Australia news live: police confirm ‘unauthorised’ Christian protest in Sydney’s Newtown

NSW Labor pledges to keep Western Harbour Tunnel publicly-owned

With three weeks to go until state elections in NSW, Labor is vowing to keep the Western Harbour Tunnel in Sydney a public asset and cap tolls at $60 a week. AAP has the story:

The opposition, keen to distinguish itself from the government’s penchant for privatisation, says drivers are ultimately footing the bill and it wants a “fresh start”.

Labor claims drivers will pay $115bn in tolls over the life of existing contracts with nearly all of it going to private toll road operators, making “Sydney the most tolled city” in the world.

The Western Harbour tunnel, which is under construction, is projected to cut travel times from western Sydney to the city’s north by 20 minutes and significantly reduce traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

It will be the second tunnel under the iconic landmark and around 6.5 kms long.

Chris Minns, who is neck and neck with premier Dominic Perrottet as preferred leader, said:

Under Labor – no more privatisation. We’ll build the tunnel but we won’t sell it.

Any revenue from tolls goes straight back into public hands to build for the future.

Labor says toll revenue has already paid for several major highways and tunnels including the M4, M5 East and Northconnex.

Meanwhile, Perrottet says he’ll make sure people have more say on developer contributions to local community use investments and infrastructure if re-elected.

Under the plan, government would work with councils to allow feedback via Service NSW on how local contributions are spent and the types of community projects built such as new parks and sports facilities.

Long-term critical growth and maintenance infrastructure would be excluded.