The state of Victoria's roads is a ticking time bomb, and it's not just about the potholes. It's a symbol of the decay and decline of regional Victoria's lifestyle, as David Rice, a former sign writer, puts it. The roads are a reflection of the state government's misaligned priorities and mismanaged programs, which have led to a simmering anger among regional voters. This anger is not just about the potholes, but about the neglect felt in regional Victoria, where every misspent dollar and mismanaged project is a reminder of the state's failure to deliver decent roads and other essential services.
The 2026 election could be remembered as the Pothole Rebellion if regional Victoria finally delivers a change in state government. The issue is not just about the cost of blown tires and replacement rims, as seen in the case of David Rice, who spent $8000 on tires and rims this year. It's about the scene witnessed by Adam Rudd at Cobram, where dozens of cars were broken down after hitting potholes on the Goulburn Valley Highway. The roadside was a procession of tow trucks and swearing drivers getting drenched because they live in a state with Australia's most soluble roads.
The state government can point to the $1.04 billion budgeted for road maintenance and repairs this year, and road experts can explain the stress put on country highways from fully loaded B-double trucks. However, these arguments only go so far when people in regional Victoria see the amount of money ploughed into city-centric Big Build projects and leeched into the pockets of bikies and crooks mobbed up with the CFMEU. It's all about the roads, but it's also about so much more.
The road to government has always run through regional Victoria, and right now, it is in a shocking state. The anger simmering among regional voters is not just about the potholes, but about the neglect felt in regional Victoria. This anger is a reminder of the bush revolt of September 1999, when country voters called an abrupt halt to the Kennett government. Regional seats abandoned the Coalition that day, and some have never gone back. Jacinta Allan was first elected to parliament in what used to be the marginal seat of Bendigo East, and a troika of rural independents put Labor into power and there they have stayed for 23 of the past 27 years.
The Opposition Leader Jess Wilson is facing the same question from regional voters: what are you going to do to fix the roads? She doesn't have an answer yet, but she needs to figure out how to get more bitumen for our buck. The road to government has always run through regional Victoria, and the state's failure to deliver decent roads and other essential services is a ticking time bomb that could lead to a Pothole Rebellion.
