Free public transport highlights deeper transport inequities for regional Victoria

VIEW THE PDF DOCUMENT

MEDIA RELEASE

30 March 2026

Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) Chair Cr Ben Blain, Mayor of Warrnambool, has welcomed efforts to ease pressure on households through free public transport in April, but says the announcement exposes a deeper and long-standing inequity for regional communities.

“We hope this measure helps stabilise fuel supply because for regional communities, businesses and families, reliable access to fuel is not optional, it’s essential,” Cr Blain said.

“But this announcement also highlights a hard truth: regional Victorians are being left behind when it comes to transport investment.”

Cr Blain said that while public transport will be free across the state, many regional communities will see little benefit due to networks that are not fit for purpose.

“Regional Victorians will be effectively subsidising free public transport for Melbourne, while being left with services that are less reliable, less connected and underinvested,” he said.

“For many people in regional areas, public transport simply isn’t a viable option for getting to work, school or daily life.”

Local bus networks in most regional cities have not been reviewed in more than 15 years, exacerbating the lack the coverage, frequency and integration needed to support growing populations and modern commuting patterns.

“Free fares are not the issue, the network is. Without serious investment in regional bus services, people will continue to rely on their cars, regardless of whether public transport is free.”

Cr Blain also noted that regional rail services, with low-cost fares, are frequently operating at capacity.

“Making services free without increasing capacity risks worsening overcrowding rather than improving access,” Cr Blain said.

These public transport challenges reflect a broader pattern of underinvestment across regional infrastructure.

“Just as regional public transport has been left behind, our regional roads have also been allowed to deteriorate after years of neglect,” Cr Blain said.

“This is not just a transport issue, it’s a productivity, cost-of-living and equity issue for regional Victoria.”

Cr Blain said the current situation should act as a catalyst for more meaningful reform.

“We appreciate all short-term efforts to safeguard fuel supplies, but if the Government is serious about supporting regional growth and easing cost-of-living pressures, it must commit to long-term investment in regional transport – both public and roads – that is fit for purpose, reliable and built for the future of our cities.”

 

Regional Cities Victoria to raise fuel security concerns in Canberra 

VIEW THE PDF DOCUMENT

MEDIA RELEASE

17 March 2026

RCV has written to the Federal Energy Minister calling for regional communities to be prioritised in the event of serious supply disruptions. 

“The Commonwealth has powers under Australia’s fuel security legislation to manage supply during emergencies,” RCV Chair Cr Ben Blain said. 

“If supply becomes constrained, regional communities and industries must not be left at the back of the queue.” 

A delegation from RCV will raise growing concerns about fuel prices and supply reliability during meetings in Canberra next week. 

Cr Blain said escalating tensions in the Middle East and the resulting volatility in global fuel markets were already placing pressure on regional households, businesses and industries. 

“When prices rise or supply tightens, regional communities feel it first and hardest,” Cr Blain said. 

“Our regional cities are key freight hubs that connect farms, factories and communities to the rest of the country. Access to fuel cannot be optional – it is essential.” 

RCV is particularly concerned about the impact on smaller rural towns and farming communities – already dealing with drought conditions and bushfire recovery – where fuel underpins almost every aspect of agricultural production and transport. 

“Fuel supply is not just an economic issue in these areas, it’s critical to the survival of local industries and communities,” Cr Blain said. 

“When fuel costs surge, it becomes more expensive to move goods in and out. That puts pressure on local businesses, local jobs and the cost of living not just for the regions but for everyone. 

“That’s why we’ll be taking this issue to Canberra next week and asking the Federal Government to ensure Victoria’s regional communities – and the rural towns they support – are protected if fuel supply pressures escalate.” 

 

RCV welcomes Coalition’s commitment to work with regional councils

VIEW THE PDF DOCUMENT

MEDIA RELEASE

27 February 2026

Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) has welcomed the Victorian Coalition’s first housing policy announcement, particularly its commitment to work directly with councils to build new homes and support sustainable growth across regional Victoria.

RCV Chair Cr Ben Blain, Mayor of Warrnambool, said recognising councils as partners in housing delivery was essential to restoring confidence in home ownership.

“Housing delivery requires genuine partnership with regional councils who understand their communities,” Cr Blain said.

However, Cr Blain warned any housing ambition must be matched with infrastructure investment.

