IV findings back RCV call for urgent regional roads investment

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MEDIA RELEASE

19 May 2026

Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) says a new report released today by the Victorian Government’s independent infrastructure advisor has reinforced the urgent need for major investment in regional roads.

Infrastructure Victoria’s (IV) Warning Signs report warns that bushfires, floods and extreme heat will inflict worsening damage on Victoria’s transport network over coming decades and calls on the Government to begin upgrading infrastructure now to improve resilience. 

RCV Chair Ben Blain said the findings directly support RCV’s advocacy for a dedicated $2 billion regional roads package.

“We’ve been warning for years that the Government’s annual roads maintenance spend is not keeping pace with the deterioration of the regional network,” Cr Blain said.

“This report confirms what regional communities are already experiencing – our roads are under growing pressures compounded by underinvestment.”

RCV is calling for a $2bn regional roads package for an additional $500 million per year over four years above existing maintenance funding to stabilise and begin rebuilding regional roads.

Cr Blain said current funding levels are a Band-Aid on a bullet hole, while the condition of the network continues to worsen.

“The State is required to maintain roads. That’s not new investment, that’s basic responsibility – but we can’t keep patching roads that are structurally failing.

“The funding just hasn’t kept pace with the task, meanwhile billions have been absorbed by major metro transport blowouts.”

Cr Blain said the consequences were becoming increasingly serious.

“This report says what regional Victorians already know: You can’t climate-proof roads with pothole funding.”

“The Government’s own independent advisor is now saying we need to strengthen these roads for the future, and that the cost of delay will only grow.

“It’s no longer just about potholes and rough roads. Regional Victorians are driving on ageing infrastructure that is more at risk of deterioration and becoming more dangerous every year.”

 

New Local Infrastructure Fund a win for RCV advocacy

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MEDIA RELEASE

13 May 2026

Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) has welcomed the Albanese Government’s new $2 billion Local Infrastructure Fund – announced in the 2026-27 Federal Budget.

The fund, which includes $500 million dedicated to regional Australia, is a major win for RCV’s sustained advocacy to unlock more housing in the regions – securing investment in the essentials needed to deliver new homes including roads, lights, footpaths, sewerage, drainage, water and power.

RCV Chair Cr Ben Blain said the fund was recognition that regional Victoria cannot solve the housing crisis without serious infrastructure investment.

“Governments just can’t continue to focus on housing targets while ignoring the infrastructure we need to actually unlock housing supply.”

Cr Blain said RCV had consistently pushed for greater Commonwealth investment in enabling infrastructure through its federal budget advocacy and during the alliance’s Canberra delegation earlier this year.

“In March we took a clear message to Canberra, and we were obviously heard – regional Victoria is ready to help solve the housing crisis, but councils cannot keep footing the bill for growth alone,” Cr Blain said.

“Regional Victoria has the land and the ambition. What’s been missing is infrastructure investment that keeps pace with growth.”

Cr Blain said while the regional allocation was a positive start, he anticipated demand would far exceed available funding.

“Half a billion dollars across regional Australia over four years sounds significant until every growing regional council in the country lines up for a share of it. This will be a highly competitive national program.”

Budget investment initiatives – including new funding rounds for the Growing Regions and Stronger Communities programs – reflected growing recognition that regional cities can play a critical role in delivering the homes Australia needs, while supporting economic growth and easing pressure on capital cities.

“Housing affordability isn’t just about building homes faster – it’s about making sure regional communities have the infrastructure needed to grow sustainably and remain great places to live,” Cr Blain said.

 

RCV calls for “Eyes on Victoria” crime response

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MEDIA RELEASE

12 May 2026

RCV has called on the State to ensure regional communities don’t become an organised crime blind spot following today’s announcement of the new “Eyes on the City” crime crackdown for metropolitan Melbourne.

RCV Deputy Chair Cr Michael Gobel, Mayor of Wodonga, said the same criminal behaviour impacting Melbourne is also a threat to regional Victoria.

“Organised crime does not stop at the Calder or the Princes Freeway,” Cr Gobel said.

Cr Gobel said RCV supported stronger investment in surveillance and crime prevention infrastructure, but warned any response limited to Melbourne risked creating blind spots across the rest of the state.

“You cannot run a statewide crime strategy with half the state left off the map. If criminals know the cameras stop at the metro boundary, what does that mean for regional businesses?” Cr Gobel said.

