Jacinta Allan - Leading a zombie government

[Gralin]

Have you driven on a country or rural road lately? Plenty of "left-wing" people in my part of the world would very much like something to be done about the state of our roads.

We can cough up $1bn for an event that we didn't even hold, but I can't drive to work without worrying about losing my car in a pot hole.

This isn't a play to "get" the Premier, it's people expecting a basic level of public infrastructure.

this is not a new issue around maintenance budgets

maybe its worse currently or maybe its the same but the years of under funding are finally catching up


or maybe the climate getting worse means things like roads are deteriorating quicker because the floods and stuff have absolutely wrecked roads the last few years

the problem is bipartisan though Politicians love a ribbon cutting exercise and they put money into building stuff but not maintaining it

of course things like the commonwealth games don't help

I really hate the amount of money all governments spend on professional sports its such a waste when things like basic public infrastructure and services are not getting funded properly

 

[Carn The Berries]

this is not a new issue around maintenance budgets

maybe its worse currently or maybe its the same but the years of under funding are finally catching up


or maybe the climate getting worse means things like roads are deteriorating quicker because the floods and stuff have absolutely wrecked roads the last few years

the problem is bipartisan though Politicians love a ribbon cutting exercise and they put money into building stuff but not maintaining it

of course things like the commonwealth games don't help

I really hate the amount of money all governments spend on professional sports its such a waste when things like basic public infrastructure and services are not getting funded properly

Wouldn't have thought that would be the reason for the Calder highway breaking up like a 5th day WACA pitch... There may be some isolated cases where this is true, but it's not the main reason.

 

[Gralin]

Wouldn't have thought that would be the reason for the Calder highway breaking up like a 5th day WACA pitch... There may be some isolated cases where this is true, but it's not the main reason.

weather impacts roads as does the amount and weight of traffic on those roads

we're getting more vehicles and heavier vehicles on roads, that is going to mean they deteriorate quicker

more extreme weather exacerbates that

when maintenance budgets don't cover maintenance requirements over time more and more roads are going to be in worse condition

the really heavy rains and floods in 2022 and 2023 absolutely wrecked roads

 

[Carn The Berries]

weather impacts roads as does the amount and weight of traffic on those roads

we're getting more vehicles and heavier vehicles on roads, that is going to mean they deteriorate quicker

more extreme weather exacerbates that

when maintenance budgets don't cover maintenance requirements over time more and more roads are going to be in worse condition

the really heavy rains and floods in 2022 and 2023 absolutely wrecked roads

Seems like changing the goalposts a bit there. There wasn't any mention of heavier and more frequent vehicle movements in your first post...

I'm not disputing that heavy rain has caused some damage, just questioning how much of the widespread damage we're discussing here is climate related. You've now gone and put a whole lot of caveats on your initial statement.

 

[Gralin]

Seems like changing the goalposts a bit there. There wasn't any mention of heavier and more frequent vehicle movements in your first post...

I'm not disputing that heavy rain has caused some damage, just questioning how much of the widespread damage we're discussing here is climate related. You've now gone and put a whole lot of caveats on your initial statement.

no ive expanded on it seeing as you seem to think road damage is some sort of mysterious thing

 

[chickenonachain]

There was plenty of money available to put in 1,000's of kms of wire barriers, but apparently not enough to fix the actual roads themselves

My theory on this is someone in the gov or public service have shared or an interest in the company that erect those barriers hence plenty of money found to build them. But what do I know ?

 

[Carn The Berries]

My theory on this is someone in the gov or public service have shared or an interest in the company that erect those barriers hence plenty of money found to build them. But what do I know ?

Would not surprise me at all... Nor would it if there was never a follow up as to what impact they have had on the road toll (which was the reason behind their installation).

 

[Rob R]

My theory on this is someone in the gov or public service have shared or an interest in the company that erect those barriers hence plenty of money found to build them. But what do I know ?