“Regional councils have land ready to unlock for housing development, but without investment in enabling and trunk infrastructure – water, sewerage, power, roads and drainage – homes become less affordable,” Cr Blain said.

“That is why RCV is calling for a dedicated $1 billion Regional Fund to underwrite the infrastructure that gets homes built faster, invests in the liveability regional Victorians deserve, and supports long-term economic growth.”

Cr Blain said a dedicated regional fund would also return investment for community infrastructure such as creative, sporting and transport precincts that underpin liveability, and help fast-track job-creating precincts that have stalled since the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund was scrapped in 2023 by the Victorian Government, leaving a significant gap in regional development policy.

“The discontinuation of the RJIF took a proven economic driver out of local economies,” Cr Blain said.

“RCV is seeking practical, funded commitments that can be implemented quickly and deliver measurable benefits for economic growth that benefits the entire state.”

 

Billions for Crooks, none for the regions

VIEW THE PDF DOCUMENT

February 2026

OPINION

If this were a medieval tale, I suppose I’d be cast as Robin Hood.

Not because I wear green tights or roam Sherwood Forest – but because I’m standing outside the gates of power asking why the treasure collected from the people isn’t finding its way back to them.

According to allegations now emerging, up to $15 billion from Victoria’s metropolitan Big Build may have been funnelled through the CFMEU to bikie-linked interests.

In the old legend, the Sheriff of Nottingham took from the many and protected the powerful.

In modern Victoria, regional communities are wondering whether something similar is happening – whether money raised from taxpayers across this state went into vast metro projects, only to be siphoned away from the public good.

And while this was happening, regional Victoria was being told there wasn’t enough money for our projects.

In 2022, just prior to an election, we were promised the Commonwealth Games, then told they would cost around $7 billion – too much. The Games were dumped and Victorians paid hundreds of millions so others could host them.

In 2023, the Victorian Government scrapped the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund – an investment program that once allowed councils to partner with the Commonwealth and private sector to deliver the infrastructure that underpins homes, jobs and liveable communities.

Now it’s practically government folklore, but for decades it was practical governance.

It helped deliver community hubs, sporting facilities, revitalised town centres and economic precincts. It was how regional Victoria turned opportunity into delivery.

We desperately need it back.

But we aren’t storming the castle for $15 billion, and I won’t be wearing tights.

Instead, we are proposing a transparent plan for $1 billion investment in regional Victoria.

One billion dollars – to restore a Regional Fund that unlocks up to 300,000 homes by funding the pipes, poles, roads and services that make development possible.

One billion dollars – to back investment-ready economic drivers like the inland port in Wodonga, the Circular Economy Precinct in Ballarat, the Clean Energy Centre of Excellence in Warrnambool and the Aerospace Technology Precinct in Latrobe.

One billion dollars – to build the community infrastructure that attracts families and businesses.

Stop taking from regional Victoria and start giving back. It’s not like we’re not already contributing.

We generate more than 25 per cent of Australia’s global food and fibre exports. The Regional Movers Index shows our cities leading population growth as people choose opportunity beyond the capital.

Robin Hood wasn’t about rebellion. He was about correcting imbalance when the system lost its way. In every good legend, the imbalance is corrected.

Regional Victoria is ready to build homes, create jobs and drive growth.

All we are asking is that the wealth collected from Victorians is used for Victorians – openly, responsibly and in places ready to turn it into happily ever after. The End.

Cr Ben Blain is Chair of Regional Cities Victoria and Mayor of Warrnambool

 

 

Victorian bushfires: Statement from RCV Chair Ben Blain

VIEW THE PDF DOCUMENT

10 January 2026

MEDIA RELEASE

Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) extends its deepest thanks and unwavering support to the volunteer firefighters of the Country Fire Authority, alongside Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, State Emergency Service volunteers and all emergency services responding to the current bushfire emergencies across our state.

These fires are unfolding in fast-moving, unpredictable and dangerous conditions. For many CFA volunteers, this is not only a professional and physical test, but a deeply personal one. Across regional and rural Victoria, volunteers are fighting fires to protect their neighbours and communities, even as their own homes and families remain under threat. Their courage, selflessness and endurance over many days and nights of sustained response represents the very best of Victoria.

We also acknowledge the extraordinary work of local governments across regional Victoria. Councils have activated emergency response plans, established evacuation centres, and are providing safe shelter for residents and their pets, often at very short notice. Local governments are coordinating food relief, welfare support and community services for people who have been displaced or who may have lost their homes, working in conjunction with community organisations and state agencies.

