Advocacy group criticised

Gippsland Opposition Members of Parliament Wayne Farnham (Narracan) and Tim Bull (East Gippsland), have slammed regional advocacy group One Gippsland's response to the state budget and the government's funding for regional roads.

Mr Farnham and Mr Bull said funding for regional roads had dropped 45 per cent since 2020 and was lower than the amount provided in 2014-2015.

Mr Farnham said wherever he travelled around his electorate - from Walhalla to Warragul, Trafalgar to Tetoora - the state of local roads was often the first issue raised with him. "Residents are coming to me daily with reports of potholes damaging vehicles and road surfaces that are extremely dangerous".

Money is needed to stop roads decaying even further, develop a strategy for the Drouin-Warragul road network and fix the Thorpdale Rd slip.

Mr Bull said an RACV serviceman had told him the condition of roads in the region were the worst he had seen in 25 years and raised genuine concerns about danger to lives if standards weren't greatly improved.

One Gippsland, an advocacy group whose members include the mayors and chief executives of Gippsland's six municipalities, "cautiously welcomed" the state budget, praising its investment in the region's health infrastructure and its focus on energy and education to transition to a new economy.

Chair Cr Mark Reeves One Gippsland had concerns about the ending of native timber harvesting and would seek certainty from the government that impacted workers and communities would be adequately provided for.

Mr Farnham said he was astounded such savage cuts to regional spending would receive welcoming comments from an organisation that described itself as a peak advocacy body for the region.

"Our roads budget has been decimated, agricultural funding slashed, hospital infrastructure funding not delivered as promised and another key industry has been taken away in the native timber sector," he said.