Ballina Electorate Media Releases
Extra $30 Tax On North Coast Motorists All Going To Sydney Projects (22/02/2010)
Ballina MP and Shadow Minister for North Coast, Don Page is outraged by the proposed $30 a year levy on all NSW motorists to fund the NSW Labor Government’s latest Sydney Transport Plan.
“It is unconscionable for this Sydney-centric Labor Government to expect North Coast motorists to pay for Sydney transport infrastructure,” Mr Page.
The NSW Labor Government’s latest Sydney transport plan includes an additional $30 annual levy on motor vehicle registration fees.
“I think this is extremely unfair on all North Coast motorists, and will be very poorly received on the North Coast,” Mr Page said.
“Given the NSW Labor Government’s history of not delivering on transport infrastructure, I believe this report is just another grab for cash from NSW taxpayers,” he said.
Most of the plan was announced in 1998 by former Premier Bob Carr, which at the time, was to be delivered by 2010.
“The Casino to Murwillumbah train line has been closed since 2004 and now North Coast residents are going to be expected to pay for Sydney’s transport infrastructure. The NSW Labor Governments latest transport plan adds salt to the wound for North Coast residents,” Mr Page said.
The latest backflip on the CBD Metro is estimated to cost over $200 million, excluding the cost of acquiring properties.
“This reckless waste of taxpayers funds could have easily been put to good use putting trains on the Casino to Murwillumbah line and starting the connection to Queensland,” Mr Page said.
“The NSW Labor Government has had an appalling record of not delivering on their infrastructure promises. In 15 years they have announced 10 transport plans and delivered none of them.
“The continual axing of planned projects and development of inappropriate transport plans is costing all NSW taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars,” he said.
“The North Coast is the fastest growing area in NSW. We need transport solutions too. This incompetent Labor Government is not capable of solving the significant transport challenges we face here on the North Coast,” Mr Page said.
“They are just the same Sydney-centric Government they have always been.”
