Wednesday, 19 February 2025

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:38): My question is to the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. Potholes on the Calder Highway were fixed ahead of its closure yesterday to allow Liam Neeson and crew to film a movie. Ordinary Victorian motorists need a very particular set of skills to navigate around the potholes on our roads. Why do Hollywood superstars get better roads in Victoria than Victorians?

 Melissa HORNE (Williamstown – Minister for Ports and Freight, Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Minister for Health Infrastructure) (14:38): I thank the member for his question because it allows me an opportunity to once more explain just what our record investment in road maintenance is – $964 million this year alone, and we are only halfway through road maintenance season. We have got crews out all over our road network, whether it is up in Malmsbury, whether it is on the Calder –

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, I believe the minister is debating the question. If the record investment is working, why did the road have to be fixed ahead of the movie being filmed?

The SPEAKER: The minister is not debating the question, but the minister will come back to answering the question.

Melissa HORNE: As I said, we have got crews out across the network every single day of the week. At the moment we have got crews out – and I am sure the member for Lowan will be happy about this – at Lawloit on the Western Highway. I am sure the member for Shepparton will be happy about this: we have got crews out at the Echuca-Mooroopna Road.

A member interjected.

Melissa HORNE: I am sure we have got works happening in your patch too.

Roma Britnell: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, could the minister for roads and the Minister for Creative Industries perhaps shoot a movie in my area, because we need our roads desperately fixed. Liam Neeson might get that done.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Melissa HORNE: In conclusion, we have got crews out across the network and there is periodic maintenance that is occurring. As I said, we are halfway through road maintenance season. We will continue doing it and continue with this record investment.

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:41): Will any proceeds from the movie’s production be put towards fixing potholes, or do we need Liam Neeson to shoot scenes on every road in the state in order to get them fixed?

 Melissa HORNE (Williamstown – Minister for Ports and Freight, Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Minister for Health Infrastructure) (14:41): I do suspect that the member for Gippsland South is looking for an invitation to meet Liam Neeson, and maybe the Minister for Creative Industries can assist with that. What I can tell you in relation to the investment that this movie is making is that the jobs it is creating locally are so important, and in using this road I understand that they are paying for traffic management.

The SPEAKER: Just for the record, Liam Neeson was sighted in a local Castlemaine supermarket this morning.