You would think there was an election on what with the way the Victorian state government is making promises. First there was the great Melbourne circling metro-line, including stops servicing Monash Clayton, La Trobe Bundoora and Deakin Burwood. Then there was a new hospital to be built adjacent to Victoria U. And now the state government, promises a $5bn “university city of the future” at La Trobe U. This looks a lot like what Curtin U is already building with research facilities plus housing and offices. The La Trobe plan also includes an expansion of the hospital at LT U. Curiously, there is no mention of a start date, although government and university are funding a $2m feasibility study.

CMM suspects the big university winner out of all these promises will be VU – there is an actual start date (2020) and costings ($200m) for the hospital.