A COMPARE and contrast of two scenarios was the objective behind a visit to the area by Victorian Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie, shadow minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development last Friday.
Senator McKenzie accompanied Wannon MP Dan Tehan on a tour across the south west to inspect road conditions but importantly to highlight the lack of work and transparency after funding had been provided to the Victorian Government, as opposed to when funding was given to local government.
The tour included a stop on the Caramut-Chatsworth Rd, Woorndoo, a local government road that received Federal Government funding when the Coalition was in government.
Moyne Shire Council was granted $11 million from the Federal Government’s Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program in 2021.
“The funding was granted to the Moyne Shire to upgrade this strategic route when we were in government,” Mr Tehan said.
“What we see is that when money is given to local government, they get on and do the job and complete the works.
“With the local government, you get better bang for your buck.”
Works included upgrading 31.35 kilometres in the Woorndoo and Chatsworth area over a two-year period with major works completed or near completion on the Hamilton-Chatsworth Road and Chatsworth-Bolac Road, and currently underway on the Woorndoo-Chatsworth Road.
To highlight the comparison, Senator McKenzie and Mr Tehan also stopped at the corner of Henty Highway and South Boundary Road, Hamilton, on Friday afternoon.
The high volume and heavy traffic intersection is one of many sections of the Henty Highway in dire need of repair.
Mr Tehan said funding had been given to the State Government for the Henty Highway, through the Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) package, but there was little evidence of any work being done on the highway.
The ROSI funding was a $5.8 billion initiative of the former Australian Government to connect regional businesses to local and international markets.
“ROSI was for the Henty and the Princes Highway – that was $80 million under the Coalition,” Mr Tehan said.
“The sad thing is that the Albanese Government has now cut the ROSI program so we’re not able to get more money to keep going.
“The sad reality is the State Government, as you can see from the state of the Henty Highway, has absolutely wasted the money.
“With the State Government, there’s no transparency,” he said.
“You just wonder what they (the State Government) are doing with the funding, but with local government, you have action and transparency.
“We don’t know where it’s gone or what they’ve actually done because anyone who drives on the Henty Highway knows every time they do something it seems to end up worse than when they started.
“A, we need the ROSI program back, and B, we’ve got to get the State Government (onto this again).
“Jacinta Allan as the former infrastructure minister should be able to get the roads fixed properly but all we’re seeing now is our funding is getting cut and billions and billions is going to Melbourne for the Suburban Rail Loop.”
Largely State Government responsibility, roads in the south west have been the number one issue raised by constituents with State and Federal MPs for decades.
Senator McKenzie said of the state of the roads she travelled on Friday across the Wannon electorate that she was appalled.
She said road infrastructure in south west Victoria carries Australia’s largest agricultural production region, thus arguably deserving of a fairer portion of funding.
“This is one of the significant differences in giving (Federal) money to a State Government like Victoria, who clearly prioritise nothing outside of Melbourne,” Senator McKenzie said.
“Not enough of the money actually gets on the ground to do what it was actually meant to do, which is to make sure our roads are safer, not just to transport people to and from work, to sporting events, but to ensure the freight task – which the great south west here contributes to – not just to the state of Victoria but to the nation – and making sure produce gets safely to the Port of Portland, but also to Melbourne.
“This requires significant investment in the freight network, which includes the Henty (Highway) which is a key arterial of that.
“It’s not just the State Labor Government, but the Albanese Government has cut critical road infrastructure funding over the last 18 months.
“They’ve cut funding to the Black Spot program, which targets known areas of concern – it’s cut the ROSI funding which previously funded so many roads in the seat of Wannon – it has also cut programs like Keys to Drive which is to help young people learn to drive.
“When it comes to actually investing in the roads, and the safety around travelling on roads, the Albanese Government has reduced funding instead of increasing it whilst they’re focused on building stadiums in capital cities far away and $2.2 billion to the Suburban Rail Loop in Melbourne at the expense of communities like this.”
