Victorian prisoners to be sent out to repair roads under Labor’s pothole plan
Summary
Victoria’s Labor government plans to use low-security prisoners to help maintain roads, including mowing, weeding, and graffiti removal, to address pothole problems. The government also announced extra funding to fix 500,000 potholes and wants to reduce reliance on private contractors.Key Facts
- The Victorian government will add $352 million to road maintenance, aiming to fix 500,000 potholes by the end of January.
- Prisoners classified as low-security will be involved in basic roadside maintenance tasks such as mowing lawns, removing graffiti, and picking up rubbish.
- The prisoners’ work will supplement paid workers, not replace them.
- Prisoners currently earn about $7.15 to $9.80 a day, which is less than the minimum wage.
- The government holds back 20% of prisoners’ earnings as savings until their release.
- Critics say prisoners should be paid fair wages and that work should help with future jobs after release.
- The government plans to bring road maintenance under direct control instead of using private contractors.
- A new website will let people report potholes by photo and track repairs.
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