REVELATIONS of 480 road sites across regional Victoria being labelled “under pavement in poor condition”, resulting in speed reductions, are deeply concerning.
Yet the Allan government refuses to address this issue, slashing 45 per cent from the road maintenance budget since 2020.
Which spin and lie has been used this time? Premier Allan blames the terrible condition of our roads on the string of natural disasters.
Perhaps the same excuse is used for the inexplicable delays in repairing crucial tourism infrastructure damaged in the East Gippsland bushfires – more than four years ago.
When will Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne realise the gravity of her responsibilities to all Victorians?
What’s the alternative? We promised to inject $1 billion every year for the next ten years, if elected.
Families in regional Victoria face serious safety threats every day as they navigate these roads riddled with potholes.
What’s needed now is action, something unfamiliar to this government. And this must come in the State Budget, which is only six weeks away.
In the 2023 budget, a mere 15 per cent of funding was directed towards regional Victoria, despite housing 25 per cent of the state’s population.
This oversight highlights a significant gap in understanding the needs of regional communities, particularly concerning essential infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, and housing.
It’s imperative the government recognises effective governance requires equal distribution of resources to all areas of the state, particularly for our roads and hospitals.
The Nationals guaranteed that regional Victorians would receive 25 per cent of all infrastructure spending, if elected in 2022.
The challenge now sits with Labor to deliver regional Victorians their fair share.
However, recent history tells us Labor can’t manage money, and regional Victorians are paying the price.
Peter Walsh
Leader of the Nationals
Member for Murray Plains
