Labor won’t outline cost of Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop as opposition cites independent estimates

Coalition cites growing estimated costs, while minister cannot say how much the project will slug taxpayers

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The minister responsible for Victoria’s Suburban Rail Loop can’t say how much the underground railway will cost, despite lashing an independent analysis that suggested building and running the first two stages will total more than $216bn.

Analysis from Victoria’s Parliamentary Budget Office, prepared for the state’s opposition leader, John Pesutto, suggested that building the first two stages of the railway from Cheltenham to Box Hill and then on to Melbourne Airport would cost $96.4bn. An additional $120.2bn would be required to operate the line for 50 years.

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