General News
9 October, 2025
Kealy slams state road maintenance program
LOWAN MP Emma Kealy has shamed the Victorian Government for spruiking an annual ‘Road Maintenance Blitz’ after what she says is “yet another year of letting roads disintegrate”.
As Western District Newspapers reported last week, the Victorian Government announced its $976 million ‘Better Roads Blitz’ would be rolled out over the coming months as part of the largest single-year investment in road maintenance.
Members of the opposition quickly hit out at the announcement, including Ms Kealy.
She said the government announced a roadworks blitz at around this time every year, promising thousands of projects to fix damaged roads across the state before ultimately proving their promises are empty.
“If seeing is believing, Labor’s latest announcement is as hollow as some of the gaping holes in our roads,” Ms Kealy said.
“Every day our communities are forced to keep travelling on pothole-riddled roads with crumbling edges, even on major arterials.
“All Labor’s fanfare about ‘rebuilding and repairing’ and ‘record investment’ can’t hide what everyone in our community knows.
“Our roads are worse than ever.”
Ms Kealy said budget figures showed the Victorian Government was cutting major road patching targets by 93 per cent in regional Victoria under the Labor Government.
She said the total area of road due to be rehabilitated or resurfaced across regional areas is set to drop 14 per cent this year.
Ms Kealy said Parliamentary Budget Office reports also show, on average in the 10 years to 2024, the Allan Labor Government had spent less per kilometre on road maintenance than both New South Wales and Queensland.
“When you combine these cuts with $48 billion in cost blowouts on metropolitan projects, it’s no wonder our roads are in such a perilous state,” she said.
“Jacinta Allan promised to be a premier for regional Victorians, yet two years into the job it is rural and regional communities who continue to be hit hardest by her government’s mismanagement of our state.
“Labor is all spin and no substance when it comes to our roads.
“It’s an absolute insult to rural and regional communities who deserve to be able to safely travel to work, school, sport, medical appointments and other activities.
“Labor can’t manage money and can’t manage our roads, and Victorians are paying the price.”