A PROPOSAL to re-establish the Victorian Parliament’s Road Safety Committee through an amendment to the Road Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 has been defeated in Victoria’s Parliament.

The Opposition sought to have the amendment introduced but was voted down by 16 votes to 16 last week, with three votes from the cross benchers, two from the Justice Party, and one from the Animal Justice Party’s Andy Meddick.

The Opposition stated that tragically, far too many Victorians die because of traffic accidents on country roads, with the Victorian Government refusing to acknowledge the role poor road conditions play.

55 lives have already been lost on Victorian country roads, up by 38 per cent over the same period last year (to 11.59pm May 15, 2022).

Deputy Nationals leader and Shadow Roads minister, Steph Ryan said the voting record of minor party regional MPs was a betrayal of their constituents.

“Tania Maxwell, Stuart Grimley, and Andy Meddick have utterly betrayed their constituents, by voting to block enhanced parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of Daniel Andrews’ shameful neglect of country roads,” she said.

 “No regional member of Parliament can honestly stand up in Parliament and say their constituents think regional roads are safe and up to scratch.

 “To vote down the reinstatement of a committee dedicated to driving down the road toll and fixing regional roads is a blight on any member’s record.”

 Ms Ryan raised the wasteful spending of the Victorian Government and the impact this was having on regional communities.

 “The Andrews Government has proudly watched $28 billion of taxpayers’ money head down the drain on city infrastructure cost blowouts while our regions are pleading for just a fraction of that to be invested in the road network,” she said.

 “This year’s budget saw cuts to road management, a decline in regional roads being treated, and cuts across the board to agriculture and regional development.

 “Country MPs should be backing their communities rather than siding with a completely out of touch, tired, and city-centric government that is a drag on Victoria’s yearning to recover and rebuild.”