State officials accused of inflating costs to alter airport rail plans

State government figures allegedly used direct pressure tactics and artificially inflated cost estimates to steer the design of the long-awaited airport rail link, according to newly surfaced reports.

Following an earlier revelation that an Airport rail study faced manipulation, fresh investigative details indicate that transport officials actively suppressed a viable zero-cost alternative to push their preferred project outcome.

The suppressed plan outlined an express route capable of connecting the city centre directly to Tullamarine in eighteen minutes without imposing heavy financial burdens on public funds.

Detailed documents revealed how alternative proposals that threatened the government preferred shortlist were met with severe bureaucratic resistance and heavily skewed financial projections designed to make them appear unviable.

Industry critics argue that state authorities deliberately sidelined the efficient proposal to justify expensive construction choices and specific regional alignments favored by political stakeholders.

Independent transport analysts said that the mishandling of these critical project documents reflects a troubling lack of transparency in major Victorian infrastructure delivery, leaving taxpayers to foot an inflated bill.

Transport advocates and parliamentary opposition members have renewed urgent calls for a full independent inquiry into how project evaluations were conducted and who authorised the adjustments behind closed doors.

Representatives from public transport user groups said the latest revelations severely undermine community trust in government-backed transit planning and accountability across the state.

Further legislative inquiries into the tender and planning process are scheduled when parliamentary committees resume their oversight review sessions next week.