Let them eat cake or let them drink mineral water?
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ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has faced criticism for laughing off increased costs paid for parking in central Canberra after he suggested the new fees were less than the cost of mineral water in an expensive city restuarant.
The Liberal opposition jumped on the comments made during a budget estimates hearing on Monday, claiming Mr Barr had sought to minimise the rising fees and charges paid by drivers.
"The parking fees are not even likely to be part of the price of a bottle of sparkling mineral water at some of our high-end restaurants," Mr Barr told the hearing.
"I suspect that the idea that someone is going to be deterred from their $100 dinner by a $5 parking fee is certainly [wrong]."
He is not the first politician to use the cost of food as an analogy. The federal minister Amanda Vanstone described $5 - coincidentally the size of tax cuts just announced by her government - as being worth "A sandwich and a milkshake if you are lucky. Not much."
Mr Barr on Monday argued there was no evidence to suggest patrons would be deterred from spending by the parking charge increase, and cited the New Acton precinct as proof restaurant patrons would pay for parking.
Labor backbench member Meegan Fitzharris joined the debate, suggesting restaurant patrons should drink tap water to save on the increased cost from paid parking.
Parking hours for all-day tickets bought on weekdays will be extended to until 10.30pm and will rise to $15 from July 1. Workers who park in the city all day will pay $18 a day from 2018.
Canberra CBD Limited boss Jane Easthope said the city was being unfairly targeted, while the NRMA also called out unfair cost burdens for motorists.
Opposition business spokesman Brendan Smyth said Mrtruly out of touch with regular Canberrans and city businesses".
"I say to Andrew Barr, not everyone who travels into the city on a weekend is going to restaurant, not everyone has $100 dinners," he said.