The lack of repairs on our damaged roads infrastructure, and general maintenance of our roadways, has been raised in State Parliament by Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull.

He gave an example of how things have been let go, by highlighting the number of trees growing in the centre of the road barriers between Stratford and Bairnsdale.

“In October, 2020 Labor Upper House Member, Harriet Shing, promised a native plant nursery for Nowa Nowa - for the loss of the timber mill in that town.

“Of course, it never eventuated, however, what we didn’t now know was this Government would oversee somewhat of a native tree nursery in its centre of the road barriers between Stratford and Bairnsdale,” he told Parliament.

“Eucalypts well over a metre in height, and a host of other native plants – around 150 at last count – as well as grass growing across the road, is a sign things are not being maintained.

“These are just one example of our roads not being maintained, with infrastructure that has been damaged for several months, remaining unrepaired.

“If they are there for safety and have been destroyed, should they not be repaired quickly?” he queried.

Mr Bull said it was a symptom of a state that was broke, suffering from cost overruns and not being able to manage money.

“As a result of mismanagement, they cut budgets, like the road maintenance budget that has been reduced by 40% over the past three years, and this is what we see on the ground as the result.”

Caption: Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, pictured next to a eucalyptus sapling over six foot tall, growing in between the centre barriers along the Princes Highway between Stratford and Bairnsdale.

Tuesday, 12 March 2024