Dan Tehan - Member for Wannon
From potholes damaging vehicles to deadly one-star highways and Labor’s insulting plan to cut speed limits instead of repairing roads, regional Victorians have had enough. The Federal and State Labor Governments’ dereliction of duty in maintaining safe, reliable roads is making our communities justifiably angry.
The evidence against them keeps mounting.
A recent Freedom of Information request lodged by the ABC exposed that 1,709 Victorians have made claims with the Department of Transport after hitting potholes and damaging their vehicles. The Victorian Labor Government has only settled 23 of those claims. That figure—a disgraceful 1.3 per cent—speaks volumes about the contempt the Allan Labor Government has for regional drivers.
The Warrnambool Standard also revealed new data from the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP), a national initiative that identifies which roads pose the highest risk of death or serious injury, and where upgrades are most urgently needed. This data was only made public last month after a three-year campaign by the Australian Automobile Association, a campaign I was proud to be the first federal politician to support.
The results are shocking. Victoria has 172 deadly one-star roads, more than any other state or territory, and the same number as NSW, the ACT and WA combined. A one-star rating means a road is high-risk, while roads rated three stars or higher significantly reduce the likelihood of death or serious injury.
A quick look at the AusRAP map reveals a high concentration of the safer, higher-rated roads in metropolitan Melbourne, while regional Victorians are left to navigate dangerous roads and highways every day.
To add insult to injury, instead of fixing the roads the Albanese Labor Government’s proposed “solution” is to reduce speed limits on unsigned roads outside built-up areas. Rather than investing in the maintenance and upgrades regional Victorians deserve, Labor’s answer is to tell us to slow down. Meanwhile, billions of taxpayer dollars are being poured into major infrastructure projects in Melbourne.
Regional Victorians are being treated as second-class citizens when it comes to road safety. We deserve roads that are safe to drive on, not excuses, delays or token fixes. It’s time for the Federal and State Labor Governments to take responsibility, stop ignoring regional drivers and fix our roads.
Next week, communities across Wannon will pause to mark Remembrance Day, a time to honour those who served, those who continue to serve and those who never made it home. We remember their courage, their sacrifices and the freedoms they fought to protect. I encourage you to attend a local service on Remembrance Day or observe a minute’s silence at 11.00am.
October’s Seniors Month was a wonderful celebration of the enormous contribution older residents make to our communities. It was great to see such strong participation in the program of events in Hamilton. A big shout out to Joan and Lois, both in their eighties, who swim at HILAC at 6.00am every morning. Their example inspires us all to stay active, connected and engaged, regardless of our age.
ENDS
Contact: Sandie Gustus M | 0408 564 232 E | sandie.gustus@aph.gov.au
Published in the Hamilton Spectator
