Victorian government unveils $352 million pothole blitz as pressure mounts on crumbling roads
Victoria’s premier has announced an extra A$352 million for road repairs, vowing to double the number of potholes fixed this financial year to 500,000. Ben
Victoria’s premier has announced an extra A$352 million for road repairs, vowing to double the number of potholes fixed this financial year to 500,000. Ben Carroll said on Aug. 31 the condition of the state’s roads was “not good enough” and that fixing them was a top priority for Victorians.
The funding boost comes as the state faces growing criticism over deteriorating regional highways and state-managed roads. One research executive said he was “horrified” by the south-west’s crumbling roads, while the government singled out the Princes Highway and other regional routes as priorities in the latest maintenance push.
Roads under strain
The new money is aimed at expanding a repair programme that the government says already had a record A$1.04 billion blitz in the budget. Even so, regional roads are still expected to worsen in 2026-27, according to the state budget. That gap between spending promises and road conditions has sharpened the political pressure on Carroll’s government.
Carroll, who was roads minister between 2020 and 2022, said the money would go where residents want it most. “This is absolutely where Victorians want to see their money spent, it is my priority,” he said.
The announcement also came with a policy change: if Labor wins the November election, supervised minimum-security prisoners will be used in a pilot programme for roadside maintenance. The work would cover basic tasks such as mowing, weed control, graffiti removal and rubbish collection, freeing up skilled crews for pothole repairs.
Regional anger, political stakes
The south-west has emerged as a focal point. Michael Caltabiano, chief executive of the National Transport Research Organisation, is due to answer residents’ questions in Warrnambool on Sept. 2. His visit follows complaints that some roads in the region are in such poor shape they may need to be completely replaced.
The opposition has dismissed Labor’s maintenance plan as a “con job”, adding to the pressure on the government to show fast results on the ground. For drivers, freight operators and local communities, the test now is simple. Fewer potholes. Safer roads. Visible repairs.
What comes next will be measured in lane closures, patch jobs and the pace of work crews across the state’s most battered stretches, especially the regional roads now placed at the front of the queue.
