General News
13 October, 2022
Coalition pitches road funding increase
THE Liberal National Coalition has announced a $10 billion election commitment in a vow to fix Victoria’s crumbling road system.
THE Liberal National Coalition has announced a $10 billion election commitment in a vow to fix Victoria’s crumbling road system.
Deputy Leader of the Nationals and Member for Lowan Emma Kealy visited Moyne Shire last week to make the announcement.
She said the commitment would see the annual road asset management budget increase from around $600 million to $1 billion annually over a 10-year period.
“Good-quality roads are vital to ensure people can safely get to work, school, healthcare appointments and sporting commitments, and also so we can get our produce to market,” she said.
“Roads such as the Glenelg Highway, Coleraine-Edenhope Road and Mortlake-Ararat Road are all in desperate need of funding to ensure they can be brought up to scratch.
“We haven’t got a choice of whether we use our roads or not – it’s really important that we have safe roads without crumbling edges and potholes.
“We can’t have situations where people are putting their lives at risk while people are simply getting around, doing what they need to do in their day-to-day lives.”
Ms Kealy said there would also be a review of construction standards, increasing accountability of VicRoads and contractors and a reduction in red and green tape that often escalates construction costs.
“The Liberals and Nationals recognise that we need to build better roads,” Ms Kealy said.
“It’s not just patch-working issues.
“We need to rebuild our roads, listen to the community on what roads they want fixed and make sure VicRoads has the money it needs.”
Shadow Minister for Roads Danny O’Brien said after almost a decade of Andrews Labor Government neglect, Victorian roads “had gone from bad to worse”.
“The Andrews Labor Government has left Victoria’s road network crumbling, ignoring the genuine concern of road users across the state, in both the city and the country,” he said.
“Labor cut the road maintenance budget by 10 per cent when it came to government and, on top of recent wet years, our roads have never recovered.
“This $10 billion investment will deliver longer-term contracts to promote innovation, give contractors certainty to invest in better equipment and allow for strategic maintenance planning.
“It means Victorians won’t have to put up with band-aid solutions that only last weeks or months until the next heavy rain.”