Poor planning leaves Benalla–Tatong Road stuck in limbo

The Nationals Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland MP has slammed the prolonged delays on Benalla–Tatong Road after the Department of Transport and Planning confirmed lane closures on the Hume Freeway overpass will remain in place until 2026.

The closures, caused by failing drainage infrastructure, have exposed years of neglected maintenance by the Allan Labor Government on one of the region’s most critical transport links.

Further inspections uncovered more serious damage than first identified, forcing the Government to redesign the repairs to meet modern standards. Following questions by Ms Cleeland, it was revealed the redesign process alone is expected to take years.

“This is a textbook case of what happens when maintenance is ignored for too long,” Ms Cleeland said.

“Benalla–Tatong Road is a lifeline for locals, freight, and emergency services. People rely on it every single day, yet poor planning has left them waiting years for a basic fix.”

“It beggars belief that Labor can prioritise billion-dollar projects in Melbourne while a road as significant as Benalla–Tatong is allowed to fail regional Victorians.”

“For safety reasons, closures are unavoidable. But it should never take more than a year just to plan essential repairs. This delay shows a system that only reacts once infrastructure has already failed.”

Ms Cleeland said regional communities were paying the price for Labor’s failure to properly maintain vital roads.

“Our roads should not be allowed to deteriorate to the point of crisis before action is taken,” she said.

“I will continue pushing the Allan Labor Government to properly invest in regional road maintenance so communities are not left stranded while cities surge ahead.”