Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

The result of this investment will be to lift the track standard to Victorian class 2, as the member for Indi asked me about—Victorian class 2 standard—allowing more reliable and faster passenger services.

The ongoing maintenance for the North East rail line has been funded from within the usual ARTC budget and is averaged at around $6 million per year, and, as the North East rail line upgrade progresses towards completion by mid next year, the ongoing maintenance of the track is an important consideration for the commercial lease negotiations between the ARTC and the Victorian government. I have discussions with ministers Jacinta Allan and Jaala Pulford all the time about maintenance, ongoing funding and other rail related issues. This investment in the North East rail line—I know the member for Indi is particularly interested in that; it goes through her electorate—forms part of a broader $1.6 billion Commonwealth investment in the Regional Rail Revival package that is upgrading critical regional rail infrastructure in Victoria.

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