Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) executives have come under scrutiny for spending over $330,000 on international travel to attend tunnel-boring conferences and meet with foreign governments. The trips are part of efforts to attract companies to build the first stage of the $34.5 billion SRL East project, an underground rail line connecting Cheltenham and Box Hill.
The SRL Authority defends these expenses as crucial for acquiring the global expertise necessary to deliver the ambitious infrastructure project. Premier Jacinta Allan supported the authority’s chief executive, Frankie Carroll, after revelations about his frequent travel between Brisbane and Melbourne and his remuneration package of at least $900,000.
Travel Expenses and Project Justification
Carroll’s travel patterns, including trips back to Brisbane where his family resides, were highlighted in flight transaction records obtained under freedom of information laws. These records show taxpayer-funded flights totaling over $3,600 for unexpected returns to Victoria and conference attendance in Melbourne.
A separate freedom of information request, initially lodged by the state opposition and released by the government, detailed that executives spent more than $330,000 on international travel. This includes a $54,000 trip in March 2022 by Carroll and former SRLA chair James MacKenzie to Europe to foster market competitiveness in the early bidding stages for tunnel construction packages.
“The process ultimately benefited the project and achieved value for money,” the documents state.
Global Engagement and Strategic Partnerships
Eight months later, Carroll and another board member embarked on a $69,000 trip across Asia and Europe to gauge interest in the SRL East’s largest contract, a “line-wide” package involving tunnel outfitting and train operations. TransitLinX, a consortium, has been named as the preferred bidder for this contract, expected to exceed $8 billion.
In early 2023, Carroll, MacKenzie, and COO Megan Bourke-O’Neil returned to Europe for a $95,000 trip to meet firms unable to schedule meetings in late 2022. One of the less expensive trips involved three staff attending an Australasian Tunnelling Conference in New Zealand for over $5,000.
In November 2024, two senior staff spent more than $70,000 traveling to meet foreign government representatives and visit projects with bidders. The authority maintains that such international engagement is vital for attracting top-tier companies and managing project costs effectively.
Political Reactions and Public Concerns
The Allan government’s Suburban Rail Loop is touted as a transformative project essential for Melbourne’s future, projected to support a population of 9 million by the 2050s. The SRL East alone is expected to cost $34.5 billion, with future expansions connecting to Melbourne’s existing rail network.
“The Suburban Rail Loop will slash travel times and cut congestion for busy families – while delivering 70,000 more homes within walking distance to jobs, healthcare, green open spaces, and Australia’s largest universities,” a spokesperson stated.
Premier Allan defended Carroll’s travel and salary, citing the project’s complexity and the need for experienced leadership. However, the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal previously recommended a salary cap of $700,000, sparking debate over Carroll’s $900,000 package.
Opposition major projects spokesman Matthew Guy criticized the government, highlighting the cost of living crisis affecting many Victorians. He questioned the justification of Carroll’s salary given the lack of a fully budgeted SRL East project and an unclear funding source.
“This is the middle of a cost of living crisis where a lot of Victorians can’t afford to pay their electricity or gas bills,” Guy said. “A $900,000 salary might be justifiable if the $34.5 billion SRL East were fully budgeted, had an acceptable business case, and Victorians knew where the money to pay for it was coming from.”
The controversy surrounding the SRL executives’ travel expenses and Carroll’s remuneration underscores the ongoing debate over the project’s financial management and its implications for Victoria’s future infrastructure landscape.
