Wednesday, 21 September 2022

Members statements

Ballarat roads

Ms STALEY (Ripon) (09:43): Western Victoria’s roads are crumbling. Labor have failed to perform basic maintenance, and now they will not expand the road network. Last week I was delighted to join with the Leader of the Opposition and our candidates for Eureka and Wendouree in announcing that an elected Liberal-Nationals government will provide $278 million to complete the Ballarat link road.

Ballarat leaders have vented their frustration the Labor government will not match the opposition’s commitment to fully fund the city’s “number one” priority project and help free up western traffic congestion.

That was the opening paragraph in the Courier that day. It went on to say:

Roads Minister Ben Carroll … said the Link Road was not a priority for the state government …

Well, it certainly is a priority for the residents of Lucas and Alfredton and all the way down through Winter Valley and Delacombe. The Labor Party member who is the mayor of Ballarat said:

We’ve communicated very clearly to all parties equally that the Link Road is our number one advocacy priority …

Labor is failing to maintain Victoria’s roads, and it is failing to invest in my electorate and the western region’s road network.