At times like this, the strength of regional Victoria is found in its people – volunteers, frontline workers, councils and communities standing together under immense pressure.

Our thoughts are with everyone affected. RCV stands with our member cities and their communities as this situation continues to evolve.

 

Regional Cities Victoria announces new leadership team for 2026

VIEW THE PDF DOCUMENT

12 December 2025

MEDIA RELEASE

Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) has today elected its new leadership team for 2026, with Warrnambool Mayor Cr Ben Blain appointed Chair, alongside Wodonga Mayor Cr Michael Gobel as Deputy Chair.

RCV is a powerful alliance of Mayors and CEOs from Victoria’s 10 largest regional cities – Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga – united in their vision for stronger, more sustainable growth across regional Victoria.

“As we head into a state election year, RCV is focused on championing the policy settings that will unlock population growth, strengthen liveability, and expand economic prosperity across regional Victoria,” Cr Blain said.

“Our cities are ready to be part of the solution – supporting housing supply, attracting new industries and creating a thriving future for Victorian families.”

Deputy Chair Michael Gobel, Mayor of Wodonga, said sustained investment in regional cities would be critical to shaping Victoria’s future.

“Our regional cities are central to what makes Victoria so great. As more people choose regional Victoria for its opportunity, lifestyle and affordability, we must match that growth with the jobs, housing and essential community infrastructure needed to support it,” Cr Gobel said.

Following recent mayoral elections, RCV has also welcomed three new mayors to the table: Cr Ali Cupper (Mildura), Cr Thomas Prince (Bendigo), and Cr Brian Klowss (Horsham) and we look forward to their contributions.

2025 RCV Chair and Mayor of Greater Shepparton, Cr Shane Sali, will continue as an active member of the alliance.

“Leading RCV has been an honour. Our shared advocacy has strengthened the voice of regional cities and positioned them as a key part of Victoria’s economic and social future. While I am stepping back from the Chair role, my commitment to this alliance remains strong, and I look forward to supporting the next phase of RCV’s leadership,” Cr Sali said.

 

New RCV leadership for 2026: (L-R) Deputy Chair Cr Michael Gobel, Mayor of Wodonga and Chair Cr Ben Blain, Mayor of Warrnambool.

 

Regional Cities Victoria welcomes freeze on ESVF levy for farmers – a win for regional communities

VIEW THE PDF DOCUMENT

5 December 2025

MEDIA RELEASE

Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) today welcomed the Victorian Government’s decision to freeze the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) rate for farmers for two years.

RCV – a powerful assembly representing Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga – has consistently raised concerns over the impact of the new levy on drought-affected farmers, families under increasing cost pressures, and the broader economies of regional Victoria.

The freeze is a welcome recognition of those concerns, and of the very real challenges faced by regional communities.

COMMENTS FROM RCV CHAIR CR SHANE SALI, MAYOR OF GREATER SHEPPARTON:

“Our member councils welcome this decision. Farmers across regional Victoria are the backbone of our state. This freeze offers much-needed relief at a time when many are doing it tough.

“RCV’s advocacy has been integral to achieving this outcome. We have consistently advocated against a significantly higher emergency services levy which is unrealistic and unfair. This announcement shows the Government has heard those calls – it’s a win for farmers, families and regional towns doing it tough.

“RCV will continue its advocacy for the best outcomes for our community.”

Contact RCV Media on 0411 035 695

2026-27 State Budget Submission – Respect for the regions

VIEW THE PDF DOCUMENT

26 November 2025

Victoria faces significant fiscal challenges ahead of the 2026 election. With debt at record levels and limited capacity for new spending, it is essential that every dollar invested delivers strong, measurable returns. Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) represents the state’s 10 largest regional cities which are consistently rated among the most liveable in Australia.

We stand ready to absorb population growth, unlock housing supply, and strengthen the state’s economic base. Yet the discontinuation of the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund (RJIF), escalating cost-shifts to councils, and the introduction of the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund levy have left regional communities carrying an unfair burden while watching billions directed to metropolitan projects.

Previous governments have neglected regional Victoria at their peril.

Investment in regional cities reduces demand on Melbourne’s overstretched infrastructure, stimulates private co-investment, and generates higher economic multipliers for the state.

