Road maintenance
Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:31): My question is the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. Victoria’s road toll is 39 per cent higher than this time last year. Why has the minister allowed $3 billion to be ripped from the TAC, reducing the number of road safety projects?
Melissa HORNE (Williamstown – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Ports and Freight, Minister for Roads and Road Safety) (14:32): Can I say first and foremost that my thoughts are with the families and the communities of people that have lost their lives this year. We will not be politicising the tragedies that have occurred across Victoria. In terms of the funding for the TAC, that is a matter for the minister for the TAC. But can I say just yesterday I sat down with the assistant commissioner for police, Glenn Weir. I have sat down with the TAC. I have sat down with the head of road safety to see what can we do, what is the cause of the tragedy on our roads, and predominantly it is speed. We are working at every level to be able to prevent these tragedies occurring across our communities, and that is what we will continue to do.
Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:33): Minister, our state’s roads are in a parlous state, a contributing factor to many accidents. Why has the minister cut the road asset management budget by 25 per cent?
Melissa HORNE (Williamstown – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Ports and Freight, Minister for Roads and Road Safety) (14:33): Thank you again. There are two points on this question. Firstly, as I mentioned in my substantive answer, the predominant issue that is causing the tragedies –
Roma Britnell interjected.
Melissa HORNE: across our road network is speed.
The SPEAKER: The member for South-West Coast can leave the chamber for 1 hour.
Member for South-West Coast withdrew from chamber.
Melissa HORNE: Now, in relation to the issue about road funding, I would suggest that the member reads the budget papers in full, because not only once but twice –
Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, on the question of relevance. Budget paper 3, page 310: a 25 per cent cut on the government’s own numbers.
The SPEAKER: I am not quite sure what your point of order was. There is no point of order.
Melissa HORNE: If the member reads a little bit further down, he will also realise that over the next financial year we are committing $770 million to road maintenance across the network.