[4] He contested the marginal seat of Kimberley for the Labor Party at the 1980 state election and won, defeating incumbent Liberal Alan Ridge, thus becoming the first Aboriginal member of the WA parliament.

He later went on to promote a larger scale scheme including piping water from northern Queensland rivers to the south-eastern Australian cities.

In March 2013, Bridge sued a number of parties for damages after being diagnosed with several asbestos-related conditions including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and pleural disease.

Bridge said he had been exposed to asbestos fibre and dust while fulfilling his ministerial duties in the 1980s, and was suing the Western Australian government, the Shire of Ashburton, CSR Limited, Midalco, Gina Rinehart's company Hancock Prospecting and Angela Bennett's Wright Prospecting.

On 13 June 1993, Bridge received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) "in recognition of service to the WA Parliament and to Aboriginal Affairs.