David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate the Dyers Crossing community for their support and help in the success of getting funding of $10 million for the Dyers Crossing Bridge, for which they have been agitating for about 20 years. It is an old wooden bridge built in the mid-thirties and is really in need of replacement. The whole area of Dyers Crossing could be isolated in a flood. Milk trucks, buses and caravans could no longer travel over it as it was so decrepit.

The $10 million of funding was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister when he accompanied me there last week. It was with great relief that the Greater Taree City Council can now receive those funds. It is over to them now to get their contract signed with the department by November. The funding had been the subject of numerous press releases as early as 2010, but the previous government had not delivered the funding or secured the agreement with the council.

This money will also be available to be used at Manning Point Road and the Dickensons Bridge at Moto and for work on the Gloucester Road. As you can appreciate, there is a backlog of old roads in need of repair in country areas. This will go a long way to addressing that in the Lyne electorate and the Greater Taree City Council area.