Tuesday, 8 September 2026

 Michaela SETTLE (Eureka – Minister for Rural and Regional Development, Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Water) (14:19): I rise to update the house on the record investment of the Carroll Labor government in rural and regional Victoria. This government has invested more than $50 billion in rural and regional Victoria. That is schools and kinders built, hospitals upgraded, TAFEs expanded and more trains, and those trains are built in Ballarat. We also know that our roads are essential to the safety, connectivity and productivity of our rural and regional communities. For families travelling to school, for freight operators moving goods and for our mighty agricultural sector, we rely on roads, and that is why our government is delivering the largest investment in road maintenance that this state has ever seen. We are investing $352 million, on top of the $1.4 billion we have already committed to, to rebuild, repair and resurface roads right across Victoria. This investment will double the number of potholes fixed this financial year from 250,000 to 500,000, and 70 per cent of this record investment will go into regional roads. Seventy per cent is nearly three times the 25 per cent that those opposite are promising our regional communities. While those opposite are talking about empty guarantees, we are getting on with it and delivering real outcomes. Some of those opposite are out in the regions talking about percentage guarantees while their leader is in Melbourne adding to her $40 billion black hole –

The SPEAKER: The minister will resume her seat. The minister does not have an opportunity to continue.