Wednesday, 1 April 2026

 Sonja TERPSTRA (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (17:50): I rise to make a contribution on the Department of Transport and Planning annual report for 2024–25. This report is an important vista into the road map for Victoria’s future. The 2024–25 annual report from the Department of Transport and Planning is not just a collection of financial tables but a blueprint for how we move, how we work and how we stay safe in Victoria. Victoria is officially the fastest growing state in Australia, with our population set to hit 10 million people by 2051. Our roads are the arteries of our economy. This year’s report marks a pivotal shift from just building more to building smarter and maintaining what we have with unprecedented discipline.

The headline for 2024–25 is the commencement of a landmark $6.6 billion 10-year road maintenance strategy. For the first time, the Department of Transport and Planning has moved away from short-term fixes towards a decade-long funding model and strategy. This provides the certainty needed to manage over 23,000 kilometres of arterial roads; it is not just about fixing potholes but it is about a risk-based, data-driven approach. By using advanced telematics and structural analytics, the Department of Transport and Planning is now prioritising repairs before they become costly failures, ensuring that the $400 billion of state-owned infrastructure we share is managed with maximum efficiency.

We cannot talk about Victorian roads without talking about our regions of course. Our regional economy is now worth $118 billion, and the 2024–25 report highlights significant milestones in regional infrastructure. From the completion of major stages in the Princes Highway east duplication to critical intersection upgrades in Shepparton and Portland, the focus has been on freight productivity. The department is ensuring that Victorian farmers and manufacturers can get their goods to port faster and safer. Furthermore, through the regional growth initiative, we are unlocking land for new housing by investing in the trunk infrastructure, which is the essential roads and services that make new communities possible.

Safety remains the department’s north star, and this year the Department of Transport and Planning, in partnership with Safe Transport Victoria, launched the Ride Smart, Ride Safe campaign and expanded the use of AI and data to identify high-risk road segments. The Department of Transport and Planning is also embracing the 30-kilometre-per-hour standard speed zone policy for local streets near schools and high pedestrian areas. This is a direct response to Infrastructure Victoria’s recommendations to make our streets more livable.

On the technology front, we are rolling out modern contactless ticketing and smarter traffic signalling to reduce the stop-start congestion that costs our businesses millions of dollars in lost time. And finally, this report integrates road investment with the broader Plan for Victoria, so the Department of Transport and Planning is no longer looking at roads in isolation. The 2024–25 period saw the alignment of transport with housing, for example, specifically with the train and tram zone reforms, which aim to build 300,000 new homes near existing transport corridors. By focusing on activity centres, we are reducing the burden on the road network, encouraging active transport and ensuring that as we grow we do so sustainably.

In conclusion, the 2024–25 Department of Transport and Planning annual report shows that the department is meeting the challenge of growth head-on. With a $6.6 billion secured investment for maintenance, a renewed focus on regional freight and a smarter data-led approach to safety, we are ensuring that every Victorian, whether in the heart of the CBD in Melbourne or in the furthest corner of Gippsland, enjoys a journey that is safe, reliable and efficient.