Bridge bid defeated

Jessica Benton
Victorian upper house MPs have rejected State Government’s two-bridge plan for Barwon Heads.
Liberal, Greens, Nationals and DLP MPs joined forces on Wednesday to overturn the Government’s proposed planning amendment to replace the existing bridge and build a second pedestrian river crossing six metres downstream.
Greens MLC Colleen Hartland said the vote was mostly in response to overwhelming community opposition.
“We won the disallowment motion with a vote 21 to 19,” she told the Independent immediately after voting on Wednesday.
“Parliament validated the 2500 people who attended the rally in January. It listened to the 3000 people who signed the register supporting a single bridge for Barwon Heads.”
Ms Hartland labelled the vote “historic”.
The vote was the first successful upper house disallowment motion against a government planning amendment since 1992.
Ms Hartland urged the Government to go back to the drawing board for a one-bridge solution.
Friends’ of Barwon Heads Bridge president Bernard Napthine called on the Government to include community groups, residents and council representatives in a new planning process.
“We’re very happy about this – it’s a vote for common sense,” he said.
“We now hope that the Government will listen to the people and try to get everyone together to work on a one-bridge solution.
“We were never asking to stop the project but just felt there was a much better outcome.”
Geelong’s council had earlier backed the one-bridge option in a 9-3 vote on Tuesday night.
Liberal-aligned councillor Andrew Katos suspected Labor political allegiances rather than the interests of constituents was behind the votes of Andy Richards, Rod Macdonald and David Saunderson against the motion.
“It wasn’t pistols at 10 paces but it did get a little heated,” he said.
“There probably were political reasons behind the opposing votes.”