Business & Rural
5 May, 2026
Road funding vow ‘barely paper over cracks’: VFF
“This funding is only just keeping pace with inflation, meaning it represents a continuation of inadequate investment rather than a meaningful shift,” he said.
THE Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says the State Government’s announcement of $1.04 billion for road repairs and resurfacing fails to deliver the level of investment required to fix the Victoria’s deteriorating road network.
VFF Acting President Peter Star said while any funding boost is welcome, the package largely reflects rising costs and does little to address the growing backlog of road maintenance across regional Victoria.
“This funding is only just keeping pace with inflation, meaning it represents a continuation of inadequate investment rather than a meaningful shift,” he said.
“Victoria’s regional roads are crumbling and this package is like putting a band-aid on a broken leg. What we need is sustained funding that goes towards actually fixing the issue, not merely patching up a worsening problem.”
“It’s at the point where this is more than a maintenance issue. Many rural roads are at best, safety hazards and at worse, death traps. We need this fixed before tragedy sadly strikes again.”
The State Government said this funding would be “enough to get rid of 200,000 potholes, 200,000 graffiti tags, and much more.”
“This is the biggest roads blitz in the state’s history, and most of that money is going to regional Victoria,” Premier Jacinta Allan said.
“We’re delivering better, safer roads – and with 20 per cent off rego, it’s cheaper to get around.”
She said the investment will:
rebuild, repair and resurface arterial roads
Advertisementmaintain bridges and traffic lights
deliver emergency roadworks
mow, slash and spray grass and weeds along roadsides
repair or replace signs
There will also be $36.9 million used to clean up 10 of the state’s busiest freeways with rubbish and graffiti removal, mowing and more.
This includes the Calder Freeway between Bendigo and Melbourne.
The VFF has been working alongside other rural advocates to call for an additional $500 million per year in road funding to properly address the scale of the problem.
“This announcement misses the mark by almost $500 million annually. Even then, our ask was only a step in the right direction toward fixing a network that underpins Victoria’s agricultural productivity and regional communities.”
“There’s no doubt our sub-standard regional road network is putting a hand-brake on our regional economy.”
Mr Star said the VFF is calling on the State Government to reconsider its funding levels and commit to a long-term, sustainable solution that meets the needs of regional Victorians and the agricultural sector.
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