$288 million Country Roads andBridges program to deliver a Fair Share for region

04 September 2026

$288 million Country Roads and Bridges program to deliver a Fair Share for region

The Nationals Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland MP has announced a $288 million commitment to restore the Country Roads and Bridges Program, delivering vital funding for local roads and bridges across the electorate.

The six rural and regional shirescovering the electorate of Euroa will benefit from the restoration of theprogram, with each of Victoria’s 48 rural and regional councils receiving $1.5million every year for four years.

The $288 million commitment will commence in the 2027-28 State Budget and provide councils with much-needed funding certainty to get on with the local road and bridge works their communities need.

The program will provide untiedfunding, meaning councils can determine which projects are the highest priorityin their communities, rather than being forced to compete for limited fundingthrough State Government grants programs.

The commitment follows the Liberals and Nationals' pledge to invest $5 billion to repair and rebuild Victoria's roads, eliminate one million potholes and re-establish a proper, planned system of preventative road maintenance.

Ms Cleeland said the funding wouldmake a significant difference for regional councils struggling to maintainageing road and bridge infrastructure.

“Regional Victorians deserve roadsand bridges that are safe, reliable and properly maintained, but our localcouncils are being asked to do more with less,” Ms Cleeland said.

“This $288 million commitment will give our six local shires the funding certainty they need to plan ahead and get on with the road and bridge projects that matter most to their communities.

“Instead of councils having tojump through hoops and compete for limited grants, they will have theflexibility to decide where this funding is needed most.

“For communities across theregion, from our biggest to smallest towns, this means our councils can focuson fixing the roads and bridges residents rely on every day.

“Labor abolished the Country Roads and Bridges Program in 2015. We will restore it because regional communities should not have to keep fighting for their fair share of infrastructure funding.

“This is about giving our regionalcouncils the certainty to properly plan, maintain and improve their local roadnetworks, rather than waiting for another round of grants or for roads todeteriorate even further.

“After years of neglect, regional Victorians have had enough. We need a government that understands the importance of our roads to families, farmers, local businesses and freight operators.

“This commitment is another important step towards delivering a Fair Share for regional Victoria.”

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