Victoria’s Road Network on Brink of Collapse: Auditor-General’s Shocking Report Reveals $3 Billion Maintenance Black Hole
- Almost half of Victoria’s state-managed roads are in very poor condition, with the auditor-general warning that the network is crumbling faster than the government can repair it.
- A staggering $3 billion per year is needed to maintain the state’s roads, with the current funding commitment falling woefully short of what’s required.
- Roads Minister Paul Hamer has promised to make road repairs a priority, but the opposition has slammed the government’s handling of the issue, calling it an “indictment” on their ability to maintain the state’s roads.
- The report highlights the growing road maintenance backlog, with the number of defects identified more than doubling between January 2025 and June 2026.
The Victorian government is facing a road maintenance crisis, with a damning report from the auditor-general revealing that almost half of the state’s roads are in very poor condition.
The report, tabled in parliament, paints a dire picture of a network that is crumbling faster than the government can repair it. With a staggering $3 billion per year needed to maintain the state’s roads, the current funding commitment falls woefully short of what’s required.
Roads Minister Paul Hamer has promised to make road repairs a priority, but the opposition has slammed the government’s handling of the issue.
“This is an indictment on the Labor government’s inability to look after our roads, to maintain them properly,” said Victorian opposition roads spokesperson and Nationals leader Danny O’Brien.
The Coalition has promised to reinstate the $288 million Country Roads and Bridges Program if it wins government in November, and has also pledged $5 billion to fix the state’s potholes.
The report highlights the growing road maintenance backlog, with the number of defects identified more than doubling between January 2025 and June 2026. The auditor-general’s report found that the government’s current funding commitment falls short of completing the maintenance required to fix the state’s roads properly.
The Department of Transport and Planning’s 2026–27 road maintenance business case estimated that it would cost more than $3 billion per year to maintain road pavement condition at existing levels, while replacing aging assets.
The Loddon Mallee region recorded the highest proportion of roads as being in poor or very poor condition, with 69.1 per cent of the region’s state roads receiving the rating.
The report found that increasing road use and traffic is adding to the pressure on the network, with growth expected to continue. State roads account for about 15 per cent of the Victorian road network by length, but carry most of Victoria’s traffic.
Around 82 per cent of state roads are in regional Victoria.
Analysis: What This Means for Australia
The crisis facing Victoria’s road network has significant implications for national security, law enforcement, and community safety. With a growing road maintenance backlog and a lack of funding to address the issue, the state’s roads are becoming increasingly hazardous.
This not only puts drivers at risk but also has a flow-on effect for the economy, with congested and poorly maintained roads leading to increased travel times and decreased productivity.
Security analysts say that the state’s road network is a critical piece of infrastructure that requires urgent attention.
“The government needs to take a proactive approach to addressing the road maintenance backlog, rather than just focusing on reactive and safety-critical repairs,” said one analyst.
Law enforcement insiders warn that the poor condition of the state’s roads is also having an impact on emergency services, with ambulances and fire trucks struggling to navigate potholed roads.
Industry observers believe that the government needs to take a more holistic approach to addressing the issue, rather than just throwing more money at the problem.
“The government needs to look at the root causes of the problem and develop a long-term strategy to address the road maintenance backlog,” said one observer.
“This includes increasing funding, but also improving the efficiency of the maintenance process and investing in new technologies to improve road safety.”
As the state hurtles towards the November election, the issue of road maintenance is set to be a major point of contention.
With the opposition promising to reinstate the Country Roads and Bridges Program and increase funding for road repairs, the government will need to come up with a convincing plan to address the crisis facing Victoria’s road network.
One thing is certain – the state’s roads cannot continue to deteriorate at the current rate, and urgent action is needed to prevent a disaster.