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Original adjournment matter from Juliana Addison MP to Parliament –

My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Public and Active Transport, and the action I seek is for the minister to come to the electorate of Wendouree and visit the Alstom facility.

Ballarat has had a long and proud history of manufacturing rolling stock for the Victorian rail network for over 100 years, and the Allan Labor government is continuing to support this great tradition. I welcomed the announcement in the Victorian budget 2021–22 that the Victorian government would invest $986 million to build 25 brand new X’trapolis 2.0 trains and the infrastructure they need to modernise the state’s train fleet.

Since April 1917 generations of Ballarat workers have repaired and maintained wagons and locomotives and manufactured trains at the rail workshops in Creswick Road in my electorate. Over the last century the rail workshops have been a significant employer for our city and there have been many stories of fathers and sons working side by side. Also the rail workshops were a place where many apprentices learned their trade. Interestingly, the catalyst for establishing the rail workshop in Ballarat came from pressure to decentralise and support regional jobs, a value that is shared by Victorian Labor governments.

Proudly, the Ballarat-made fleet of Alstom X’trapolis trains has proven to be one of the most reliable trains in the Melbourne network whilst maximising passenger experience, comfort and safety. Today the Alstom site in Ballarat continues to play a significant role in train manufacturing in Victoria, and this will continue with the latest order of the new X’trapolis 2.0 trains.

I look forward to welcoming the minister to Wendouree to visit the Alstom site very soon.

Response from the Hon. Gabrielle Williams MP, Minister for Public and Active Transport (9 February 2024) –

I thank the Member for Wendouree for her question, and for her invitation.

I was very pleased to join the Member for Wendouree on a recent visit to the Alstom manufacturing site in Ballarat.

The Allan Labor Government is proudly committed to providing a major boost for local jobs in Ballarat, through its $986 million investment in X’Trapolis 2.0 trains, which will gradually replace Melbourne’s long-serving Comeng fleet on the Craigieburn, Upfield and Frankston lines.

Supported by Alstom’s extensive refurbishment of the Ballarat site, production on these trains will commence shortly. I am pleased to note that recruitment will continue to ramp up for skilled manufacturing, procurement, testing, and factory fit-out roles as part of the X’Trapolis 2.0 train build.

The Labor Government has been proud to support the continuation of Ballarat’s legacy as a major hub in Victoria’s thriving manufacturing industry.

I thank the Member for Wendouree for her ongoing support and advocacy for a world-class public transport system for Victorians, and look forward to further opportunities to celebrate the success of the X’Trapolis 2.0 Project and manufacturing in Ballarat.

Watch and read more of my speeches to Parliament here, including responses from ministers on how we’re working for Wendouree.