Tuesday, 15 October 2024

Members statements

West Gate Bridge tragedy commemoration

Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:05): The West Gate Bridge is one of the most recognisable landmarks in our state, and like many people who call Melbourne’s west home, I use the bridge often. It not only provides a really important link between the east and west of our city but also connects our state, and it stands as a symbol of the proud industrial history of Melbourne’s western suburbs.

It also has a tragic history. At 11:50 am on 15 October 1970 a 112-metre span of the still-under-construction West Gate Bridge collapsed into the Yarra River, killing 35 workers and injuring 18 others. The collapse shook buildings hundreds of metres away. It was the worst industrial disaster in Victoria’s history and had long-lasting impacts not only on the community in Melbourne’s west but also on improving safety standards across the construction industry.

I want to pay my deepest respects and sympathies to the families who lost loved ones in the collapse. Their tireless advocacy in the following years, together with the union movement, championed important reforms to our occupational health and safety laws. Today we remember those who died and commit to not losing sight of how dangerous going to work can be and why it is so critical to constantly renew our commitment to safety in every Victorian workplace.