Road spending up but repairs going backwards
Opposition says resurfacing works are down 75 per cent and patching works 87 per cent across regional Victoria in four years.
The state government is spending record amounts on road maintenance but delivering fewer actual repairs, according to the opposition which says budget papers reveal a dramatic decline in resurfacing and patching across regional Victoria.
Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Roads and Road Safety Danny O'Brien said the government's own budget papers showed road resurfacing and rehabilitation works had fallen by 75 per cent in just four years while road patching had collapsed by 87 per cent.
"Victorians are paying more through taxes and charges, yet they are getting less of their roads fixed," Mr O'Brien said.
"In regional Victoria especially, motorists are dodging potholes, damaged road surfaces and unsafe conditions every day."
Mr O'Brien said road patching in regional Victoria was forecast to plunge from 556,000 square metres two years ago to just 76,000 square metres.
"That raises a serious question: how does the government expect to fill 200,000 potholes when its own targets show an enormous reduction in patching works?" he said.
During Question Time on Tuesday, Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ros Spence said the government was "spending differently" and the reduced figures "reflect the modelling done by the department".
The state government announced a record $1.04 billion roads blitz in the 2026-27 Budget which it described as the biggest in the state's history, with 70 per cent of the funding going to regional Victoria.
Ms Spence said the government was "rebuilding and repairing the roads that Victorians depend on every day" and pointed to 187,000 potholes repaired in the past year.
"Victorians are already seeing the results with 187,000 potholes removed this year, now we're doubling down," Ms Spence said.
But Mr O'Brien said the minister's response would do little to reassure frustrated road users.
"The Minister can argue about 'spending differently' but clearly the money is not reaching the roads in dire need of repair," he said.
"Regional roads are deteriorating faster than they are being repaired and Victorians are paying the price through vehicle damage, safety risks and longer travel times.
"The Allan Government cannot continue pretending everything is fine while maintenance targets collapse and roads continue to crumble."
