Danny O’Brien – Letter to the Editor

The Auditor-General’s damning report on Victoria’s roads should shame the Carroll Labor Government.

The findings speak for themselves: 48 per cent of state roads were rated poor or very poor in 2024, up from 39 per cent in 2021. In the Loddon Mallee region, that figure is a staggering 69 per cent which again shows how it is the regions that suffer the most under the Labor Government.

This isn’t bad luck. It’s the result of a government that has known about the problem for years and chosen, budget after budget, not to address it. The Auditor-General found the gap between reported defects and repairs has doubled in just 18 months, and that Labor plans to cut the maintenance budget again next year if re-elected.

Ben Carroll cut $200 million from roads maintenance during his time as Roads Minister. No amount of election-eve press conferences and pothole photo-ops will convince Victorians that he’s suddenly serious about fixing them. They’re too busy dodging craters on their local roads

The Nationals will do things differently if elected to government. We’ve committed $5 billion to road maintenance over four years, a 25 per cent annual increase on current spending, to eliminate one million potholes and restore a proper program of preventative maintenance. We’ll also demand real accountability from contractors so taxpayers get value for money.

Victorians deserve roads that are safe and properly maintained and regional Victorians deserve a fair share.

Leader of The Nationals
Shadow Minister for Roads and Road Safety