27/06/2026
Speed limits were recently reduced through parts of Avoca and Lexton, with the Victorian Labor Government saying the changes are about improving safety along the Sunraysia Highway.
Avoca has been reduced from 60 km/h to 50 km/h in part of town, while Lexton has dropped from 80 km/h to 60 km/h.
The MP for Ripon, Ripon, Martha Haylett, said locals had asked for the changes, including calls for freight trucks to slow down earlier as they approach Avoca.
However, the announcement has sparked a strong reaction from residents, with many questioning whether another round of lower speed limits is really about road safety, or whether it will simply make it easier to issue more fines.
Victoria is already carrying enormous debt, with the State Government’s own Budget Update forecasting net debt of $165.8 billion by June 2026, rising to $192.6 billion by June 2029.
Against that backdrop, many motorists are understandably sceptical when governments continue lowering speed limits while road conditions across regional Victoria remain a major concern.
Several locals argued the focus should be on fixing dangerous roads, improving intersections, adding warning lights or rumble strips, and enforcing existing laws against genuinely dangerous drivers.
Others said lowering limits risks catching ordinary motorists a few kilometres over the new limit, while doing little to stop reckless drivers who already ignore the rules.
Supporters of the change say slower traffic through townships can reduce crash severity and improve pedestrian safety, particularly where trucks and highway traffic pass through residential areas.
But for many Victorians already dealing with rising costs, poor roads and a heavily indebted state, the move looks like yet another “road safety” measure disguised as a revenue stream.
