NATIONALS Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad has called on the State Government to prioritise funding for regional roads.
With the State Budget to be released next month, Ms Broad said local councils were crying out for increased funding to maintain roads in rural areas.
“The Labor Government needs to invest in all of Victoria and commit to making regional road funding a priority in the budget,” she said.
“The government cut the road maintenance budget by 10 per cent when it came into office and axed the Country Roads and Bridges Program.
“A further $215 million has been cut over the past two budgets, and now Victorians are seeing the results.”
Ms Broad said the roads needed to be a focus before the 2026 Commonwealth Games that would take place in regional Victoria.
“When international tourists come to regional Victoria for the Commonwealth Games, we want them stopping to enjoy our silo art rather than street art around potholes,” she said.
“While billions are being poured into Melbourne-based projects, in regional Victoria we are driving on roads that look like a patchwork quilt.”