RCV member councils have raised growing concerns around threats associated with the illicit tobacco trade and related criminal activity, including intimidation, property damage and organised criminal behaviour extending well beyond metropolitan Melbourne.

Cr Gobel said regional Victoria should either receive its own dedicated “Eyes on our Regions” surveillance and safety program, or regional businesses should be eligible to apply for support through the Victorian Government’s new $10 million Hospitality Security Fund.

“Regional Victorians pay taxes too. Their businesses help fund this program, so they deserve access to it,” Cr Gobel said.

“Crime doesn’t recognise postcodes and any government response to this crime wave shouldn’t either.”

RCV welcomed Victoria Police’s increasing focus on partnerships and safer communities under Chief Commissioner Mike Bush and said stronger collaboration between councils and police would be critical to tackling organised criminal activity across the state.

“We are encouraged by Victoria Police’s renewed focus on community partnerships and prevention. Regional cities stand ready to work alongside Victoria Police to strengthen local safety, improve intelligence sharing and help build more resilient communities,” Cr Gobel said.

“A camera network that only watches Melbourne is not a statewide solution – it’s a statewide vulnerability.”

 

Regional Victoria told to do more with less

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MEDIA RELEASE

5 May 2026

Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) says the Victorian Government’s 2026–27 State Budget expects regional cities to meet the ambitions of the future without the investment to match.

With this budget handed down ahead of the November state election, RCV said regional Victorians were looking for a clear signal that government understands the scale of the challenge – particularly on roads, housing and regional economic development.

RCV Chair Cr Ben Blain said the budget continues a pattern of underinvestment in the regions.

“Every budget since the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund was scrapped, we’re seeing more of the same, while the challenges facing regional communities just keep getting bigger,” Cr Blain said.

“If this is a budget about priorities and ambitions of the government then it’s clear regional Victoria and sustainable regional municipalities are not part of either.

“There is little or no new investment beyond the status quo for better regional roads, for more affordable homes in the regions, and for transformative community infrastructure to support the liveability regional Victorians deserve.

“The budget is about what the government chooses to fund, and beyond basic obligations, regional Victoria has been forgotten.”

Roads funding still nowhere near enough

The billion-dollar allocation for road maintenance reflects existing spend rather than new investment and remains nowhere near enough to address the declining condition of regional roads.

Without a serious funding uplift – starting around $500 million more each year – regional roads will continue to fall behind.

RCV is calling for a $2 billion regional roads package over four years, on top of existing funding, to make roads safe and reliable.

Transport divide deepening cost-of-living pressures

The budget fails to address the growing gap between metropolitan and regional transport investment, with recent projects highlighting a clear imbalance. 

Billions for Melbourne’s tunnels and rail loops – but regional transport is still stuck in the past.Free public transport only eases cost of living pressures if you’ve got a public transport system that’s connected and has capacity – and that’s simply not the reality in regional Victoria. In some of our cities, bus networks haven’t been reviewed for decades. In some cases, passengers can’t even catch a local bus to the train station.

So regional Victorians remain heavily reliant on vehicles, leaving them exposed to rising fuel costs. And those costs don’t stop at the regional boundary – they flow through to every kitchen table, adding cost of living pressures to families right across Victoria.

Regional investment gap widening

Scrapping the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund (RJIF) in 2023 left a significant gap in regional economic policy, with major projects stalled and opportunities for Commonwealth co-investment drying up.

Projects that would create jobs, drive growth and improve liveability are simply not getting off the ground.

RCV is calling for a $1 billion Regional Fund to fill that gap – supporting enabling infrastructure to unlock housing, build the local workforce and deliver the liveability assets regional communities need.

Our cities are ready to help meet Victoria’s 2051 housing targets – but we can’t do it without investment in the basics.

That means roads, water, sewerage and power to unlock land, as well as the planners, engineers and builders needed to deliver new homes. It also means backing the projects communities deserve – sporting grounds, aquatic centres and community hubs that make Victoria’s regional cities great places to live.

Time to back regional Victoria

In the lead up to the state election RCV will continue its efforts to secure commitment to $3 billion regional investment, including the $1 billion Regional Fund and $2 billion regional roads package, to support growth, improve liveability and strengthen the state’s economy.

“The message from this budget to regional communities is do more with less,” Cr Blain said.