Surely not, it is purely a coincidence that the same foreign government that kept funding Dan's junkets owns the companies that made the wire and the construction company that installed them. Luckily IBAC will find out the truth but that's right, Dan defunded them.

On SM-A136B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Sttew]

Wouldn’t have anything to do with successive govts slicing and dicing vicroads would it?

Be aware vicroads is just major roads not suburban streets

State government is responsible for 23,000kms of roads i.e., declared main roads, arterial roads and freeways (except CityLink, EastLink etc)

 

[peetoo]

State government is responsible for 23,000kms of roads i.e., declared main roads, arterial roads and freeways (except CityLink, EastLink etc)

Wow, never knew that

 

[Not Important]

We should be like the USA and declassify roads which don’t get much use. More resources for the ones left

Not that I’m denying these is a pothole problem

one of the issues is that there’s a division between state-controlled roads and municipal-controlled roads. i know of one example regarding speed limits, where two parallel roads under municipal control have changed the speed limit to 50km. in between those roads is a state-controlled road with a 60km speed limit. all arterials with about the same traffic volume.

 

[Sttew]

one of the issues is that there’s a division between state-controlled roads and municipal-controlled roads. i know of one example regarding speed limits, where two parallel roads under municipal control have changed the speed limit to 50km. in between those roads is a state-controlled road with a 60km speed limit. all arterials with about the same traffic volume.

It’s pretty clear cut. Councils are responsible for local traffic streets and the government is responsible for everything else with a few exceptions (CityLink, EastLink, PeninsulaLink). So city roads like Sydney Rd, High Street, Bell St, Murray Rd, Kings Way, etc are designated main roads and therefore government roads.

 

[Not Important]

It’s pretty clear cut. Councils are responsible for local traffic streets and the government is responsible for everything else with a few exceptions (CityLink, EastLink, PeninsulaLink). So city roads like Sydney Rd, High Street, Bell St, Murray Rd, Kings Way, etc are designated main roads and therefore government roads.

none of the roads i was referencing are anything like the size of burke road, bell street, etc., but they carry volumes of through traffic.

the matter came to the fore when two (the municipal controlled roads) of the three had the speed limit changes, and the only explanation from the municipal council for the one not changed was that it was not a through road they were responsible for.

 

[Sttew]

none of the roads i was referencing are anything like the size of burke road, bell street, etc., but they carry volumes of through traffic.

the matter came to the fore when two (the municipal controlled roads) of the three had the speed limit changes, and the only explanation from the municipal council for the one not changed was that it was not a through road they were responsible for.

I don’t know about your scenario, but I do know councils cannot change speed limits without approval of the Dept of Transport. This means one body sets speed limits.

 

[peetoo]

Was crossing chandler bridge today. It reminded me that before the Andrew’s Allan govt. govtts of both sides had ignored the bottleneck for several decades

Whatever happens let’s not have the non performance slip back to that

 

[Satan]

Was crossing chandler bridge today. It reminded me that before the Andrew’s Allan govt. govtts of both sides had ignored the bottleneck for several decades

Whatever happens let’s not have the non performance slip back to that

What state electorate is it in?
Often decides infrastructure

 

[peetoo]

What state electorate is it in?
Often decides infrastructure

Between electorates probably

 

[Satan]

Between electorates probably

Makes sense

 

[hawkman]

All the these road repairs does anyone bother to check if they are doing a good job? It is almost in the interest of any contractors to just do enough to make sure they continually get work. You see so many patch up jobs that see the next bit of road fall apart so they can work on it next year

 

[Kram]

‘Embarrassing’: Victorian households fall behind Tasmania​

Patrick DurkinBOSS Deputy editor

Nov 25, 2024 – 5.00am

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Household income in Victoria has fallen behind Tasmania for the first time, according to an extensive audit of the state’s finances by economist Saul Eslake, who predicts voters will face hefty spending cuts and more tax rises to pay down debt.

