Thursday, 6 February 2025

Road maintenance

Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:39): My question is to the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. Last week the Chinese consulate-general issued a warning to Chinese tourists that traffic risks cannot be ignored in Australia as:

… the roads in Victoria are winding and some … are not in good condition.

Why has the Labor government let our roads deteriorate so badly that foreign tourists are now being warned not to drive on them?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: I would hope that members would give the minister the courtesy of a reply without so many interjections across the chamber.

Melissa HORNE (Williamstown – Minister for Ports and Freight, Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Minister for Health Infrastructure) (14:40): I thank the member for his question and an opportunity to once again outline the important work that we are doing on our roads across the 23,000 kilometres of roads that the state manages. Because unlike those on the other side when they were last in power that spent less than half a billion dollars on road maintenance, this year we are spending nearly a billion dollars on road maintenance. But let me outline this: there have been more than 17,000 individual jobs that have occurred across our road network.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is debating the question.

Mary-Anne Thomas: On the point of order, Speaker, there is no point of order. The Minister for Roads and Road Safety was being entirely relevant to the question. I ask that you rule the point of order out of order and let the minister get on with responding to the question that she was asked by the Leader of the Nationals.

The SPEAKER: I remind the minister of the question. She was being relevant, but there is a question to be answered.

Melissa HORNE: Look, as I said, we have done more than 17,000 different jobs – from filling in potholes through to resurfacing and rehabilitating our roads.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the House! Leader of the Nationals, you have asked your question – you might want to hear the answer.

Melissa HORNE: I will give you an example of some of the major works that are occurring right now, because we have got crews out across the state doing work. There are major works underway on the Rosedale-Longford Road and the Terang-Mortlake Road, and I am sure that the member for Gippsland South is appreciative of that. As I said, the last time those opposite were in power road maintenance was cut. We are delivering road maintenance.

Bridget Vallence: On the previous point of order, Speaker, it is about debating the question. The minister continues to debate the question and perhaps defy your ruling. It is about warnings to foreign tourists to not drive on our deteriorating roads, I would ask you to ask the minister to come back to that question.

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has concluded her answer.

Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:43): Tobin Brothers Funerals has been running radio ads recently stating that Victoria’s pothole problem is a safety issue that puts lives at risk. With foreign governments and undertakers warning about the dire condition of Victoria’s roads, will the government now admit it has failed Victorian motorists?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: When the house comes to order.

Melissa HORNE (Williamstown – Minister for Ports and Freight, Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Minister for Health Infrastructure) (14:44): At the outset can I just say I will not politicise deaths that are occurring on our roads. We have had the most horrific start to the year, and the impact that that has on particularly rural communities, on first responders and on families – it is a disgrace that the member is politicising this. Can I just say that today VicPol have put out a media release highlighting the horrific number of lives that have been lost on our roads, and may I quote from it:

Police intelligence shows road conditions are not contributing to the significant rise in road trauma this year.

In fact what is occurring is – (Time expired)