Tuesday, 11 August 2026

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:23): My question is to the Premier. In the two years he was minister for roads, the now Premier cut the roads maintenance budget collectively by $214 million. Why should Victorians have any confidence he will now do anything to fix the parlous state of our roads?

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Premier) (14:24): I reject entirely the premise of the question. One billion dollars has been invested in our roads, and a civil engineer is in charge of it.

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:24): Today several motorists shredded tyres and damaged rims due to potholes on the Calder Highway near Gisborne. Yesterday it was dozens due to massive potholes at Bunyip on the Princes Highway. Last month the same happened on the Hume and Goulburn Valley highways. Why should Victorians have to suffer appalling roads because $15 billion was siphoned into the pockets of bikies and criminals while the Premier sat around the cabinet table?

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Premier) (14:25): Unlike those opposite, we are not about admiring potholes, we are about fixing them.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Lowan can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Member for Lowan withdrew from chamber.