The Victorian government has repeatedly demonstrated that it cannot control the costs of its “Big Build” infrastructure projects.
Consider the following projects whose costs have skyrocketed, adding to the state’s massive debt pile:
- The West Gate Tunnel project’s cost is expected to double from its initial $5 billion estimate.
- The $11 billion Metro Rail tunnel has exceeded budget by around $3 billion.
- The North East Link project was originally estimated to cost $10 billion, but was then increased to $15 billion before ballooning to $26 billion.
- Melbourne’s Airport Rail Link was initially projected to cost $10 billion. It is now projected to cost $15 billion.
- The $200 billion Suburban Rail Loop to Nowhere, whose overall cost is expected to exceed $200 billion, or approximately four times the original announced cost.
