NSW Government supports more disclosure about contracts

The NSW Government has responded to the first report of the Parliamentary inquiry into the Cross City Tunnel.

The tunnel has been a major source of controversy since its opening last year. On openness and transparency issues - a bone of contention - the Government has responded positively to recommendations that more and better information on infrastructure projects be made available including comparisons with the cost of undertaking such projects by the public or private sector. The Government has also agreed to recommendations regarding publication of toll prices proposed by the private sector tenderer and the proposed toll increases.

Generally on disclosure of information of contracts, the Government says the Premier's current guidelines will be updated and replaced shortly and will address the issue of publication of information about subsequent amendments and variations of existing contracts.

While this is all good news, there certainly isn't any hurry to get the revised guidelines in place - there has been talk about this revision for at least 12 months.