The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has welcomed the Victorian Government's $675m regional roads maintenance blitz, but says substantially more funding is needed to repair the state's crumbling and dangerous road network.
VFF President Emma Germano urged the government to get on with the job and called for new, long-term regional roads focussed funding to fix Victoria's dilapidated road network.
"Anyone driving in regional Victoria knows our roads are a crumbling mess and in some areas, absolute death traps."
"This funding was announced during May's State Budget. While it's welcome, the government needs to urgently get on with the job of fixing our atrocious regional road network."
"We need less talking and more doing. There's no time to waste as our roads crumble around us."
"Every day our roads remain in the state they are, it's not only costing millions in lost productivity, people are tragically losing their lives. Action speaks louder than words and we can't afford to wait any longer."
"We never should have been in this position in the first place. The VFF has long been calling for a sustained regional road funding plan to ensure our roads are maintained to a basic standard. Maintaining our roads is a much safer, efficient and overall less costly strategy than what we find ourselves facing at the moment," Ms Germano said.
Ms Germano added the current review of Victoria's Freight Strategy provides an opportunity for the Victorian Government to develop a long-term plan to maintain and improve our roads.
"Our regional road network is the vital link that connects our regions to critical export markets around the world via our port and airports."
"Now is the time for the government to deliver a modern and efficient freight network. We shouldn't have to make do with a network that puts a handbreak on our sector and we absolutely will not accept dangerous roads," Ms Germano said.
For more information:
Victorian Farmers Federation
Tel: 1300 882 833
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.vff.org.au