Federal Page MP, the Nationals’ Kevin Hogan says the announcement on Friday of the preferred tenderer to build the longest bridge between Woolgoolga and Ballina, would create about 200 jobs.
‘The construction of the bridge will contribute around 200 jobs to the 2,500 direct and 4,500 indirect jobs being created on the Woolgoolga to Ballina section of the upgrade,’ he said.
Mr Hogan added that ‘about 35 per cent of local workers are picking up jobs on other sections of the upgrade.’
‘With a large number of people working on various sections of the upgrade for as many as seven to eight years, construction of the Harwood Bridge will provide yet another continued source of employment.
‘The announcement of the preferred tenderer to build the longest bridge on this section of the highway over the Clarence River is a major milestone in meeting our deadline of completing the duplication of the Pacific Highway by 2020, weather permitting.
Mr Hogan said the cost of the bridge would be just short of $1 billion.
Highway Taskforce chair Richie Williamson has defended the expensive bridge, saying the highway upgrade is of national significance and a generational event.
‘This is a national building project, a piece of infrastructure that will serve the east coast of Australia for the next generation. And whilst the price tag no doubt is significant the benefits to the nation through improved productivity and the benefits to the loss of life is something that you can’t put a finger on,’ he told ABC radio this morning.
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