Federal budget 2025: Western Highway work focused near city

Infrastructure Minister Catherine King has announced details of $500m of investment into roads on the outskirts of Melbourne.

The federal government has released details of a further five projects as part of its $1.2bn “suburban road blitz” for Victoria – but funding for the state’s beleaguered regional roads is yet to materialise.

In a release on Monday, Infrastructure Minister Catherine King announced more than $500m would go to upgrades for roads on the outskirts of Melbourne.

This includes $300m for a new interchange between the Calder Freeway and Calder Park Drive, and $100m to signalise the intersection of Berwick-Cranbourne Rd, Clyde-Five Ways Rd and Patterson Road in Clyde North.

$85m will be allocated towards the Wyndham Ring Road upgrade, with smaller amounts for Princes Highway upgrades at Beaconsfield and Hallam.

Minister King told ABC Radio these peri-urban and outer-urban areas were previously designed for country traffic, but with “huge” housing development those roads could no longer cope with the increased traffic.

The omission of any funding allocated for regional and rural roads in Monday’s statement follows a lack of funding announced in last week’s budget.

EARLIER COVERAGE

Farmers and regional motorists have been left fuming with the paucity of cash allocated to rural Victoria’s road network in this week’s federal budget.

One of the big ticket items for Victorian highways, $1.1bn for the Western Freeway, will be almost entirely spent along a suburban corridor.

The Western Highway stretches for 413km — from Serviceton at the SA border to Derrimut in Melbourne’s western suburbs — but more than 90 per cent of the cash package will be spent on only 4 per cent of the thoroughfare.

About $1bn has been allocated to the 18km section between Melton and Caroline Springs, with a remaining $100m to be spent on overhauling the Brewery Tap Road intersection near Ballarat.

Rupanyup grain grower Andrew Weidemann said every tyre dealer in regional Victoria was enjoying “an absolute smorgasbord” due to the potholed road network.

“There are broken rims and busted tyres everywhere, and some people are doing four or five tyres and rims in a day … the roads are all cracking up,” he said.

Mr Weidemann said the budget showed short-sightedness in terms of delivering for freight routes, with $1bn allocated to Melbourne’s suburban fringe as a priority over regional links.

Grain Producers Australia chairman Andrew Weidemann

Victorian Farmers Federation grains council chairman Ryan Milgate said roads were in a terrible state and it wasn’t just the freight concerns that worried farmers.

“It is a safety risk … our families are driving on these roads too,” the Minyip farmer said.

GrainGrowers general manager policy and advocacy Zac Whale said the budget did not deliver what was needed for roads.

“Roads are often the weakest link in our supply chain,” he said.

“The supply chain is the lifeblood of our grains industry.”

Mr Whale said GrainGrowers wanted to see investment in the Western Highway section between Ballarat and the South Australian border, not a narrow focus on the link between Melton and Caroline Springs.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese back in January at the launch of the Bruce Highway project in Queensland. Photo: John Gass

The Australian Automobile Association welcomed the investment of more than $10bn per annum over the next four years.

But the peak motoring body calls for greater transparency over road spending decision-making.

“It is disappointing that Australians heard nothing about the government’s plan for a more affordable, sustainable, and equitable system for paying for our roads,’’ AAA managing director Michael Bradley said.

“The AAA is pleased to see a 10 per cent increase in the Roads to Recovery Program to $3.7bn over the forward estimates, as well as a $40m increase in the Black Spot Program to $600m.

“But without any evidence about the road safety implications of the major projects being announced, Australians can’t judge whether politicians are funding roads to save lives or simply win votes in marginal electorates.”