Reports today that a number of Victoria’s iconic piers have been closed by the Andrews Government is appalling.

Both Middle Brighton Pier and the Black Rock Jetty have been closed indefinitely because of safety and structural concerns. This follows the closure of Central Pier at Docklands last year which is expected to cost tens of millions of dollars to repair.

Issues with the state of the Middle Brighton Pier were first identified in 2017, and yet the Andrews Labor Government has sat idly by while the pier has deteriorated.

Last year when it was identified that the pier was at risk of collapse, Victorian Government spokesman Joel Dwyer said:

“Parks Victoria had developed a plan for the historic section of the pier, but did not clarify further details or whether a long-term solution and funding would be committed.”

It’s clear that the Andrews Labor Government has known about the dangerous state of the Middle Brighton Pier for years but has failed to act.