Labor has had 12 years to fix Victorian roads. Turning to ‘pothole populism’ now may be too late

Potholes have become a major issue in Victorian roads, with roads in poor condition across the state. The Victorian government has been criticized for its slow response to the problem, with poor road conditions worsening rather than improving. The Auditor General found that nearly half of the state's roads were rated in poor or very poor condition, and the situation was deteriorating faster than the government could repair them.

The government's budget for repairing roads was significantly lower than the required amount. Opposition leaders have seized on the issue, with Jess Wilson and Anthony Marsh making it a central focus of their campaign during the Nepean byelection. The opposition leader has even filled a pothole themselves, prompting an investigation by the transport department.

Labour has attempted to neutralize the issue, promising to focus on the "basics" and promising to fix 500,000 potholes. However, the party's plan has been questioned, with critics arguing that it is simply an attempt to "spin" the issue. The opposition has suggested that the party's pothole plan is reminiscent of the strategy used by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has made repairing potholes part of his pitch to rebuild trust in government.

However, unlike Mamdani, who is using potholes to prove his government's ability to deliver on big, bold, progressive agenda, Labor does not have such an agenda.