Labor tips $1.1 billion into pothole-ridden freeway

A $1.1 billion pledge to fix the pothole-ridden Western Freeway will cut travel times for outer suburban voters as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese works to counter perceptions that Labor has taken its traditional support base for granted.

Political support for federal and state Labor has sunk in Victoria over the past 18 months, adding urgency to the case for new federal funding, including last week’s $3.2 billion for airport rail and suburban roads for MPs to sell to disenchanted voters.

The Western Highway near Bacchus Marsh, Victoria.Credit: Alamy

As the Albanese government works to defend a host of Victorian seats targeted by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, it has revealed the $1.1 billion to revamp the Western Freeway between Melton and Caroline Springs, about 50km from the city centre.

Funding for the road rated by the RACV as one of Victoria’s most dangerous is key to the seat of Hawke, based around Melton, that Albanese visited this month even though Labor’s Sam Rae holds it with a 7.5 per cent margin.

Infrastructure Minister Catherine King will cut the ribbon for the funding announcement in Melbourne on Thursday as Cyclone Alfred complicates the prime minister’s plans to call an election on Sunday or Monday for an April 12 poll.

Ministers and other high-ranking Labor sources, speaking confidentially to be frank about private plans, said a May 3 poll was now being canvassed if the storm was as severe as feared.

The prime minister cancelled his plan to be in Perth for Saturday’s WA election and will remain in Brisbane as the national focus turned to the category two storm’s potential carnage.

Dutton, whose outer Brisbane seat of Dickson might be hit, said it would be a mistake for Labor to call the election “at a time like this” if Queensland and northern NSW are badly hit.

The freeway through Melbourne’s outer urban mortgage belt was a key priority for Labor, according to King, in an election at which Victoria has taken on newfound significance with about half a dozen seats in play.

“We’re investing in the transport projects that matter most to Victorians, delivering a rail link to Melbourne Airport, fixing our regional and suburban roads, and strengthening our busiest freeways,” she said, noting Labor’s total investment in the freeway corridor had grown to $2.1 billion.

Rae has campaigned for Western Freeway upgrades since he lobbied for funding in 2022 and said outer suburban infrastructure was about much more than convenience.

Frequent accidents and poor road quality meant speed limits were often variable and travel times to the CBD often blew out by hours, fuelling frustration among residents of Melton and Bacchus Marsh.

“People are spending four or five hours a day stuck in traffic,” Rae said. “This is about people in our community being able to keep their job by getting to work on time. It’s about getting home to pick your kids up from childcare or school.”

“Sitting in your car stressing every day because you can’t meet your family responsibilities is destroying people’s mental health. This upgrade will mean people in our community won’t have to choose between keeping their jobs, and looking after their families.”

The number of vehicles travelling on the section of the freeway getting an upgrade is predicted to grow from 86,000 to nearly 115,000 each day by 2031. The funding was accounted for in December’s mid-year budget and is planned to be spent on new lanes, upgrades at Ferris Road and Mt Cottrell interchanges, and a new interchange at Bulams Road.

A truck stop near Western Freeway and Rockbank.Credit: Alamy

Premier Jacinta Allan has been feuding with the federal government over infrastructure priorities. The Victorian government is not jointly funding Thursday’s announcement but will likely pour state money into freeway upgrades before the 2026 Victorian election.

Opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie said Labor had ignored the west until now, citing the February 8 Werribee state byelection, when the Allan government almost lost the seat after a 16.5 percentage point primary vote drop.

“Labor has sat on this project for years, but they have just realised western Melbourne matters.”

After many years as a Labor stronghold, Melbourne’s suburbs are now key battlefields as Liberals look to take back the mortgage belt and the Greens eye off the inner-northern seat of Wills.

Federal Labor’s vote is holding up in West Australia, South Australia and Tasmania, and in Queensland the Coalition holds nearly all the seats it can realistically win.

Dutton’s strategists are confident of winning Aston, Chisholm, Goldstein and McEwen, currently held by Labor and teal independents. If Dutton has a strong campaign, his advisers are hopeful of tight contests in Dunkley, Kooyong, Bruce, Hawke and Holt, which could take Dutton closer to the 20 or so seats he needs for an upset election victory.

In a sign of Labor’s worry in the state, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus’ seat of Isaacs has been classed as a target seat even though it is held by 7 per cent and is not seen as winnable by the Coalition.

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