A proven roads program that delivered millions of dollars for local road and bridge upgrades before being scrapped by Labor will be restored under a Liberals and Nationals’ Government, The Nationals’ candidate for Gippsland East, Gemma Rendell, has announced.
The $288 million commitment will restore the Country Roads and Bridges Program, providing each of Victoria’s 48 rural and regional councils with $1.5 million a year for four years in untied funding for local road and bridge works.
Ms Rendell said the former program had a proven record of delivering results for rural communities before Labor abolished it after coming to government.
“This was a successful Nationals’ program that put money directly into country communities and allowed local councils to fix the roads and bridges they knew needed attention,” Ms Rendell said.
“Like too many effective programs that were delivering for regional Victoria, Labor scrapped it.
“Our roads are now a mess and anyone travelling around East Gippsland doesn’t need a report or a review to tell them that. They see it every day in the potholes, broken road edges, deteriorating surfaces and ageing bridges.
“That is why the Liberals and Nationals’ have already committed $5 billion over four years to repair and rebuild Victoria’s state-managed road network, eliminate one million potholes and restore a proper program of preventative maintenance.
“But state roads are only part of the picture. Our councils manage thousands of kilometres of local roads and bridges that families, farmers, school buses, emergency services and local businesses rely on every day.
“Restoring the Country Roads and Bridges Program means we will tackle both – a massive investment in our state roads and dedicated funding to help councils improve the local roads and bridges they manage.”
Under the restored program, East Gippsland and Wellington Shire Councils will receive $1.5 million every year for four years – a total of $6 million per term – with the flexibility to determine where that money is most needed.
Ms Rendell said giving councils untied funding was an important feature of the program.
“Local councils know which roads and bridges need attention. Rather than making them continually apply for competitive grants and wait for Spring Street to tell them what their priorities should be, this gives them guaranteed funding and allows them to get on with the job.
“It also gives councils certainty to plan works over several years rather than living from one grant round to the next.
“The Country Roads and Bridges Program worked before and delivered real improvements in rural communities. We will bring it back.
“Combined with our $5 billion commitment to repair Victoria’s state roads, it means a Liberals and Nationals’ Government will deliver a major road repair program across both the state and local networks.
“After years of neglect, regional Victorians deserve roads and bridges that are safe, reliable and fit for purpose – and we intend to deliver them,” she said.
Caption: The Nationals’ Gippsland East candidate, Gemma Rendell, and current MP, Tim Bull, are delighted with the announcement to restore the Country Roads and Bridges program cut by Labor.
Please find Ms Rendell’s audio attached.