With an election next year, the May 2026 State Budget presents the current Government with a critical opportunity to reset its relationship with regional Victoria, demonstrate equity in investment, and restore confidence in the state’s future prosperity.

It also presents the alternative government with a strategic opportunity to signal its commitment to regional communities, articulate a clear vision for sustainable growth outside Melbourne, thus demonstrating regional priorities will be central to its agenda.

Regional Victorians have seen successive state budgets funnel billions into Melbourne’s metropolitan “Big Build”, while key regional development programs have been cut.

The Government’s Economic Growth Statement acknowledges that a strong Victoria must be underpinned by a strong regional Victoria. However, the initiatives in the statement are narrow in both scope and ambition when set against the scale of projects needed to manage rapid growth, attract major industries, and preserve the liveability for which regional Victoria is renowned.

A set of small, time-limited measures cannot replace the opportunities once generated by the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund (RJIF).

The discontinuation of the RJIF in 2023 left a gaping hole in regional policy, despite its proven record of creating jobs, leveraging co-investment, and building the infrastructure that communities rely on.

Meanwhile, local councils are being left to carry increasing financial and workforce burdens – from the collection of the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund levy, to cost-shifting of vital services, and the ongoing loss of critical local government workforce to state projects.

Despite this, Regional Victoria continues to play its part in the success of our state. Our cities are consistently rated among the most liveable in the nation. We are ready to meet housing targets, drive economic growth, and ease the pressure on metropolitan Melbourne.

Infrastructure Victoria’s 30-year draft strategy, released in March 2025, acknowledges:

“Regional and rural Victoria play a vital role in the Victorian economy. These areas make up nearly 20% of the state’s economy and produce a third of its exports. Businesses in regional Victoria need help to connect with customers and markets, become more resilient and unlock their growth potential.”^[1]

Because we cannot do this alone.

The RJIF proved that regional investment delivers: 13,000 jobs and $670 million leveraged from just its final round. Every dollar invested in regional Victoria works harder, building liveable communities, stimulating private investment, and strengthening the state’s overall economy.

The 2026 Budget must demonstrate that the Government values regional Victoria. With the state under severe fiscal pressure, it is more important than ever to invest where the return is strongest.

This Budget is a chance for the Government to reset its legacy: A renewed commitment to regional Victoria through a $1 billion Regional Fund and a $2 billion Regional Roads Package will go a long way toward unlocking housing supply, creating jobs, making our roads safer and restoring respect for the regions.

RCV BUDGET PRIORITIES

A $1 billion Regional Fund

The discontinuation of the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund (RJIF) in 2023 removed a proven vehicle for regional growth. RJIF delivered:

• More than 13,000 jobs since 2015
• More than 1,000 projects
• Investment leverage of almost 6:1 in its final round.

 

RCV calls for a dedicated $1 billion Regional Fund to support:

• Enabling infrastructure for housing supply (water, power, sewerage, local roads);
• Transformative community projects for growth (cultural, civic, and transport interchanges) that attract co-investment;
• A targeted workforce pipeline, including an expanded intern-style “earn while you learn” program to address shortages in planning, surveying, and engineering.

 

This fund will provide certainty to build projects for growth, attract private and Commonwealth contributions, and deliver infrastructure critical to meeting Victoria’s 2051 housing targets.

A $2 billion boost for regional roads

Regional road deterioration in Victoria has reached a point where safety^[2], productivity, and long-term cost efficiency are at risk^[3].

Despite nearly $1 billion committed for annual maintenance^[4], just 1.6 per cent of the network is maintained annually^[5].

TAC data confirms 30 more lives are lost each year on regional roads compared with metropolitan Melbourne.^[6]

RCV is seeking an extra $500 million a year over four years to fix local and declared (state) roads, above and beyond the Victorian Government’s existing almost $1 billion annual regional road maintenance program.

If nearly $1 billion in funding now delivers maintenance to just 1.6% of the network, then further investment of $2 billion over four years is not only justifiable – it is essential.

Urgent intervention is required to prevent further escalation in repair costs, reduce fatalities, and remedy the impacts to freight and tourism routes. RCV is advocating for this investment to preserve asset value and reduce liabilities, while restoring confidence in – and reliability of – Victoria’s vital regional links.

A $2 billion boost in regional roads funding is a down payment on safety, connectivity, productivity, and equity that will benefit all Victorians.

