About
In September 2021, Institute Director Bob Day AO, a former Senator, builder and Highways Department Technical Officer (Materials and Research Laboratories), advocated for a connector bridge to be built over the Port River and Barker Inlet to link the new Osborne shipyards to the M2 motorway.
Such a bridge and road system – on land the Government currently owns – would provide essential access to housing, supply chains and tourism opportunities – not to mention its proximity to the Edinburgh military air base.
Having advocated for the building of a ‘Gateway Bridge’ style connection over the Port River, once a connection to the M2 was established, the case for the Murray Bridge to Truro Freight Bypass became overwhelming.
The Modbury Freeway was also a key part of the original MATS Plan.
Adelaide’s northeast, serviced by the world-renowned 10m passengers per annum O-Bahn, would provide a valuable and strategic link to Osborne for personnel, goods and services.
All these highlight the importance of the right policies around infrastructure.
When investing at this scale, speed and certainty matter. Stakeholders need confidence that water, power, land, approvals and infrastructure can be aligned to support a long-term project like AUKUS.
In 2012, Bob began advocating for the inclusion of nuclear submarines into Australia’s future submarine fleet see AFR – Collision Course.
As a Senator, in 2014, Bob challenged then Defence Minister David Johnston to include nuclear submarines in Australia’s submarine fleet and to also build them in Adelaide see Hansard – Defence Procurement.
Attending the SA Institute of Technology (now Adelaide University), Bob qualified as a Science Technician and began his career at the Highways Department’s renowned Materials Testing and Research Laboratories at Northfield.
It was during his tenure at the Highways Department that Bob became an avid supporter of the MATS Plan and, along with other Departmental personnel, was disheartened when it was abandoned.
He has maintained an interest in, and endeavoured to keep alive the vision that the original MATS Plan had offered the people of South Australia.