Country Drivers Help Fix Pothole Problem

ABC Goulburn Murray

Roads

Saturday, 8 August 2026, 8:41 am

Saturday, 8 August 2026, 8:42 am

Steve Panozzo is marking potholes near the Kiewa Valley Highway.

In short: Country drivers are helping to make potholes visible.

Country drivers are donating money to make potholes more visible.

Over 252,000 potholes were fixed on Victorian roads last year.

What's next?

Road maintenance is a big issue for voters in Victoria.

Steve Panozzo is famous for his bright paint.

He paints potholes to make them visible to drivers.

Mr Panozzo is not an artist, but a concerned citizen.

Steve Panozzo is painting potholes on a regional road.

He is frustrated with the state of regional roads.

He says he is angry about the pothole problem.

The potholes are a big problem that never seems to end.

Some potholes are very deep.

Mr Panozzo started painting potholes three years ago.

He wants to make sure drivers are safe on the road.

He has raised over $2,700 to buy paint.

A bus is driving on a road with painted potholes.

People are helping Mr Panozzo by donating money.

He thinks drivers should not have to pay to make roads safe.

He is worried about accidents on the road.

Pothole promises

The government fixed over 252,000 potholes last year.

A road crew is fixing potholes near Wodonga.

Roads are a big issue in the upcoming election.

The government is spending $1 billion on road maintenance.

The opposition has promised $5 billion for roads.

A resident is not sure if that is enough money.

Cindy Penny is worried about the safety of her family.

She is worried about cars crashing on the road.

It's a big thing for her to think about.

Too little, too late

The government's promises have come too late for some people.

Andrea Lever has had five tires damaged by potholes.

She has spent over $7,000 on car repairs.

The government did not help her pay for the repairs.

She thinks it's unfair that she has to pay for repairs.

Andrea Lever's tire was ripped by a pothole.

She is worried about her staff driving on bad roads.

She is worried about someone getting hurt on the road.

She thinks about the accident and how it could have been worse.

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