Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee will call on the Federal Labor Government to reinstate $85.9 million of funding for ACT road upgrades.

Last month, Ms Lee said, it was revealed the Labor-Greens government sold out Canberrans by making a deal with the Federal Labor Government to move $85.9 million away from three much needed road projects to help pay for Stage 2A of the tram.

• Road spending reallocated to light rail stage 2A (2 November)

“Since 2015, this ACT Labor-Greens government has ripped money out of health, education, police, and housing to pay for the tram, and now they have done a deal with their federal colleagues to divert money from important road upgrades,” Ms Lee said.

“This comes at a time when the death toll on ACT roads is already at a 12 year high, and has been climbing year on year over the last four years.

“The $85.9 million was allocated to the South-West Corridor, Pialligo Road, and Boboyan Road, which are much needed projects and were at the time welcomed and supported by the ACT Minister.

“The Master Builders Association has also suggested that there will be a significant loss of around 773 local jobs and $250 million for the local economy from the cancellation of these projects.”

Ms Lee said due to the ongoing diversion of funds to pay for the tram, vital government services have declined to breaking point.

“Canberrans are paying record taxes despite having the longest emergency department wait times in the country, declining education standards and school infrastructure, the lowest number of police per capita, and less public housing than a decade ago.

“The responsible ACT minister will not, or cannot, tell Canberrans how much stage 2 of the light rail will cost, or when they’ll get it, but he’s happy to cancel road upgrades to pay for it.

“My motion demonstrates to Canberrans that unlike Labor and the Greens, the Canberra Liberals are listening, and taking notice of the things they care about, and we will keep fighting for road upgrades and proper maintenance,” Ms Lee concluded.

Ms Lee will put forward a motion in the Legislative Assembly today that calls on the leaders of all three parties represented to write to the Federal Labor Government requesting the reinstatement of $85.9 million in federal funding for road projects in the ACT.