Gippsland › Latest news › Danny O'Brien MP
Victorian roads remain in dire shape as Andrews Labor government waste billions of taxpayers money
The Andrews Labor government must urgently inject additional funds to repair Victoria's dilapidated road network as years of budget cuts, waste and last year's floods take their toll.
Victorian roads remain in a dire position as state government funding for post-flood reconstruction runs out and local roads are ignored altogether. Recent media reports indicate that $130 million of Labor's allocated $165 million has already been spent for repairs of flood affected roads around the state.
Recent media reports indicate that $130 million of Labor's allocated $165 million has already been spent for repairs of roads around the state
Need for post-flood reconstruction
The Victorian Transport Association estimates $1 billion is needed for post-flood reconstruction and repair work. Meanwhile, the state government has not allocated a single cent to help local councils with the repair of local roads - the roads that take Victorians home and to work, school and shopping.
This is in stark contrast to the $500 million allocated by the NSW government to help councils with road repairs. The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has said local roads and bridges were already in dire straits before the floods, as everyone except Labor MPs seems to acknowledge.
Immediate need for funding
Shadow Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Danny O'Brien, said the Andrews Labor government needs to urgently allocate additional funding to repair roads Victorians rely on. "The money announced so far by the government is a drop in the ocean and doesn't go anywhere close to addressing affected roads," Mr O'Brien said.
"Labor is kidding itself if it thinks the poor state of our roads is the result of last year's floods - the crisis has been building since Labor's first cut to the road maintenance budget way back in 2015."
"Our arterial roads are still in need of significant work, while local councils are buckling under the weight of the road maintenance backlog they're facing, especially in rural and flood-affected areas." Mr O'Brien said.
The Nationals Leader Peter Walsh, Shadow Minister for Roads Danny O'Brien and Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad
Support in repairing local roads
\Mr O'Brien also said, "Labor needs to immediately announce more funding to repair our roads and reverse its $215 million budget cut from the past two years. Our roads can't wait till the budget in May, this needs to happen now."
Mr O'Brien said the MAV's pre-budget submission calls for a minimum $320 million program to support councils in repairing local roads. "After axing the Country Roads and Bridges program when it came to government, Labor has presided over an ever-deteriorating roads network, while wasting $30 billion of taxpayers' money on cost blow-outs on its mega-transport projects. Just imagine what those funds could have done for our roads."
Pictures from Regional Roads Victoria Facebook page and Danny O'Brien MP website.
Source: http://gippsland.com/
Published by: news@gippsland.com
![](http://global.gippsland.com/myrp/images/new.gif)
Darren Chester promotes Mobile Service Centres that offer essential government services like Centrelink and Medicare across Gippsland
![](http://global.gippsland.com/myrp/images/new.gif)
Gippsland Water adds customer care pop-ups for in-person payment support in Sale, Drouin, Warragul for July and Moe in August 2024
Latrobe River Bridge at Tyers had completion delayed to August 2024 frustrating residents with safety concerns
Baw Baw Shire attends 2024 Australian Local Government Association National General Assembly in Canberra advocating peri urban areas
Enjoy free chicken parma while listening to inspiring story of Warren Davies South Gippsland Farmer on 22 July 2024 at Mirboo North Hotel
Join Latrobe City Council and Planet Ark for National Tree Day 2024 at W H Burrage Reserve in Newborough on 28 July 2024
Latrobe City Council requests Planning Panel for Amendment C144 for Traralgon West Precinct on 9 September 2024
Latrobe Valley clubs excelled at 2024 Community Clubs Victoria awards with Morwell and Moe clubs earning top honours
Warragul Leisure Centre $11M expansion of community sports facilities opens 28 July 2024