Wednesday, 18 February 2026

 Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Northern Victoria) (18:22): (2322) My adjournment this evening is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and the action I seek is for the minister to ensure the Barmah-Shepparton Road from Shepparton to Barmah is repaired to an acceptable and durable standard. Well, another year, another road in my electorate in desperate need of repairs. The Barmah-Shepparton Road is yet another very busy regional route, connecting Shepparton with the smaller communities of Barmah and Nathalia. Trucks, cars, motorcycles, school buses and farming equipment use this road every single day. It is a critical connector for families, for farmers, for freight operators and for emergency services. There has been at least one fatality on this road in the past two years, with the condition of the road surface identified as a contributing factor. That is simply unacceptable. When road conditions are deteriorating to a point where they are putting lives at risk, it demands urgent and meaningful action.

Whilst motorists were initially pleased to see some resurfacing works undertaken, constituents have since raised serious concerns regarding the quality of those works. I have been contacted by residents who have reported that resurfaced sections began crumbling and breaking apart within weeks of completion. Loose aggregate, uneven surfaces and rapid deterioration are not just frustrating but dangerous. Motorcyclists in particular are vulnerable to loose gravel and unstable surfaces, and heavy vehicles travelling at speed can quickly exacerbate the damage. This is not just about inconvenience; it is about safety, about value for money and about respect for regional communities. When works are carried out they must be done properly the first time. Taxpayers in regional Victoria deserve infrastructure that lasts, not temporary fixes that fail before the next season.

I am also concerned that repeated patching and short-term resurfacing ultimately costs more in the long run. A proper rehabilitation of the road base and surface may require a larger up-front investment, but it will deliver safer conditions and better value for money over time. Therefore the action I seek from the minister is to ensure the Barmah-Shepparton Road from Shepparton to Barmah is repaired to an acceptable and durable standard.