Victorian prisoners will be assigned to road maintenance duties as part of Labor's re-election strategy to address the state's pothole crisis. Premier Ben Carroll is set to unveil the initiative on Monday, following Sunday's announcement of a $352m boost to the road maintenance budget aimed at fixing 500,000 potholes by the end of January.
Funding and pilot program details
The additional funding comes on top of the more than $1bn already allocated for road maintenance in May. To partially offset the cost, the government will delay two level-crossing removals in Highett and one in Mentone, all in Melbourne's southeast.
If Labor wins the November election, Carroll will work with Corrections Victoria to develop a pilot program deploying supervised, minimum-security prisoners for roadside maintenance. Inmates would take over “basic” duties such as mowing lawns, controlling weeds, removing graffiti, and picking up rubbish, freeing skilled crews to concentrate on pothole repairs.
Workforce and public engagement
The government emphasized that prisoner labor “will not replace paid jobs” but will “supplement the workforce where there are skill and capacity shortages.” Carroll also committed to bringing road maintenance “back in-house,” reducing reliance on private contractors, and launching a website for Victorians to photograph potholes, request repairs, and track progress.
“In 2026, it should be easier to see what repairs are planned and raise road problems quickly,” Carroll said in a statement.
Political context and opposition pledge
Road conditions have become a major election issue, especially for regional Victorians. Last month, the state opposition pledged $5bn to repair and rebuild roads and patch 1 million potholes if it wins in November. Labor's plan aims to counter that with a targeted approach, using prisoners to supplement existing crews and accelerate repairs.
