A new report by the ABC and information obtained separately by the Greens under RTI laws point to concerns about issues with construction of the Bridgewater Bridge.
Members of the community were raising concerns about cracks in the Bridgewater Bridge in the lead up to it opening, but they were dismissed. But images obtained by the Greens, and others obtained by media, show those concerns were a factual reality. Now the question is, are there further issues that haven’t been shared with the public?
The Greens have been told specialist engineers were sought from overseas to assist with the final stages of construction of the bridge due to unforeseen issues. Given the size and importance of this project, it’s fair to ask – what were those issues? Have they been fully resolved?
The Rockliff Government made much of the fact the Bridgewater Bridge was to be delivered “on time and on budget.” Given significant issues were discovered so close to the bridge’s opening date, we have to question if the decision was made to apply a band-aid solution to cracking issues just so the deadline could be met. Did the work undertaken prior to opening permanently fix the problem, or was further work required after the ribbon was cut?
The Greens will be writing to the Minister to follow up on other concerns raised by credible sources, including in relation to pylon stability. Given what the RTI has shown to be true, we expect a timely and transparent response from the Liberal Government.
The documents released under RTI to the Greens are available on request.
