MEMBER for Ripon Louise Staley has backed South West Coast MP Roma Britnell's calls to address the state of country roads in a bid to reduce the road toll.
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"Roads are the lifeblood of country communities, and we cannot afford to have unsafe roads," Ms Staley said.
The calls come after Ms Britnell criticized Roads Minister Jaala Pulford for not acknowledging the state of country roads, and their possible contribution to the road toll, at a Road Safety Forum in Ballarat last week.
"Daniel Andrews' complete lack of interest in local roads comes on top of Labor axing the popular Country Roads and Bridges Program, which wiped out $24 million in road funding from the Ripon electorate," Ms Staley said.
"Country roads are crumbling under labor; every day that local roads aren't properly funded puts more drivers at risk.
"Not only must the Andrews Government match the funding for these projects, but it is imperative it also funds its share of the duplication of the Western Highway from Ararat to Stawell that the Federal Government has funded to the tune of $360 million, and the Victorian Treasurer has refused to accept that money into the Victorian Budget and to build that needed road.
"Labor has ignored country roads for too long; Daniel Andrews would rather funnel money into Melbourne than fix country roads."
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