The death of a Ballarat motorcyclist following an accident reportedly involving a pothole on the Western Highway near Ararat earlier this month is another tragedy that must be a wake-up call on our roads.

The fatality has received widespread attention. And while the circumstances of the accident remain under investigation, we cannot ignore the longstanding and increasingly urgent concerns about the condition of Victoria’s roads.

Two new reports have laid bare the extent of the pothole problem across my electorate of Wannon.

The RACV’s 2026 My Country Road survey, involving more than 6,000 Victorians, ranked two roads in Wannon the most dangerous and second most dangerous regional roads in Victoria respectively.

The Victorian Auditor-General also underscored the severity of the problem, with a Wannon shire identified as Victoria’s second-highest hotspot for potholes on state-controlled roads.

These reports are not just about numbers. The issues highlighted impact families, farmers, freight operators, businesses and tourists who rely on our roads. And behind every serious injury and every life lost is a family, a circle of friends and a community that must carry the consequences.

The Albanese Labor Government has shifted regional road funding from the former 80:20 Commonwealth-State model to 50:50, reducing the Commonwealth contribution to roads including the Western Highway.

At the same time, it is estimated that up to $15 billion has been lost through corruption and waste in Victoria’s Big Build.

The result is a double blow for regional communities: less Commonwealth funding for our roads, while billions have been lost through waste and corruption that could otherwise have helped deliver the infrastructure we desperately need.

Frustration about the long-awaited duplication of the Western Highway between Buangor and Ararat also continues to mount.

The September Project Update circulated recently by the Victorian Government’s Big Build team outlines three key activities:

• Major works are on track to begin “later this year.”
• Traffic management will be in place at times between “Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm.”
• Work will start to make room for new lanes and road infrastructure.

However:

• There are no dates attached to any of these commitments.
• The update included the caveat that ‘Weather conditions may affect our progress.’
• On the project page of the Big Build’s website, it states that ‘Subject to final approvals, including from the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, construction is expected to begin before the end of this year.’

Promised for years, this project still has no clear construction timetable.

With the Victorian State Election now approaching, the timing, vagueness and qualifications attached to the announcements inevitably raise questions.

With the duplication passing through the marginal seat of Ripon, people who use this highway every day have every right to question whether they are finally seeing genuine progress or whether this is simply another round of elastic promises arriving just before an election.

ENDS

Contact: Sandie Gustus M | 0408 564 232 E | sandie.gustus@aph.gov.au

Published 2 October 2026, Ararat Advocate