Liberals promise to fix one million potholes

The Liberals have pledged to fix one million potholes across Victoria if elected in November, backing the promise with a $5 billion commitment to road maintenance and repairs.

The commitment also includes more roadside maintenance, including grass slashing, graffiti removal and drain clearance, alongside a review of road construction standards and maintenance contracts to improve departmental and contractor accountability.

Liberal leader Jess Wilson said the policy would address deteriorating road conditions across the state.

“Drivers shouldn’t be the ones footing the bill for blown tyres, cracked rims and worse because Jacinta Allan and Labor cannot get the basics right,” Wilson said.

“Only my Liberals and Nationals team has a plan to repair and rebuild Victoria’s roads, to eliminate one million potholes and deliver a government that works.”

A Liberal spokesperson said there was no predetermined list of potholes to be repaired, with a Coalition government instead planning to assess roads and prioritise repairs according to their condition.

The plan would also establish a road management division within the Department of Transport and Planning, to be known as Better Roads Victoria.

The move, the party said, would shift technical and planning expertise for roads into a dedicated body within government.

The Liberals said the $5 billion commitment over four years represents a 25 per cent increase on existing road maintenance spending.

Nationals leader and shadow minister for roads and road safety Danny O’Brien said the plan was part of the Coalition’s broader commitment to regional Victoria.

“Roads have been falling apart all across Victoria and Victorians are fed-up with half-hearted patch up jobs that quickly fall apart,” he said.

“The Liberals and Nationals will finally address the roads crisis that so many Victorians have had to put up with.”

O’Brien said regional Victoria received less than 12 per cent of infrastructure spending despite accounting for 25 per cent of the state’s population.

“This plan forms part of the Liberals and Nationals’ broader commitment to regional Victoria through the Fair Share Guarantee, which will see 25 per cent of the state’s infrastructure spending directed to our regions,” he said.