A Victorian council is frustrated that promised road funding has not arrived

A southwest Victorian council that was awarded more than $11 million to upgrade a dangerous road earlier this year has grown frustrated; the money hasn’t shown up.

Excitement has turned to frustration for a southwest Victorian council that was awarded more than $11 million to upgrade a dangerous road earlier this year but are yet to see the funds.

The remote roads upgrade pilot program was created by the Morrison Government in late 2021, providing $150 million of funding to target road upgrades “on key regional and rural roads that limit community access, pose safety risks and impact the economic development of the surrounding area.”

More than 200 proposals were received from across Australia, of those 33 were successful with 13 were in Queensland, nine in NSW, four in Western Australia, three in Tasmania and two in South Australia.

Two were also in Victoria, with almost $10 million approved to the Mansfield Shire Council and $11,178,491 to the Shire of Moyne to upgrade the Chatsworth-Woorndoo Road.

Moyne councillor Ian Smith said the council was “excited about getting the money and the work done” when the funding was announced in April but that enthusiasm has turned to frustration.

“We cannot get any traction with the federal government, it has been so frustrating. We have asked several times and asked again last week, but we cannot even get a response,” Cr Smith said.

“The road has been patched up for the last decade and needs a rebuild. The traffic is increasing and it is cracking and breaking up, especially after the rain, and I am worried about the Christmas period and the safety of motorists, particularly with the grain harvest running late and extra trucks using it.”

Catherine King MP during Question time at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

A spokeswoman for Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said “the Australian Government will be honouring high-quality projects under the Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program”.

However, the government failed to respond to requests as to when successful applicants would receive the funding.

Regional drivers are being forced to play road lotto on Victoria’s obliterated, potholed, and washed away roads, raising safety fears across the state with repair works to drag well into next year.