SENATOR THE HON BRIDGET MCKENZIE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LEADER OF THE NATIONALS IN THE SENATE
AARON VIOLI MP
MEMBER FOR CASEY
MEDIA RELEASE
23 May 2023
LABOR HAS CASEY ROAD PROGRAMS IN THE GUN
The Albanese Government is now threatening thousands more local projects by taking aim
at a raft of longstanding local road programs.
In disturbing revelations in Senate Estimates, the Roads to Recovery program, Bridges
Renewal Program, Black Spot Program and the Heavy Vehicle Safety & Productivity Program
are all now at risk of being axed under Labor’s 90-day infrastructure pipeline review.
These programs are designed to help reduce vehicle accidents, eliminate dangerous sections
of roads and supplement councils’ road funding.
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Senator Bridget
McKenzie said local councils across regional Australia are now being thrown into uncertainty
with flow-on effects to local contractors, businesses and communities.
“This has all the hallmarks of a scorched earth policy against all councils highly regarded
road programs,” Senator McKenzie said.
“By including these programs in the infrastructure review, the Labor Government is
signalling a complete rethink on Commonwealth road funding to local councils.
Member for Casey Aaron Violi MP said these programs have a strong legacy and have made
roads across the Yarra Ranges safer for decades.
“Programs like the road safety Black Spot Program and Roads to Recovery provide critical
funding that have given road users and their families in the Yarra Valley and Dandenong
Ranges greater peace of mind for decades,” Aaron Violi MP said.
“Yarra Ranges Council relies on the Roads to Recovery Fund for vital local road upgrades. It
has previously been used to fund projects including the traffic lights at Kimberley Drive &
Black Springs Road, traffic lights at the intersection of Switchback and Victoria Road, a
roundabout at the intersection of Pembroke Rd and Cardigan Road in Mooroolbark, guard
railing on Lusatia Park Road in Woori Yallock and on Myers Creek Road in Healesville, road
constructions at Jellicoe Ave in Monbulk and Collier Ave in Tecoma, and road realigning at
Melba Highway at Yarra Glen, as just a few examples,” he said.
“Our local councils depend on this funding to upgrade and maintain our local roads,
intersections and highways.
“If Labor’s review scraps Roads to Recovery the Yarra Ranges Council will be forced to increase
rates on families to maintain its commitment to fixing local roads.
“This Budget has been a litany of disasters for the Yarra Ranges and confirms that urban and
regional communities like ours are indeed in the middle of a two-year funding drought thanks to
the Albanese Government.”
