Tuesday, 7 May 2024

South-West Coast electorate roads

Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (19:08): (645) My adjournment matter is to the Premier, and the action I seek is in relation to the Premier visiting South-West Coast and experiencing firsthand our absolutely atrocious roads, because witnessing them firsthand is the only way to truly comprehend the severity of the situation. Our roads are in such poor condition. They are dangerous. This was never more evident than recently on the Cobden-Warrnambool Road, a major thoroughfare, where five accidents occurred within a week. Tragically, it took the death of one of these motorists to spark the government into action to start fixing the road. The sheer number of neglected roads in our region is staggering. In fact it has become far easier and less time consuming to compile a list of roads that are in good condition. It is a disgrace that an area as vital as South-West Coast, which is renowned for its thriving and economically significant food and fibre sector, must deal with such appalling infrastructure.

I have lost count of the number of times I have been contacted by individuals and transport companies who recount tales of damage sustained from the treacherous condition of the roads, including cracked windscreens, battered chassis, mangled wheel rims and shredded tyres. Even more concerning is the effect these conditions are having on driver health. I recently spoke to a truck driver who told me that he needs to wear a support belt to alleviate back pain from the constant jolting he experiences driving on our roads. This driver is only in his 30s and his back pain is so bad he cannot even bend over to put his boots on. What kind of government allows our roads to deteriorate to the extent that they become a hazardous workplace? Aside from causing injuries and accidents, inadequate road infrastructure leads to inefficient transport, which in turn hampers the business endeavours of those in South-West Coast. As a result, farmers and other export businesses struggle to maintain international competitiveness.

Addressing the roads issue not only bolsters the economic prospects of the region but also generates income for the state. It is regrettable that the current government fails to grasp this fundamental concept, demonstrating their repeated incompetence in financial management. Choosing efficiencies over escalating taxes is not just common sense, it is essential; yet this government insists on burdening hardworking Victorians with unprecedented tax hikes due to their fiscal mismanagement and project blowouts.

However, beyond financial implications, our neglected roads pose a serious risk to the safety of south-west Victorians. Every member of our community deserves the peace of mind of a safe journey home each day. The Premier and past Premiers’ avoidance of our region is becoming quite ridiculous. A visit to South-West Coast would provide a long-overdue acknowledgement of our community’s significance to the state and would offer perhaps the chance to see firsthand the disgraceful state of our roads. If the Premier had bothered to visit before today’s budget announcements, we would have seen an appropriate injection of funds. Instead we see 16 per cent less money to fix our roads than was allocated four years ago.