Ed,

Last week Channel 9 ran an interesting grab about the continuous maintenance of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, where up to 90 tradespersons are permanently employed. The footage confirmed that the bridge is in “as new” condition, perhaps even better.

Compare this to the Grafton Bridge, of identical vintage, where not one person is employed to maintain the bridge or paint the rusting steelwork, which has never been repainted.

When the second Grafton Bridge was in the planning and construction phases, we were assured that, when it opened for traffic, the old bridge would undergo major maintenance and complete re-painting. The years have rolled by, and nothing has happened.

Surely the State Government’s intention is not to stand by and see the Grafton Bridge decay for the want of maintenance, so it can be deemed “unfit for use” and closed forever, as has already happened in similar circumstances with the Grafton Memorial Olympic Pool?

I call upon the Member for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, to immediately tell us constituents, via the CV Independent news, exactly what is planned, and when it will happen.

Mike Gorrie, Grafton