Council
20 November, 2025
Tehan slams roads
MEMBER for Wannon Dan Tehan has slammed the Federal Government for mismanagement of roads after plans to lower speed limits in problem areas was recently revealed.
Mr Tehan said the Albanese Government should immediately abandon its plan to lower regional speed limits in some areas down to 70 kilometres per hour on both sealed and unsealed roads.
“Wannon communities are completely opposed to the Labor Government in Canberra telling them speed limits must be slashed to as low as 70 kilometres on regional roads,” he said.
“Labor’s consultation on lowering regional road speed limits closed this week and the Government must listen to the feedback from people in the regions by immediately scrapping the plan.
“Country people want the government to invest in fixing our roads, not letting them deteriorate and then forcing councils and state governments to slash the speed limits.”
Mr Tehan said the Albanese Government had cancelled, cut and delayed more than $30 billion worth of infrastructure projects since being elected three years ago.
“The Prime Minister has targeted regional roads for spending cuts, reducing funding from 80 per cent under the Coalition down to 50 per cent for road upgrade projects in the regions,” he said.
“Coalition programs designed to return a fair share of the Federal budget to the regions and make roads safer and more productive have been abolished by Labor, including the Roads of National Significance and Bridges Renewal programs.”
Mr Tehan said it had been evident buckling the pressure from regional Nationals and Liberal MPs who have been campaigning against Labor’s lower speed limits plan was effective, with one Labor senator publicly vowing they would not support lowering speeds.
“If the government doesn’t want to listen to regional communities, they should take the advice of this senator by walking away from the plan and make a clear statement the government will not be forcing cuts to speed limits on communities,” he said.
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