Allan defends prioritising Metro Tunnel press conference over social services event

Premier Jacinta Allan has defended her no-show at a major event with community and social service leaders so she could spruik a construction milestone on the Metro Tunnel project due to open later this year.

Allan agreed to appear alongside Opposition Leader Brad Battin on a panel hosted by the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS), Victoria’s peak body for social and community services, to discuss her vision for the state, but ditched the event to lead journalists on a tour of the new State Library station.

It was the second time in two days Allan announced that major construction is complete on the $15 billion rail project. On Sunday, she conducted a similar media event at Town Hall station, one of five stations along the new underground line.

After agreeing to speak at the Community Sector Summit – billed as the sector’s most significant gathering since the pandemic – Allan initially told organisers she would be unable to attend because she was meeting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney on Sunday and would not be back in time.

Allan watched the NRL grand final with Albanese at Stadium Australia in Homebush on Sunday night but was back in Melbourne on Monday morning. Treasurer Jaclyn Symes appeared in Allan’s place at the VCOSS event.

Two sources involved with the VCOSS event said the organisers were bitterly disappointed by the premier’s snub.

When questioned by this masthead about her priorities, Allan said it was important for her to mark the completion of the Metro Tunnel, which the government claims is the biggest transformation of the suburban rail network since the City Loop opened 40 years ago.

“I have many engagements with VCOSS and the various representative organisations,” she said. “The treasurer is representing the government there today. We will always continue to invest in frontline services.”

Allan insisted the train station media event could not have been held at another time and did not dispute that she gave summit organisers a different reason for being unable to attend.

“The completion of the Metro Tunnel has occurred over the last few days,” she said. “I thought it was very important that Victorians had the opportunity to see that the Metro Tunnel project was completed and we will be having more to say soon on the new services.

“I did have the opportunity to see the prime minister yesterday. I’m not going to go into my private diary or his private diary in terms of our engagements, but I think it’s important that Victorians knew that the Metro Tunnel was opening here today.”

Allan was listed as a speaker on the VCOSS website and was scheduled to speak with chief executive Juanita Pope at 10am for the event, which was held at Melbourne Town Hall and attended by about 350 people.

Instead, Allan arrived at the new State Library station about 10.15am with Transport Infrastructure Minister Gabrielle Williams, project officials and a phalanx of TV crews.

VCOSS represents the social and community sector in Victoria, describing its mission as working towards a state free from poverty and disadvantage.

When asked about Allan’s no-show, Pope was diplomatic. She said her organisation had been looking forward to hosting the premier but understood she had a busy schedule.

“We are grateful to the treasurer for stepping in at short notice,” Pope said.

At the VCOSS event, Battin fielded questions from what he described as a “tough crowd” about his plans to combat the rise of far-right extremism, his positive visions for Victoria and the impact of lowering taxes on vulnerable people.

The Metro Tunnel is expected to open to passengers later this year, with a soft launch using limited, off-peak services. Allan has so far refused to give a firm opening date for a full-service timetable, which is not expected to be implemented until February.

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