Page 3415 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 14 November 2007
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mention, or at least place on the record, that the ALP national campaign launch today—a party that receives $30 million apparently from the trade unions for this campaign, that demands that MPs be union members and 70 per cent of whose front bench are anti-business union officials—did not even mention the trade union movement. By the way, the ALP’s campaign launch was 30 minutes late in starting and one wonders how the hell, if they cannot run a launch, they are going to be able to run a $1.1 trillion economy. Anyway, put that aside.
I want to talk today about Tharwa bridge. I am going to read into Hansard a newsletter from the Friends of Tharwa Bridge website. Of course they remind us that the bridge has now been 421 days closed, and their website states:
There is no engineering argument to stop the historical Tharwa Bridge which has been closed for more than a year from being restored and returned to use, engineers say.
The ACT Government closed the 112-year-old bridge about a year ago, citing safety concerns and adding 30km to the journey from Canberra to the village.
It is beginning work on a new $10 million single lane concrete bridge with a bike and pedestrian lane over the Murrumbidgee …
Locals have been strongly opposed to the move, arguing that the old bridge is of historical and visual significance and is an integral part of the village.
Now NSW-based civil engineers Brian Pearson and Ray Wedgwood have joined in the debate, saying in a letter to The Canberra Times that they support restoration of the wooden bridge.
“We are extremely concerned with the condition of the Tharwa Bridge and the fact that it has been closed to traffic and pedestrians for an astonishing 12 months, with no alternative crossing…
“In addition, there are apparently no plans for restoration of the bridge.”
At least nothing that has been publicised. I think the fundamental comment made by the Friends of Tharwa Bridge is:
“The engineers conceded that the bridge was deemed to be unsafe due to a “100-year frequency flood”… but say it is still “standing proud” despite being 112 years old. They said the 100-year-frequency flood could occur at “any time, or may not occur in 500 years”.
They said building a concrete bridge close to the original one would create an eyesore.
“We believe there is no engineering argument which might prevent the restoration of this historic bridge,” the engineers said.
“We also believe that the aesthetic effect of a new concrete bridge in close proximity to a non-functional timber truss bridge would be disastrous and would destroy the beauty of this pristine area of the Tharwa landscape.
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