Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I had great pleasure a couple of weeks ago to announce that five bridges in the electorate of Lyons had been funded under the Australian government's Bridges Renewal Program.. Nearly $3 million has gone to these projects that will enable local government to make necessary repairs to infrastructure around their communities and provide access and increase productivity in those areas. The Break O'Day council were very successful in receiving funding for the Cornwall Road Bridge replacement, $110,000 contributed to a $220,000 project; as well as for the Golden Fleece Rivulet Bridge replacement program, $682,000 out of a $1.36 million project. The Derwent Valley Council has two bridges: the Tyenna Road and the Newbury Road bridges. I was able to visit both those sites with the mayor, Martyn Evans, in last couple of weeks. There is $270,000 that is being contributed by the Commonwealth to a $540,000 upgrade of those two bridges. They provide access to working forests there. I acknowledge the contribution also by Norske Skog, who has access to some of those forests. The Meander Valley Council, with the support of the Kentish Council, has the upgrade for Union Bridge at Mole Creek. It has been well overdue and has secured a $1.1 million contribution to a $2.2 million project. Also, the Northern Midlands Council was successful with the Lake River Bridge on the Macquarie Road at Delmont, securing funding to replace a single-lane timber bridge with a two-lane concrete bridge. That is $719,500 to a nearly $1.4 million project.

On the weekend I also had the pleasure of attending the Training Ship (TS) Argonautat St Helens to see Captain Elliot Fisher, from Bunbury in Western Australia in the member for Forrest's electorate, inspect the cadets at TS Argonaut. They are one of the three naval cadet groups around the country that are vying to become the best naval cadet group in the country. I just want to pass on my thanks and recognition to Michelle Montgomery, who is the commander of the TS Argonaut, and to Julie Watkins as well for the work that they do in what is an extraordinary group of young people there. It is a small community on the east coast.

I also had the pleasure of recently meeting Ethan McArthur, the winner of the inaugural Corporal Cameron Baird VC Scholarship. I was joined at the inspection by my state colleague, Guy Barnett, and also the mayor of Break O'Day Council, Mick Tucker, as well as state MP David Llewellyn. It was a fantastic turnout. The young people there will become wonderful citizens through the work they are doing in their communities and will make contributions for many years to come.