By Deanne Jeffers
THE Victorian National party has a new figurehead, but its commitment to regional and rural Victorians remains steadfast. Newly elected party leader Danny O’Brien MP visited Greater Shepparton last week, reaffirming that the party’s primary focus is unchanged.
“There’s optimism and positivity about a new leader… We are not changed from our goal, which has always been to support the people of rural and regional Victoria,” O’Brien said.
“We are absolutely committed to two things. One is rural and regional Victoria but also holding the government to account.”
Mr O’Brien, 50, succeeds Peter Walsh MP, the Member for Murray Plains, who led the Victorian Nationals for nearly a decade. O’Brien praised his predecessor, saying Walsh’s legacy would endure as he continued serving his electorate.
Living near Sale, O’Brien has represented Gippsland South in the Victorian Parliament for 10 years. Since 2022, he has also held the roles of Shadow Minister for Roads and Road Safety and Shadow Minister for Casino, Gaming, and Liquor Regulation.
Addressing Victoria’s crumbling road network is high on the agenda for the Nationals. O’Brien said, “They’re bad now, but they’re on the verge of breaking up even further and that’s a concern that I get right across the state.
“Sadly, we were probably used to it on some of our secondary roads, but freeways and major highways are also in a terrible state… The Hume Freeway used to be probably the best in the country, but driving from Melbourne to Wodonga yesterday it was very, very ordinary.
“Last year’s road budget was the lowest in 10 years. This year there was a big increase. I think that had a fair bit to do with the fact that not just the Nationals, but regional Victorians in particular, were raising these issues.”
However, he warned that systemic change may require a change in government.
“I fear, in the bigger picture, that until there’s a change of government, we’re not going to get the attention that regional and rural Victoria deserves.”
The Nationals are also focusing on cost-of-living pressures, housing affordability and availability, and the state’s strained health system.
“The availability and affordability of housing is common across the state, but it’s an especially big issue here in the Goulburn Valley,” O’Brien said.
He highlighted regional infrastructure projects like stage two of the Goulburn Valley Health redevelopment and the Shepparton Bypass as key examples of stalled initiatives that need urgent progress.
While acknowledging the challenges of being in opposition, O’Brien expressed confidence in the party’s ability to make a difference.
“Our role won’t change at all in terms of being absolutely focused on listening to the concerns of rural and regional Victorians, raising them, and holding the government to account,” he said.
The Nationals are also preparing to present a robust policy platform leading into the 2026 state election.
“Until then, we have two main jobs: hold the government to account and present a viable alternative,” O’Brien said.
