By Tyler Wright
The Federal government’s decision to cut funding in the October budget for long-awaited road projects has dismayed locals in the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges.
Yarra Ranges Council confirmed it received verbal confirmation that more than $100 million would be cut from the local Roads for the Community program, with $150 million announced in 2019 by the liberal government to seal 187 kilometres of unsealed roads in the Yarra Ranges by 2029.
The council will receive $47.7 million of the original $150 million promised.
Cardinia Shire was expected to have 100 kilometres of unsealed roads in the municipality sealed through the Sealing the Hills program with $150 million from the Federal Government, but will only receive $41 million.
One road expected to be sealed in the 2022 to 2023 financial year was Gleghorn Road in Kallista.
A resident for 30 years, who chose not to be named, was “surprised” and “pleased” when the Federal Liberal government around four years ago committed funding to seal roads throughout the Yarra Ranges.
“Three years ago, [my husband] and I were talking… and we discussed this and with it, if we were to move, it would be because of the road, because it’s a dangerous road from ingesting the road base as well as the condition on the road,” the resident said.
Now, after years of road incidents and dust, their hopes have been put into doubt.
“It’s such a shame we’re being denied a normal life that other people take for granted.
“It’s not just ‘oh we get dusty cars,’ it is part of our way of life that has become difficult to live with, and when it’s going to be further extended over who knows how many years, it is going to impact on so many people’s lives in all the Hills.”
Cockatoo 21st Century Roads Action Group (CRAG21) undertook a survey 2017, consulting those on 1st and 2nd Avenue and some surrounding Garden State Reserve.
According to CRAG21 Chairperson Janice Crittenden, the survey found more than 80 per cent of people supported sealing the roads.
“It’s the relief of not having to deal with so many issues like the dust and the potholes and the physical impacts on us, that you can’t open the doors and enjoy the beautiful vista outside because you’ve got dust everywhere and it affects everything, including the pets and the residents,” Ms Crittenden said.
The announcement that the Federal government would be cutting its contribution to the Sealing the Hills program left Ms Crittenden “devastated”.
“This is not just half a dozen people this is affecting, because there are thousands of people who are going to be affected by this, and not to mention their dreams, hopes and wishes, they’re still going to have to put up with the dust after 100 years,” she said.
“Your hopes and wishes, they’ve been dashed.”
Yarra Ranges Council Mayor, Councillor Jim Child said the council is “very disappointed” the federal government will be cutting over $100 million in funding from the Roads for the Community Initiative.
“Sealing public roads, previously, came at significant cost to community members, due to the lack of government support,” Mr Child said.
“Roads for the Community heavily subsidised landowner contributions, and would have allowed us to complete almost 100 years’ worth of road sealing projects before 2030. It also provided the opportunity for power companies to consider undergrounding infrastructure while roads were under construction.”
Mr Child said most of the road projects planned for the community,”including all not currently tendered and contracted – will likely have to be abandoned”.
“Roads for the Community has already delivered significant local employment opportunities, and we believe the initiative would have a tremendous economic and social benefit for the entire municipality. It would have also improved community safety, access for emergency vehicles, and reduce road maintenance needs like dust suppressant, grading and pothole filling,” he said.
“We’ve already engaged with hundreds of community members, who have been overwhelmingly supportive of these projects, particularly the subsidy that the Federal funding provided to landowners – which had more than halved the cost to residents for constructing roads.
“We urge the Federal Government to reconsider this decision, and we are extremely disappointed on behalf of our impacted communities.”
A Cardinia Shire Council spokesperson told the Star Mail the council is continuing to seek “urgent clarification” about the status of funding the Sealing the Hills program.
“Council is awaiting written confirmation regarding the status of the funding, and is working to clarify the potential impacts that this funding cut will have on projects
that have been committed to and those already underway,” the spokesperson said.
“We will continue to keep project stakeholders and our community informed.”
A spokesperson for federal Transport Minister Catherine King said the Australian Government has provided $66.8 million to date to deliver a large number of projects to seal and upgrade roads across the Dandenong Ranges region.
“Following discussions between the Minister’s office and both councils’ mayors, the Australian Government will provide $47.7 million to the Yarra Ranges Council and $41 million to the Cardinia Shire Council to ensure these works can be delivered,” the spokesperson said.
“There are over 500 local government areas nationwide and this was a special carve out by the Coalition for just two councils in marginal electorates.
“The Australian Government was clear that all infrastructure projects would be reviewed line by line to ensure value for taxpayers money.”
CRAG21 is expected to present a petition to federal parliament in coming weeks to appeal for the Federal government to reinstate the original $150 million allocated to the Sealing the Hills program in the May 2023 budget.
