The ACT government has little chance of securing the revenue raised by paid parking within the Parliamentary Triangle, according to ACT Liberal Senator Gary Humphries.
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Mr Humphries said implementing paid parking, an initiative which is set to raise $72 million over three years, would not have been introduced under a Coalition government.
“Those public servants who presently rely on parking in the parliamentary triangle will have to experience a cut of something like $2000 a year in their living standards just to go to work,” he said.
“That's several thousand public servants $2000 a year worse off because of the decision this government has made.”
Mr Humphries said he had been opposed to paid parking in the Parliamentary Triangle since entering the Senate and his view had not changed.
He said ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher had little chance of securing the funds raised in the wake of the “shocking” budget.
“She's got no chance with a government which is absolutely desperate with the dollars,” he said.
“They need the money … I wish Katy Gallagher the best in that fight, but I think she's got no chance.”
Ms Gallagher has said she will lobby her federal colleagues to ensure the revenue raised would be directed towards the underfunded National Capital Authority, as well as national institutions.
“It should be funnelled back into those services,” she said.
“That's certainly the position I'll be putting to the Commonwealth … The majority of this money will be raised by Canberrans, so it seems a bit tough that the money raised here would then be funnelled through to general consolidated revenue, particularly when the NCA has been under some stress financially.”
When asked about the likeliness of securing the revenue, Ms Gallagher said she could “only ask and campaign on that”. She said the government would also be working with the NCA on possible changes to public transport within the Parliamentary Triangle as paid parking is implemented.