Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Politics
Rachael Ward and Callum Godde

Pitch to ditch rail loop risks 'referendum on trains'

A pledge over rail funding risks the election becoming a quasi-referendum on Melbourne trains. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

The coalition's "calculated" move to scrap spending on a controversial rail project in a key battleground state has sparked calls for a broader discussion on how federal governments fund infrastructure projects.

If elected, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton would cancel $2.2 billion in federal funding for the first stage of Melbourne's Suburban Rail Loop and spend it instead on a long-awaited train line to the city's airport.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.