The small farming community of Kyogle scored a rare win over the government’s bureaucratic barriers for timber bridge repair. Source: The Land
Kyogle Council, in North East New South Wales, has a massive 203 crumbling timber bridges on its books, the largest number needing replacing or repairing of any local government area in the country.
Yet last month it missed out on the first round of funding of the $60 million Bridges Renewal Program, apparently because its submission ‘lacked details in certain areas’ – leaving local producers furious.
Under the first round of funding Kyogle had six applications knocked-back because it didn’t meet the grant program’s heavy vehicle usage and traffic flow criteria.
But Kyogle’s elected leaders and council managers packed their bags for Canberra immediately following the decision.
They met the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss.
The result: a win for Kyogle.
Federal government reworked the eligibility criteria for the bridges renewal program, which came in time for round two of the scheme.
Not only that, but Mr Truss has agreed to look at a one-off payment to replace one of the worst bridges in the Kyogle area: Minneys Bridge south of Tabulam.
Crumbling timber bridges have rendered some producers’ unviable due to the inability of trucks to reach their properties and others have to make very long detours just to get their product to market.
Minneys Bridge has been closed since March last year and has added cost and time for beef producers and grain growers looking to get stock and crop in and out.
In a media release, Kyogle Council said the reworked eligibility criteria is a “major coup” that would allow more small rural councils to access the grants.
Kyogle Mayor Danielle Mulholland and the council’s manager of infrastructure Jeff Breen met with Mr Truss last week.
Mr Breen will be working with the minister’s staff over the next few weeks to review the funding criteria so that the grant program more directly targets rural councils with a failing bridge network and a limited capacity to upgrade it.
Cr Mulholland said getting the funding criteria changes was a victory for all rural councils across Australia.
