Mark Speakman
Leader of the Opposition
Natalie Ward
Shadow Minister for Transport and Roads
After 700 days of talk, press conferences and expensive reports, the Minns Labor Government's so-called Toll Review has delivered nothing for drivers. Instead, the Minns Labor Government has secretly explored new tolls and longer contracts, meaning motorists will be paying more, for longer.
Labor has now quietly dumped former Toll Review Chair Allan Fels as lead negotiator and is paying an estimated $990,000 for a replacement, while signing off on a $2,750,000 new legal bill for outside lawyers.
Before the election, Labor made sweeping promises:
- No new tolls under Labor
- Tolls would be cheaper under Labor
- Toll roads would be returned to public ownership
- Opposing two-way tolling on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel
But after nearly two years in government, this is what has happened instead:
- $5.4 million wasted on a review with no outcome
- $1.7 million paid to ex-bureaucrats for three reports that have been ignored
- The Toll Review Chair charging taxpayers for $750 a night for five-star hotels stays, plus business class flights
- Secret briefings to ratings agencies on extending toll road contracts, meaning drivers will pay tolls for even longer
- Exploring new tolls on the M5 West, M5 East, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Harbour Tunnel and the Eastern Distributor
- Toll hikes on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel
- Traffic modelling showing some drivers could be hit with toll increases up to nine times higher
- Warnings ignored that Labor's traffic modelling was unfit for negotiations
Chris Minns and Labor campaigned on lowering tolls but have instead delivered secrecy, waste, and higher costs for drivers.
Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said Chris Minns made big promises on tolls, and he is breaking them one by one.
"For 700 days, he has dodged, delayed, and dissembled. It's time he came clean," Mr Speakman said.
Shadow Minister for Transport and Roads Natalie Ward said Labor's toll policy was to say one thing before the election, and then do the opposite.
"If Labor introduces new tolls or extends toll contracts, it will be Chris Minns' 'no carbon tax under my government' moment," Ms Ward said.
Secret meetings, million-dollar consultants, and five-star hotels—this is what toll reform looks like under Labor.
After 700 days, drivers are still waiting.
