Just 2.6 kilometres of the Monaro Highway and 2.01 kilometres of the Princes Highway East will be fully rehabilitated in 2025.

Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, said this paltry amount of roadwork would hardly scratch the surface of what needed to be done on these two major traffic routes.

“This response came from the Minister when I asked what action she was taking in relation to the parlous state of these roads after concerns were raised by local CFA groups.

“The Brigades met recently and passed three motions, that I was asked to put to the Minister. They were:

• The previous federal government committed funding to repair the Mallacoota Genoa Road … When will these funds be expended on this severely deteriorated, but vitally important road?
• Will the Minister accept a degree of responsibility for any fatal or serious injury collisions that occur on the Mallacoota Genoa Road, Princes Highway, Bonang Highway and the Monaro Highways due to neglect on the Minister’s watch?
• What financial, physical and emotional cost should those who are forced to travel on unsafe country roads, consider acceptable, to enable a replication of public transport and road network under the Melbourne metropolitan area.

“The Minister did not answer the questions directly but seemed proud to announce less than 4km (on both roads combined) will be fully rehabilitated in East Gippsland. She went on to say that across East Gippsland, Bass Coast, Baw Baw, South Gippsland and Wellington, a total of just 10km of road will undergo full rehabilitation,” said Mr Bull.

Leader of the Nationals and Shadow Minister for Roads, Danny O’Brien, said the fact the Minister believes this is a reasonable level of road work across Gippsland is laughable.

“This is reflective of the abject neglect of our roads under Labor, especially in rural and regional Victoria,” Mr O’Brien said.

The Minister advised the Mallacoota Genoa Road works, funded by the Federal Coalition in 2021 but not yet started, had only had environmental and cultural heritage investigations undertaken, with work now underway on preliminary designs.

“It’s a disgrace it has taken this long, and we are still working on preliminary designs after four years,” Mr Bull said.

Monday, 17 February 2025