General News
23 July, 2026
Funding promises much-needed repairs
MEMBER for Lowan Emma Kealy has vowed Victorians will finally see much-needed road repairs if the Coalition is elected this November, following last week’s $5 billion announcement.
Liberal leader Jess Wilson last week unveiled a key election Liberal/Nationals Coalition commitment of a 25 per cent increase in maintenance funding and road repairs, bringing back engineers to design better roads which suit local conditions, and holding contractors to account for their work.
The $5 billion commitment over four years will target roads across the state, including those in the Lowan electorate.
The commitment was part of the Nationals’ Fair Share Guarantee, which promises 25 per cent of Victoria’s infrastructure budget will be spent in regional Victoria.
Mrs Kealy said the investment would finally give locals the good quality and safe roads they needed and deserved to support freight chains and get Victorians to work, school, sport and around the state safely.
“Country people have put up with shocking roads and band-aid patch-up jobs for far too long, forced to travel on pothole-riddled surfaces and crumbling road edges – even on our major highways,” she said.
“It’s simply unfair for road users to pay the price for Labor’s neglect of our roads by copping costly repairs for vehicle damage.
“A Nationals and Liberals Government will fix the roads and make them safe, reversing years of neglect and funding cuts under Labor.
“We know there are dozens of roads across western Victoria that are in dire need of investment, including the Hamilton Highway.
“Our plan will ensure major roads will finally be fixed and made safe.”
Ms Kealy said The Nationals would also establish Better Roads Victoria as a standalone division within the Department of Transport and Planning, which she said will rebuild the “technical and engineering expertise lost when the Allan Labor government abandoned VicRoads and axed Regional Roads Victoria”.
Construction standards and maintenance contracts will also be reviewed to ensure Victorians are getting the best standard of work for their money.
“It’s time to end the waste, stop the corruption and use taxpayers’ money appropriately to fix our roads and make them safe,” she said.
“The Victorian Nationals and Liberals have a plan to deliver the fresh start Victorians are desperate to see, and delivering our fair share for regional Victoria is exactly what a Nationals and Liberals Government will do.”