Fixing Victoria’s level crossings is the highest infrastructure priority for the state, ahead of the western section of the East West Link and a Melbourne metro rail tunnel, according to voters.
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In a worrying sign for the Napthine government trying to sell an infrastructure agenda that places the East West Link as a top priority, The Age/Nielsen poll of 1000 voters found that 45 per cent of voters backed upgrades of level crossings ahead of the Melbourne Metro tunnel (30 per cent) and the western section of the East West Link (20 per cent) as the highest priority for the state’s infrastructure agenda.
While the government has completed some level crossing removals and is working on more, Labor has promised to remove 50 level crossings if it wins November’s state poll.
Plans to build the western section of the East West Link between Parkville to the Western Ring Road at a cost of up to $10 billion were unveiled at May's state election and forms a key part of the government's re-election pitch.
Work on the road is slated to start late next year and finished by 2023.
The government also announced in its budget a new alignment of a Melbourne metro rail tunnel, called the Melbourne Rail Link, with a tunnel from South Yarra, via the South Melbourne section of Fishermen’s Bend and Southern Cross. It will also include a link to the airport.
While balance of power and currently suspended MP Geoff Shaw has constantly talked about abortion reform, not many voters are listening with three out of four Victorians happy with laws.
The vast majority, 75 per cent, support requiring doctors who are personally opposed to abortion still having to refer patients who want an abortion to another medical practitioner.
Mr Shaw has taken aim at this law, saying he does not believe doctors should have to refer if they are opposed to abortion.
The Frankston MP has been a constant distraction for the government and he was finally suspended from the Parliament on June 11.
But Premier Denis Napthine’s motion to suspend, fine and force Mr Shaw to apologise has not been a vote changer. Eight in ten Victorians said events around Mr Shaw’s suspension would not affect their vote.
Of the 15 per cent that said it would affect their vote, 7 per cent said it they would be more likely to vote for the government with 22 per cent saying they were less likely, 16 per cent saying they were more likely to vote for Labor.
