On Friday 23 November 2018, Sarah and I participated in the How to Build Bridges Symposium about the West Gate. The day long event bought together West Gate Bridge workers, artists, academics, and unions, in a series of conversations and performance.

This event was part of the Art & Industry festival, which included a wide range of events related to the bridge — everything from video art to tattooing. A highlight of the program was the verbatim play The Bridge, written by the late Vicki Reynolds and directed by Donna Jackson (who was also the Festival Director).

I spoke on the morning of the symposium, providing an overview of our research and explaining why we see the West Gate Collapse as something important 48 years after the disaster. I focussed on OHS and the Royal Commission, and the process of memorialisation. In the afternoon Sarah discussed our research about the experiences of workers and families who were impacted by this tragedy and, and the role of the Charity Organisation Society in its dealings with the West Gate families. Sarah also spoke about her research into the Titanic disaster, as the same charity was involved in both events.

A podcast of the event has been made by Jacinda Woodhead, Editor of Overland Journal and Ben Keene, from Witness Performance, which you can listen to on SoundCloud or below.

Photo at top by Elizabeth Humphrys: Final scene of the play ‘The Bridge’, where 35 pairs of boots for the 35 workers killed in the disaster are placed in a line across the front of the stage.