It’s taken nearly six years to get moving on the rebuild of the Thurra River Bridge — and now Labor’s Environment Minister, Steve Dimopoulos, is trying to spin it as a success story.

A recent announcement from Minister Dimopoulos, after years of silence, says works are on track to be finished by the end of 2025.

“That’s six years after the Black Summer Bushfires wiped the bridge out — six years of delays, excuses and silence from local Labor MPs Harriet Shing and Tom McIntosh,” Mr Bull said.

“This is the bridge that enables access to the Thurra River campgrounds and the iconic Point Hicks Lighthouse, both are key tourism draw cards to the far east.

“If Labor MPs were truly backing the rebuild as a priority, they would’ve spoken up in Parliament.

“Instead, a Hansard search shows not one mention of the Thurra River Bridge from a Labor MP since the bushfires.

“In contrast, The Nationals and Liberals have advocated with strength, together speaking about its importance on 15 occasions, as well as numerous questions to the Minister.

“Seven of the contributions were my own, and I am pleased my colleagues also took up the baton for our region.

“Parks Victoria only announced the project was going out to tender in 2023, citing ‘geological complexities’ for the delays, but we all know Labor had other city projects it was prioritising.

“St Kilda Pier was designed and almost completed before the Thurra River Bridge works even started.

“We deserve our important tourism infrastructure to be reinstated as soon as possible. And we deserve support from all sitting members, no matter their persuasion, to advocate for our fair share.”

Caption: Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, welcomes the long-overdue start to the Thura River Bridge works, but says six years of inaction is nothing for Labor to boast about.

Monday, 14 April 2025