A SUBURBAN road upgraded under a $1.8bn state govern- ment scheme has had to be re- done 18 months after it was finished. Leakes Rd in Tarneit, im- proved as part of the Western Roads Upgrade, was barely completed in 2021 before locals started to notice the new works were deteriorating rapidly. Last month, they received letters informing them the en- tire road was being resurfaced. Frustrated residents are now asking whether the pro- ject has provided value for money amid ongoing concerns about how the $1.8bn program has been managed.

A litany of issues have emerged from the Western Roads Upgrade over the past year, with dozens of small busi- nesses facing bankruptcy after a major contractor went bust. Firms who were never paid have been working towards a class action against the An- drews government, who com- missioned the project, to get the money they are owed. Businesses who were dud- ded on the job, and other gov- ernment work, have also called for an independent probe into the state’s handling of projects, including how contracts are awarded and how blowouts are managed.