What is the ultimate price of the “Big Build’ in Victoria?
![](https://www.constructionadvisor.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/train-tunnel-Thomas-Hawk-flickr-43987700305_9d5ef66875_c.jpg)
Since 2014, when Daniel Andrews became Premier of Victoria, the pipeline of infrastructure projects over the next 11 years has nearly doubled to almost 90, costing taxpayers a total of $81 billion.
These projects include the construction of five tunnels around Melbourne. Included in these figures are the Suburban Rail Loop ($50 billion) and North East Link ($16 billion), among the most expensive of all Victoria’s road and rail projects.
Currently, there are nine transport projects in Australia valued at over $5 billion under construction, and their total cost has already blown out by $24 billion. According to The Grattan Institute’s transport and cities program director, Marion Terrill, research on mega-projects shows that a decade ago, there was only one transport project in Australia valued at over $5 billion.
A broad survey of major projects costing $100 million or more, now being conducted by Victoria’s Auditor-General will give Victorian’s a update on the projects costs and timelines of these projects.
There is some commentary from a range of observers as to whether the Victorian Government should provide more detail as to both current and likely costs of these projects.
Read more at The Age here