New big-dollar job to promote Bridgewater Bridge project

The Government has advertised another high-paying job as part of the Bridgewater Bridge replacement project.

THE State Government has advertised another high-paying job as part of the Bridgewater Bridge replacement project.

The Department of State Growth has listed online a stakeholder communications position it says will lead the delivery of external and internal communications for the project.

The salary package for the role is advertised between $121,429 and $129,689 a year. The position’s period of appointment is two years.

It comes after the State Government in January advertised a $200,000-a-year, five-year fixed-term project director role to oversee all aspects of the bridge’s construction and commissioning.

The project, which is expected to cost at least $576 million, is the centrepiece of the $1.6 billion Hobart City Deal.

State and federal governments have promised to get the new bridge built by 2024, despite concerns about the project’s design and cost.

The Federal Government’s infrastructure advisory body, Infrastructure Australia, last year cited issues with the proposal, including its evaluation that the business case did not demonstrate that the benefits would outweigh its costs.

The State Government has advertised a stakeholder communications position it says will lead the delivery of external and internal communications for the Bridgewater Bridge project.

Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson last month said “important work” was progressing on the new bridge.

He said geotechnical investigations had started, which he said would inform further development of the final design.

Labor’s infrastructure spokesman Shane Broad said the Liberals’ “continued mismanagement” of the proposed bridge replacement was “farcical”.

“The Liberals will do anything to cover up their lack of action on infrastructure projects – including pay someone $121,429+ per annum to salvage stakeholder communications relating to the troubled Bridgewater Bridge replacement,” he said.

“Can we expect the Liberals to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on communications staff for the fifth lane on the Southern Outlet or the underground bus mall too?”