13/07/2026
SouthWest Victoria Alliance (SWVA) welcomes today’s Victorian Opposition commitment to invest $5 billion in road maintenance and repairs, describing it as an important acknowledgement of the deteriorating state of Victoria’s roads and the growing frustration being experienced by regional communities.
The announcement, which includes a commitment to fix one million potholes and establish Better Roads Victoria, comes just days after SWVA launched its state election platform, identifying roads and transport as one of the most pressing issues facing the region.
SWVA Chair Cr Dennis Heslin said the scale of the Opposition’s commitment reflected the seriousness of the problem.
“It’s no secret to anyone in south west Victoria that our roads are in bad condition,” Cr Heslin said.
“Our communities see it every day in potholes, deteriorating road surfaces and the increasing challenge of keeping critical transport routes safe and reliable.”
While the announcement is a positive sign that the condition of regional roads is finally receiving the attention it deserves, the Alliance warned that years of underinvestment mean much more work will be required if Victoria is to properly address the backlog of maintenance and upgrades facing regional communities.
SWVA also welcomes the proposed establishment of Better Roads Victoria, noting stronger long-term planning, engineering capability and asset management would be essential if governments are to move beyond short-term repairs and deliver lasting improvements to the road network.
The Alliance’s state election platform calls for significant investment in road maintenance and upgrades across south west Victoria, as well as the creation of a dedicated Local Roads Fund to support councils in maintaining and improving the roads that connect communities, support freight movements and underpin local economies.
“This announcement is a significant step in the right direction, but it is still some way short of what will ultimately be required to fix the system. Regional communities have been living with the consequences of underinvestment for too long.”
While welcoming the Opposition’s announcement, Cr Heslin said that the Alliance would also like to see a matching commitment from the Victorian Government during the election campaign.
The Alliance believes roads should be a bipartisan priority and is encouraging all political parties to commit to the level of long-term investment needed to restore confidence in Victoria’s transport network and support regional growth.
As part of the state election campaign, SWVA has already begun meeting with MPs and candidates and will continue advocating strongly for its roads and transport priorities in the months ahead.
“Today’s announcement is welcome, but our advocacy doesn’t stop here.” Cr Heslin said.
“We will continue making the case for a dedicated Local Roads Fund, better transport infrastructure and the long-term investment needed to ensure south west Victoria gets its fair share.”
Cr Heslin said the election presented an opportunity to secure meaningful commitments for regional Victoria.
“South west Victoria deserves better. We welcome any step forward, but we’ll keep fighting until our communities see the level of investment needed to properly support growth, safety and opportunity across the region.”
