Suburban Rail Loop: Victorian government secretly increased public transport fares to help pay for controversial SRL
This story was selected and curated by our editorial team in the Australia news category. Published on August 25, 2026 • Originally reported by Benita Kolovos Victorian state correspondent. OMEGAZEPRIME provides independent news coverage and analysis for our readers. Stay informed with the latest developments.
Labor put ‘levy on all public transport fares in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria’ since January 2025, auditor general finds, as questions raised over premier’s involvement
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Questions have been raised about Ben Carroll’s knowledge of a “secret tax” the Victorian government has slapped on public transport fares to help pay for the Suburban Rail Loop and other Big Build projects.
The existence of the levy was revealed in an auditor general report tabled in parliament on Wednesday, which also threw doubt on whether the first stage of the multibillion-dollar project – a 26km stretch of twin tunnels from Cheltenham to Box Hill dubbed SRL East – can be delivered on time or within budget.
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