the Fair Work Commission to assist with the negotiations, which we supported that action. And I’m pleased to see Victoria Police and the Police Association, as a result of the working with the Fair Work Commission and the Commission's determination that was released yesterday, that they have reached an agreement that does deliver a fair pay rise for Victoria Police. It's always been our view that Victoria Police deserve a fair pay rise. That is the outcome that has been achieved with the Fair Work Commission, and I'm pleased to see that. And I would hope that the processes from here can move as quickly and efficiently as they possibly can, so that police members, police officers around the state, can start to receive the benefits of this outcome as soon as possible.
JOURNALIST: So just one quick clarification on the protests. Is your understanding that there will be any protests at the Australian Open beyond the potential [indistinct]?
JACINTA ALLAN: I’ll continue to receive operational advice from Victoria Police. And if that is information Victoria Police feel would be appropriate to release publicly, we can do so.
CATHERINE KING: Thanks for your time.