Polwarth electorate roads
Richard RIORDAN (Polwarth) (10:22): I rise today to pass my condolences on to the Beaton family in south-west Victoria, down Cobden way in Polwarth, who are recovering this week after the sad loss of a family member in yet another tragic car accident in south-west Victoria. With three deaths since March, not only are the Victorian regional roads terrible but south-west Victorian roads, the roads of Polwarth, are now quite dangerous. Sadly, this most recent accident was brought about by yet another tourist making the treacherous journey to the Twelve Apostles and Port Campbell district. But what frustrates the Polwarth community more than anything is that despite the fact we have arguably the worst roads in Australia that continue to take lives and damage communities – they are putting the tourism industry at risk, they are putting local communities at risk, they are putting local agriculture at risk – the community wants to know why this government cannot find money to fix potholes and make our roads safe with good quality signage and safety barriers, but instead finds $128 million to build fancy toilets for tourists at the Twelve Apostles. This tourist facility is not known to the community; it has been kept secret. The shire does not know about it. The tourism industry does not know about it. Money is being wasted by this government while lives and families are put at risk on some of the most dangerous roads in the state. It is no good having fancy toilets if you cannot get there alive.