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🇦🇺 Australia /Elections & Politics

Victoria's Crumbling Roads: Election Promises vs. Estimated Repair Costs

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Victoria's state election approaches with both major parties pledging significant funds for road repairs.
  • Labor has allocated $1.04 billion, while the Coalition promises $1.25 billion annually over four years.
  • Local councils in the state's southwest estimate repair costs exceeding $500 million, highlighting a substantial funding gap.

As Victoria heads towards a state election, the condition of the state's roads has become a key battleground, with both the Labor government and the Coalition unveiling substantial funding promises. Labor has earmarked $1.04 billion for road infrastructure in its latest budget. In response, the Liberal and National parties have pledged to spend approximately $1.25 billion each year, totaling $5 billion over a four-year term.

However, the effectiveness of these pledges is being scrutinized. A portion of the allocated funds from both sides is designated for roadside maintenance, including tasks like graffiti removal and grass slashing, rather than solely focusing on structural repairs. Furthermore, the Coalition's plan includes a review of existing road construction contracts and the establishment of a new agency, 'Better Roads Victoria,' which could further dilute the immediate impact of their funding commitment.

Collectively, with an infinite pot of money available, a total amount of around $40 million would be required to bring roads throughout the shire up to standard.

— Andrew TenniChief executive of Colac Otway Shire Council, detailing the estimated cost to repair local and state-managed roads.

An investigation by the ABC into six south-west Victorian councils reveals the potential scale of the problem. These councils estimate that a one-off investment of over $500 million would be required to bring their local and state-managed roads up to standard in the short term. This figure alone represents a significant portion of the funding promised by both major parties, suggesting that the state's road repair needs are vastly underestimated.

Compounding the issue, some mayors have stated that providing an accurate total repair bill is impossible because the Victorian government has not disclosed the extent of damage to state-managed roads within their jurisdictions. Colac Otway Shire Council, responsible for over 1,600 kilometers of roads, requires an estimated $17 million to $20 million more than its current budget allocation to fully repair its network. Additionally, an estimated $20 million is needed for state-managed roads in the shire, and a further $500,000 to $1 million for repairs due to severe weather events.

This funding would keep the 2,630 kilometres of local roads in "fairly good" condition.

— Karen StephensMayor of Glenelg Shire, commenting on the adequacy of the council's road maintenance budget.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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