Why won’t Chief Minister Andrew Barr tell the community how much Stage 2B of the tram to Woden will cost, asks Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee.

Lee says with next to no money in the budget for projects such as the construction of  Stage 2B, the theatre, the northside hospital, the stadium, the convention centre and the music pavilion, Barr needs to find at least $8 billion to deliver these projects.

The biggest worry of all is that Canberrans won’t be told before the election how much Stage 2B will cost, which the Canberra Liberals oppose and have anticipated will be more than $4 billion. 

“Andrew Barr knows the cost of stage 2B of the tram will be astronomical and that is why he will not publicly state how much it will cost because the result will be further increases in rates and  government charges for Canberrans,” she says. 

“With the territory’s debt to exceed $18 billion in the forward estimates and interest repayments  alone to cost Canberrans almost $2 million a day, Canberrans should be asking Andrew Barr how  he’s going to pay for all these projects.”

Lee says she’s alarmed at the government’s infrastructure “plan” following release of the mid-year budget review.

“Following what will be the last budget handed down by Andrew Barr in June this year, the Canberra  Liberals will put forward an infrastructure plan that will focus on providing the most benefit to Canberrans financially, socially, and culturally. Our plan will not be based on a political deal done with the Greens,” says Lee.