Minns support for NSW motorists
ELECTRIC vehicle adoption will continue, Sydney will have a second harbour tunnel and a railway linking the city to the planned $5 billion western Sydney airport will go ahead, as part of the promises of NSW’s new state government.
Fears that a change of government would derail some of the previous Liberal plans have been countered by confirmation that the Labor government, under premier Chris Minns, would continue support to existing proposals.
These include ongoing support for the adoption of electric vehicles and include the $633 million allocated under the NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy with the plans to install 30,000 EV chargers by 2026.
The large number of chargers proposed for the state is almost double that of the current number of petrol bowsers.
Charger numbers have been an ongoing carrot for electors for at least the past year when the Labor opposition pledged that if it achieved office, it would provide $10 million to install at least 50 EV charging stations.
The (then) Liberal state government then countered with a $38 million allocation for charging infrastructure and that it would co-fund chargers in 125 apartment buildings as well as 500 kerbside charging points.
It raised the stakes again in October, announcing another $39.4 million for fast chargers on highways and inner-city sites over the next two years.
Just before the election, the (then) government’s treasurer and energy minister Matt Kean announced an intention to roll out 30,000 EV chargers in NSW by 2026, if re-elected.
The chief executive of the Electric Vehicle Council, Behyad Jafari said he fully expects the new Labor government to match that commitment.
The new government has also said it would cap Sydney’s toll fees with a maximum of $60 a week for motorists with amounts over $60 refunded monthly to drivers.
This scheme starts on January 1, 2024 and will run for two years and – the Minns government said – would stabilise the outgoings of 51,000 drivers a week.
The Labor government has taken on former ACCC head Professor Allan Fels to overhaul the toll network.
Prof. Fels’ review aims to provide a simpler and fairer tolling system for motorists.His review will include looking at the ownership of the toll road system and potential competition in toll contracts.
He is also charged with looking at freight movements on toll roads at night, the intersection of public transport and toll roads, long-term concessions, what other jurisdictions are doing and compliance with toll contracts.
In a report in The Australian Financial Review, the government said it would also review some of the previous government’s plans that include a blueprint for the longest road tunnel in Australia, from Blackheath to Little Hartley.
“Mr Minns said further community consultation was needed before his government committed to the 11-kilometre link,” the AFR said.
Prior to its success in the NSW elections, the state Labor party announced it would give motorists the ability to reduce their number of demerit points.
The pre-election proposal, said to be honoured, was a 12-month trial of an incentives program where drivers who remained free of infringements would be rewarded by the removal of a demerit point.
The underlying aim is to slow the privatisation of government assets, including roads. If successful, it means planned Sydney road projects will remain in NSW government hands.
This will affect the major road builder and toll recipient, Transurban, which operates 11 toll roads in Sydney.
Road projects in NSW that are expected to be tolled include the second harbour tunnel and the M6 Motorway in southern Sydney.
In a statement, new premier Chris Minns said he would not sell off any more Sydney toll roads to private companies like Transurban under his plan to “end privatisation.”
But Transurban’s existing toll roads and projects – including the widening of the M7 – will not be affected by the new government.
By Neil Dowling