Following the release of the mid-year budget review, Canberra Liberals Leader Elizabeth Lee has expressed alarm over Andrew Barr’s infrastructure 'plan'.

Despite announcing a number of significant projects that will be taken to the election later this year, the Chief Minister has not come out and told Canberrans how much they will cost and how they will be budgeted and delivered.

Ms Lee said with next to no money currently in the budget for projects such as the construction of stage 2B of the tram, the theatre, the northside hospital, the stadium, the convention centre, and the music pavilion, Andrew Barr will need to find at least $8 billion to deliver these projects.

“Andrew Barr must tell Canberrans before the election how much these promises will cost taxpayers and how he plans to pay for them, and release a timeline of delivery,” Ms Lee said.

“We know this government is very good at making announcements with much fanfare and then re-announcing and rescoping projects but where they fail time and time again is at delivery as highlighted by the significantly delayed Canberra Hospital Expansion and stage 2A of the tram.

“With the Territory’s debt to exceed $18 billion in the forward estimates and interest repayments alone to cost Canberrans almost $2 million a day, Canberrans should be asking Andrew Barr how he’s going to pay for all these projects.”

Ms Lee said the biggest worry of all was the fact that Canberrans will not be told before the election how much stage 2B of the tram between Commonwealth Park and Woden will cost, which the Canberra Liberals have anticipated will be over $4 billion.

“Andrew Barr knows the cost of stage 2B of the tram will be astronomical and that is why he will not publicly state how much it will cost because the result will be further increases in rates and government charges for Canberrans.

“The argument of ‘commercial in confidence’ does not stack up when he is more than happy to spruik to Canberrans that a new northside hospital will cost $1 billion before any contracts have been signed. Why is it okay to reveal how much some infrastructure projects will cost but not the tram?

“Following what will be the last budget handed down by Andrew Barr in June this year, the Canberra Liberals will put forward an infrastructure plan that will focus on providing the most benefit to Canberrans financially, socially, and culturally. Our plan will not be based on a political deal done with the Greens.

“Canberrans should and have every right to demand more transparency and more respect when it comes to where their money is being spent. Andrew Barr must be upfront with the community about how much these promised projects will cost and when they will be completed before this upcoming election,” Ms Lee concluded.