Punt Road, Gladesville Bridge

Mr PETCH (Gladesville) [5.20]: I draw to the attention of the House another issue regarding roads and river crossings of the Parramatta River. On this occasion it is prompted by an article which appeared in the Glebe newspaper suggesting that the Government was about to embark upon building another bridge from Abbotsford to Punt Road, Gladesville. This was prompted by a press release issued by my colleague the honourable member for Drummoyne. The provision for such a crossing has been on the books of the Roads and Traffic Authority, or the Department of Main Roads as it was formerly known, for 20 to 30 years. The bridge proposal was before Ryde council approximately 10 years ago when I was an alderman. On that occasion I had the opportunity to become aware of the full impact that such a bridge would have on the people of Gladesville. The effect would be absolutely devastating because the proposal is not only to build a bridge from Abbotsford to connect Great North Road with Victoria Road but also to put wire mesh up the centre of the Gladesville shopping centre, and to redesign Pittwater Road in such a way that it would produce a substantial traffic flow from the old Channel 10 studios, through Gladesville and on to Parramatta Road.

Gladesville already suffers from an overabundance of traffic. As a result, a number of safety measures have been introduced by the Roads and Traffic Authority to try to decrease traffic movement through Gladesville. The additional traffic that would be generated by another bridge crossing would be absolutely intolerable. I am pleased to tell the House that I drew this matter to the attention of the Minister for Transport and Minister for Roads who, last Monday, inspected the site with me, thus enabling him to make an announcement that no such bridge would be built. It is unfortunate that the honourable member for Drummoyne did not first seek accurate information from the Minister before issuing a press release suggesting that the bridge would be built. This was long before any decision was made.

The Minister has made a decision. I am happy to proclaim to the House, and to everyone who is affected by traffic in my electorate, that the bridge will not be built. I am pleased also to proclaim to about 50 householders, who had been placed in a tenuous position for many years because of road reservations placed on their properties, that the reservations will be lifted and they will be able to deal with their properties as they wish, like any other citizen in the community. If they want to sell their property they will be able to do so and realise its full potential, not the price that it would have realised if it were impeded by a road restriction.

Mr J. H. Murray: On a point of order: I draw attention to the fact that the honourable member for Gladesville is misinforming the House. The bridge is still going ahead.

Mr ACTING-SPEAKER (Mr Tink): Order! No point of order is involved.

Mr PETCH: I am pleased to be able to say that I responsibly represent my constituents and I am pleased that the Minister has made this decision. I am sure that the honourable member for Drummoyne, his constituents and the residents of Abbotsford will be just as delighted as I am that the Minister has made this determination. The honourable member for Drummoyne is always making mistakes about transport activity on the Parramatta River. He suggested that the RiverCats would be terminated, but that was only because he was reading the weekend timetable rather than the Monday to Friday timetable. The Minister's decision is good news for everyone. I am absolutely delighted that he has made his decision.

Mr PHOTIOS (Ermington - Minister for Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs, and Minister Assisting the Minister for Justice) [5.24]: Enough can be said about this matter by saying that there are two approaches to good representation. The first approach is that adopted by the honourable member for Gladesville, who seeks to get his facts straight, to respond immediately to community concern and to deal with matters conclusively. The honourable member for Gladesville has made it quite clear that this Government will not build that bridge. The second approach is that adopted by the honourable
Page 3381
member for Drummoyne, who puts out policy by flying it up a pole, probably because it is the hidden agenda of the Australian Labor Party should it regain government. That is the message for the people of Drummoyne and Gladesville. I am happy to confirm what the honourable member for Gladesville has said: The bridge will not be built by a coalition Government.