Yet the Allan Labor Government refuses to address this issue, slashing 45 per cent from the road maintenance budget since 2020.
Which spin and lie have been used this time? Premier Jacinta 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 Roads and Road Safety Minister 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 10 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 Labor Government. 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 that the government recognise that 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 that Labor can’t manage money, and regional Victorians are paying the price.
Peter Walsh
Leader of the Nationals
34°C