[Greens-Media] Public money should not subsidise tunnel toll

[Alison Orme]

MEDIA RELEASE - 31 May 2006

Public money should not subsidise tunnel toll 

Greens MP and roads spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said the Roads Minister Eric Roozendaal should rule out subsidising the Cross City Tunnel because public money should not be used to prop up a failing private sector project. 

“The NSW government’s mantra has always been that the beauty of the Cross City Tunnel project is that the private sector, not the public, bears the risk,” Ms Rhiannon said.

“An economic consultant for the Greens calculates that the tunnel operators are losing $5.9 million a month and there is no evidence that patronage is rising.

“Subsidising the toll with public money amounts to throwing millions into a bottomless pit.

“If Labor walks this path it will amount to one more Cross City Tunnel scandal.

“Public money should be spent on public transport, not line the pockets of an overseas owned private consortium,” said Ms Rhiannon.

For more information:  9230 3551 or 0427 861 568



Alison Orme
Adviser, Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon (p/t Tues, Wed)
Macquarie St, Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Mobile: 0432 332 104
Email alison.orme at parliament.nsw.gov.au 
Web www.leerhiannon.org.au