Motorcyclist's death reignites debate over Victoria's deteriorating roads
A 71-year-old motorcyclist died in Victoria, Australia after reportedly hitting a pothole and losing control, reviving debate over the state's road conditions ahead of November's election.
Emergency services were called to Trawalla, west of Ballarat in Victoria, Australia, shortly before 1pm on Sunday following reports that a motorcycle had struck a pothole. A 71-year-old rider from Ballarat died at the scene after reportedly losing control on the Western Highway near Trawalla Road. Police are investigating the circumstances of the crash, which remain undetermined.
The incident has renewed concerns about the state of Victoria's public roads, an issue emerging as a key flashpoint ahead of the upcoming state election. A report from the Victorian auditor general released on 9 September found that 48% of the road network was in poor or very poor condition, up from 39% in 2021. The report, which examined more than 23,000 kilometres of state roads, described the overall condition of Victoria's roads as "deteriorating".
The Victorian Coalition has pledged $5bn over four years to fix one million potholes and restore preventive road maintenance. The Labor government has committed $352m to double the number of potholes repaired in 2026, from 250,000 to 500,000.
Premier Ben Carroll described the death as a tragic loss of life and acknowledged that road conditions are not good enough, while stressing he would not pre-empt the ongoing police investigation. Speaking on ABC radio, Carroll said responsibility ultimately rests with his government, adding there could be no more "buck passing" on road maintenance. He said his government would bring road maintenance back in-house after it was outsourced in the mid-1990s.
Shadow roads and road safety minister Danny O'Brien called the death the saddest possible consequence of the poor state of Victoria's roads, urging urgent and proper repairs so no more lives are lost due to what he described as government neglect. He said the Liberals and Nationals would keep pushing the government to bring forward maintenance on regional Victoria's most dangerous roads. The Victorian state election is scheduled for 28 November.