Victoria has fallen from the richest and most powerful state for most of the past century, to at or near the bottom across a range of key economic indicators, which Mr Eslake blames principally on bloated spending beyond the government’s means and cellar-dwelling productivity performance.​

How Victoria became a poor state (and the 16 charts that prove it)

The state’s parlous finances mean voters are bound to face a combination of cuts in government spending and increases in taxation.

www.afr.com

 

[Saint]

Wire ropes are also being installed by TAC, because it's cheaper to install them than to treat the hospital patients which result if they don't install the barriers. The financial basis of this is well publicised.

Allen is stuffed. Purse is empty and they've hitched their wagon to a blue elephant in the affluent eastern suburbs at the expense of every other suburb. Hubris 101.

They might even lose seats like Werribee (Pallas) at this rate.

When unemployment hits 5% in the new year while Cost of Living is still biting, I wouldn't be surprised to see Allen get the sack earlier if the backbenchers start seeing polls to go along with the rising unemployment rate.

It's one thing to be united when polls and the economy is going well. But the ALP loves an in-fight when Unions start shedding workers/jobs at a massive rate.

 

[MarcMaverick]

Wire ropes are also being installed by TAC, because it's cheaper to install them than to treat the hospital patients which result if they don't install the barriers. The financial basis of this is well publicised.

Allen is stuffed. Purse is empty and they've hitched their wagon to a blue elephant in the affluent eastern suburbs at the expense of every other suburb. Hubris 101.

They might even lose seats like Werribee (Pallas) at this rate.

When unemployment hits 5% in the new year while Cost of Living is still biting, I wouldn't be surprised to see Allen get the sack earlier if the backbenchers start seeing polls to go along with the rising unemployment rate.

It's one thing to be united when polls and the economy is going well. But the ALP loves an in-fight when Unions start shedding workers/jobs at a massive rate.

That and the albatross around the necks of the constituents which is the SRL, in particular the eyesore that is the stabling yard in Heatherton, which was earmarked to be a sporting complex.

 

[Saint]

That and the albatross around the necks of the constituents which is the SRL, in particular the eyesore that is the stabling yard in Heatherton, which was earmarked to be a sporting complex.

That old chestnut?

There's no shortage of open space in that part of Heatherton. It was "earmarked" for that by locals. Nothing was ever committed to it.

There are legitimate problems with SRL. The location of the stabling yard isn't one of them.

 

[Carn The Berries]

one of the issues is that there’s a division between state-controlled roads and municipal-controlled roads. i know of one example regarding speed limits, where two parallel roads under municipal control have changed the speed limit to 50km. in between those roads is a state-controlled road with a 60km speed limit. all arterials with about the same traffic volume.

Intersections are an even bigger mess. There are a number near my place that probably need traffic lights. Getting the local council and RRV to actually agree on the best way forward is like pulling teeth.

 

[Carn The Berries]

Wire ropes are also being installed by TAC, because it's cheaper to install them than to treat the hospital patients which result if they don't install the barriers. The financial basis of this is well publicised.

Allen is stuffed. Purse is empty and they've hitched their wagon to a blue elephant in the affluent eastern suburbs at the expense of every other suburb. Hubris 101.

They might even lose seats like Werribee (Pallas) at this rate.

When unemployment hits 5% in the new year while Cost of Living is still biting, I wouldn't be surprised to see Allen get the sack earlier if the backbenchers start seeing polls to go along with the rising unemployment rate.

It's one thing to be united when polls and the economy is going well. But the ALP loves an in-fight when Unions start shedding workers/jobs at a massive rate.

My question is, are the numbers that formed the basis of the original decision being reflected in reduced treatment costs from major accidents on those routes? I'd also be interested to know what the assumption was for ongoing maintenance, there would be 100s of kms of wires around my area that have remained non-functioning after being involved in an accident.