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Victoria forges on with Avalon-Airport link

<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> A rail link to connect Avalon Airport to Melbourne and Geelong has moved to the next planning stage, with preferred alignment announced after being identified by a recent planning study. </span> <p>The proposed route for the Avalon Airport Rail Link, which will connect Avalon Airport to Melbourne and Geelong, has been announced by Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder and Minister for Aviation Industry Gordon Rich-Phillips.<br /><br />Public transport minister Terry Mulder today announced the preferred alignment on Friday, which is available for viewing on Transport Victoria’s website.<br /><br />“The Avalon Airport Rail Link will support the development of Avalon Airport as Victoria’s second international airport and provide connections to Melbourne and Geelong,” Mulder said.<br /><br />Aviation minister Gordon Rich-Phillips said the Victorian Government has been a long-time supporter of Avalon Airport because of the benefits it offers Geelong and Melbourne’s western suburbs, in particular providing jobs and access to national and international markets.<br /><br />“The announcement today is a further show of faith in the future of Avalon Airport by the Coalition Government,” Rich-Phillips said.<br /><br />State premier Denis Napthine said the move also complements the government’s decision to fund and build a rail link to Melbourne Airport as a part of the Melbourne Rail Link project, and its $24bn transport infrastructure budget.<br /><br />“Having two international curfew-free airports, both with rail links, gives Victoria a massive economic advantage, especially compared with other states, by allowing for increased competition in the aviation industry and improved tourism access,” Napthine said.<br /><br />Mulder said the preferred alignment for the Avalon Airport Rail Link has been developed through a detailed planning study which is now on public exhibition.<br /><br />An amendment to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme has also been prepared to create the reservation for the rail link.<br /><br />“The public exhibition process will enable everyone to view the preferred alignment and planning scheme amendment and make a submission,” Mulder said.<br /><br />“All submissions will be considered by an independent panel which will make recommendations to the Minister for Planning who will then make a decision on whether to approve the amendment.”</p>