General News
16 July, 2026
Road funding commitment welcomed
THE newly-announced Coalition pledge to dedicate an additional $250 million in annual road maintenance funding has received a welcome from Corangamite Shire councillors.
Corangamite Shire Council mayor councillor Kate Makin and councillor Nick Cole met with Leader of the Opposition Jess Wilson and Member for Polwarth Richard Riordan at the Cobden Miniature Railway on Sunday.
The meeting follows the Coalition unveiling a $5 billion road maintenance commitment over a four-year period, representing a 25 per cent increase on current funding.
The announcement followed a previously announced intention to ensure 25 per cent of all new state infrastructure funding flows to regional areas – more than doubling the current 12 per cent.
Cr Makin said such a significant investment would be “massive” for the region.
“I think it just shows they understand what rural and regional Victorians need and want,” she said.
“By saying they put 25 per cent of funding back into regional infrastructure shows our ageing infrastructure needs it, and they’re willing to give it.
“Putting more roads funding in is sorely needed because roads make us productive – we need to get things to the places they need to go, and we need stable roads to do it.
“At the moment that’s not happening, so I’m thankful the Liberals and Nationals have decided this is the way they want to go.”
Cr Cole agreed with the sentiment, saying infrastructure in the regions sorely needed investment.
“The big thing is that it’s not just that the roads are bad, but it’s the damage they do,” he said.
“All the trucking companies are having to spend a fortune on maintenance and repairs which is a cost getting passed back on to farmers.
“The farmers are the last cog in the line.”
Cr Makin said any additional funding for regional areas would be most welcome, feeling south west Victorians had been overlooked for far too long.
“We’re looking for proper investment back into rural and regional Victoria,” she said.
“We want to make sure we are heard, it is acknowledged that we exist, and understood that what we do is vitally important.
“Corangamite Shire produces 25 per cent of the nation’s milk – that’s food security for the whole of Australia so we need to support that industry as much as we can to make sure that it’s still viable in ten, 15 and 20 years’ time.
“I think what Jess Wilson and her team are proposing is fantastic for our region in particular, and making sure that still happens.”
Cr Cole said families living in rural areas did not deserve to be second-class citizens behind their metropolitan counterparts.
“Why should we have second rate infrastructure? Why shouldn’t our kids be able to play and get changed in decent changerooms at the footy or netball, without it all just going to Melbourne?” he said.
“We’ve got ageing infrastructure which is just not up to scratch anymore while dealing with all these compliance laws which cost a fortune so nobody can afford to do anything.
“Everyone suffers and we’re gutted of resources.”