The Canberra Liberals' moves to drop support for building light rail to Woden amounts to a betrayal of the southside, Transport Minister Chris Steel has said.
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"It's clear under a Liberal government that they would never have built light rail stage 1 from the city to Gungahlin. And despite what they promised at the election, they will never build light rail stage 2 to Woden. Ever," Mr Steel told a Legislative Assembly debate on Thursday.
Opposition transport spokesman Mark Parton sought to force the government's hand to provide more detail on the cost and timing of forthcoming light rail projects, but his motion in the Assembly was amended by Labor and the Greens.
Mr Parton said his motion was not an "anti tram" push and it was troubling if anyone seen to question the cost or timing of the project was portrayed as being opposed to the project.
Canberrans had a right to know how much the project would cost and when it would be delivered, he said.
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Mr Parton also provided a Canberra Liberals estimate of the total cost of extending light rail to Woden, which he said was a conservative figure of $3.042 billion with a completion date of 2034.
The government committed to publishing estimated costs for light rail after contracts were signed and release business cases and contract details when possible.
It said a completion date for stage 2A - linking the city with Commonwealth Park - depended on works approval and a finalised contract.
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Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