Reform regional taxation burdens

Victoria’s tax burdens have created a complex web of financial obligations that are increasingly undermining development, investment, industry and visitation for the regions.

High energy prices, steep land taxes, soaring WorkCover premiums, mining royalties, the short-stay levy and vacant residential land tax all impact regional economies.

Even the hard-fought reduced regional payroll tax rate does not offset the threat of high operational costs, regulatory complexities, and economic instability facing businesses and industry in regional Victoria.

The introduction of the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund (ESVF) adds further pressure, imposing unfair and disproportionate costs on communities already challenged by drought, water insecurity, and rising living expenses.

Despite clear and repeated objections from many of rural and regional councils across the state regarding the ESVF, the Victorian Government continues to dismiss these concerns.

The disproportionate burden this tax places on Victoria’s primary producers is deeply unfair and callously inequitable, and it was developed and proposed with minimal input from the very communities it will most affect.

Instead of introducing new taxes, RCV asks the Government to revisit the ESVF and commence intelligent reform of the state’s complex and burdensome tax and levy system that is hindering regional investment and economic growth.

RCV remains steadfastly opposed to the ESVF because of the impacts on rural and regional communities.

 

Support regional resilience

Drought Relief

Our agriculture sector is the backbone of our economy, and the lifeblood of rural and regional towns.

The state depends on Victoria’s regions for food and fibre products that underwrite the state’s economy, that’s why direct relief to Victoria’s farmers continues to be an RCV priority.

RCV is committed to working with the state, on behalf of regional and rural Victorians, to ensure the Victorian budget has provisions to safeguard our primary producers, support their recovery and sustain local economies. At the national level, we will push for fair solutions such as zero-interest loans and a pause on water buybacks, so that resilience and recovery remain at the heart of government action.

Building Back Better

As natural disasters become more frequent and intense, every tier of government has a responsibility to ensure that public monies are committed wisely during the recovery phase and with a long-term view, to best support communities and build resilience to future disasters.

The Commonwealth’s recent National Climate Risk Assessment^[7] reinforces what RCV has long argued, that a “building back better” approach is essential to delivering long-term resilience and mitigating future shocks.

Infrastructure betterment investment to a more disaster resilient standard than the pre-disaster standard is a cost-effective way to reduce the risk posed by future disasters and helps reduce recovery costs on governments – and taxpayers – longer-term.

However, infrastructure betterment funding remains available only through Category D (“relief or recovery carried out to alleviate distress or damage in circumstances which are, in the opinion of the Commonwealth, exceptional”) of the national Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). It is not possible, for example, for local governments to access betterment funding through a Community Recovery Fund activated under Category C of the DRFA to support “severely affected” communities.

This is why RCV urges the Victorian Government to work with the Commonwealth Government to embed “infrastructure betterment” provisions in DRFA Categories B and C so assets rebuilt after disasters are safer, more resilient, and more cost-effective in the long term.

 

Conclusion

Regional Victoria is not asking for special treatment – it is asking for investment that matches its contribution to the state.

Victoria cannot afford to overlook its strongest return on investment. Every dollar invested here works harder to unlock housing, boost productivity, and reduce long-term liabilities.

The discontinuation of the RJIF left a proven economic driver on the shelf. Reinstating and expanding it through a $1 billion Regional Fund, alongside a $2 billion regional roads boost and fairer taxation reform, can restore confidence and deliver measurable outcomes.

In a time of fiscal constraint, the 2026/27 Budget must focus on investments that pay back.

Regional Victoria has carried too much of the burden for too long. With programs cut, new levies imposed, and billions funnelled into metropolitan projects, our communities are consistently being asked to do more with less.

The 2026/27 Budget must be the turning point.

[1] https://www.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/topics/regional-victoria#key-recommendations

[2] https://newshub.medianet.com.au/2024/07/racv-road-safety-survey-highlights-danger-on-victorias-regional-roads/59404/

[3] https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Potholes-and-Pitfalls-How-to-fix-local-roads-Grattan-Report.pdf#page=10

[4] https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/billion-dollar-better-roads-blitz-fix-our-regional-roads

[5] https://www.dtf.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-05/Department-of-Transport-and-Planning-output-performance-measures-2025-26.xlsx

[6] https://www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/statistics/lives-lost-annual

[7] https://climateservice.maps.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/9d4850b2d64d47e28407c04681b0eeca/data