Andrew Broad (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They say politics is about building bridges, building bridges in relationships and across to the other side of the chamber, but I want to say: we are building real bridges. I'm really pleased to be announcing here in the parliament that we have just received confirmation of seven more bridges in the latest round of the Bridges Renewal Program, right across the Mallee. This will take our total to 11. These are real bridges. It is $1.26 million worth of bridges to be built in the Wimmera Mallee.

We produce some of the best food you would ever want—if you come to the Wimmera Mallee—and we need to get those things on trucks. You know why? You need to be able to get across a culvert, a creek and a river, and you can't do that if you haven't got a bridge. It is our government that has developed, for the first time, the Bridges Renewal Program. I want to commend the Gannawarra shire, Horsham Rural City Council, Northern Grampians shire and the West Wimmera shire for putting in good applications. We are partnering with them to ensure that the products we produce can make it to the markets so they can make it to the supermarket shelves and make it to the breakfast tables of Australians. The Bridges Renewal Program is about the government delivering real things for real people. We are not only building bridges in this place but actually building them across the Wimmera and the Mallee.