An elected Liberal and Nationals Government will invest $5 billion to repair and rebuild Victoria’s roads, eliminate one million potholes and re-establish a proper, planned system of preventative road maintenance.
Leader of the Opposition, Jess Wilson and Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Danny O’Brien announced the policy today.
The Liberals and Nationals plan will:
- Invest $5 billion in road maintenance over four years, a 25 per cent increase on current spending
- Establish Better Roads Victoria as a standalone division within the Department of Transport and Planning, rebuilding the technical and engineering expertise lost when the Allan Labor government abandoned VicRoads and axed Regional Roads Victoria
- Boost roadside maintenance such as grass slashing, graffiti removal and drain clearance
- Lift departmental and contractor accountability through a review of construction standards and maintenance contracts.
Announcing the policy on day 23 of the Liberals and Nationals’ Fresh Start Tour of Victoria, Ms Wilson said the condition of Victoria’s roads was a daily reminder of Labor’s mismanagement and a rapidly growing cost of living concern for motorists.
“While $15 billion has been lost to corruption on the Big Build, our roads are littered with dangerous potholes that are causing untold damage to vehicles – leaving motorists thousands of dollars out of pocket,” Ms Wilson said.
“Drivers shouldn’t be the ones footing the bill for blown tyres, cracked rims and worse because Jacinta Allan and Labor cannot get the basics right.
“Only my Liberals and Nationals team has a plan to repair and rebuild Victoria’s roads, to eliminate one million potholes and deliver a government that works.”
Mr O’Brien said addressing the crisis in the state’s roads would be a top priority for a Liberals and Nationals government.
“Roads have been falling apart all across Victoria and Victorians are fed-up with half-hearted patch up jobs that quickly fall apart. The Liberals and Nationals will finally address the roads crisis that so many Victorians have had to put up with,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Our roads have become goat tracks while Labor has overseen more than $40 billion in major project cost blowouts and $15 billion lost to corruption on the Big Build. We will end the waste and stop the corruption so we can build better and safer roads.
“Under Labor, our regions receive less than 12 per cent of infrastructure spending despite making up 25 per cent of the state’s population. This plan forms part of the Liberals and Nationals’ broader commitment to regional Victoria through the Fair Share Guarantee, which will see 25 per cent of the state’s infrastructure spending directed to our regions.”
