There’s an old saying that every government dollar should be treated as if it was hard earned, because it was – by a taxpayer.

Given that Victoria is the highest-taxed state in the nation, this is a pretty fair rule to apply and one I would hope that the government would abide by. Sadly, this is not the case.

The Victorian Labor Government, which marks ten years in office this month, has allowed waste and blowouts to define their infrastructure agenda ever since they paid $1.1 billion to not build a road shortly after coming to office.

Ten years on, this is no more evident than with the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL). When the history books are written – and with a completion date of 2053 that’ll be around when the Suburban Rail Loop north is completed as well – this project will be a byword for waste and blowouts.

The cost of the SRL has already blown out to $216 billion and that is just for the first half, servicing the eastern suburbs seats that Labor is so desperate to protect for their own short-term political future.

Analysis from the independent Parliamentary Budget Office already shows that the project’s cost outweighs the benefits. A decade before this first section is even scheduled to open, it is already clear that the return on investment is just not there.

It’s not just the Liberals saying this.

Both Infrastructure Australia and the Australian National Audit Office have raised serious concerns about the project’s financial viability. The federal Albanese Labor Government is refusing to say whether they will contribute funds.

The [current Victorian] government has refused to provide a credible business case and has failed to meet the basic funding criteria set by Infrastructure Australia. This is deeply concerning and demonstrates a lack of planning and forward thinking on a signature project that the government seem determined to pursue at their own folly. Ultimately the problem with this project, and as I said earlier the reason why every dollar of government money needs to be respected, is because being in government is about choices.

The Labor Government has chosen – against just about all advice – to continue to pursue this project. Whether that is now out of stubbornness, folly or another motivation is something I will leave others to judge. But because of this choice this money, this $216 billion, is not able to be spent elsewhere.

Every dollar wasted on the Suburban Rail Loop is not able to fund more and better paid essential workers, or better roads and infrastructure which is so desperately needed across my electorate of the northern suburbs and across the entire state.

Victorians are crying out for better services, better hospitals and roads, and they’re not going to get them from this Labor government because of its decision to fund a tunnel that just isn’t going anywhere. •

Evan Mulholland is the Liberal Member for Northern Metropolitan Region and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Victorian Legislative Council.