Battle looms over SA's car parking tax

A war of words has broken out between business chiefs and the South Australian Government over its city parking tax.

The tax is aimed at getting more commuters onto public transport, but businesses will pay first and are likely to pass it onto motorists at up to $30 extra a week.

Today Transport Services Minister Chloe Fox helped launch a free bus service to North Adelaide with the help of Adelaide Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood – but the two have very different views on the issue.

Carparking levy set to hit workers: Report

The mayor opposes the new parking levy.

“We think it’s the wrong tax and the wrong time, obviously the economy is doing it tough,” Mr Yarwood said.

But the minister is a strong supporter.

“The people who run the car parks are not poor, they are the big end of town,” Ms Fox said.

But the so-called ‘big end of town’ said it is not responsible for the state budget woes.

“Business doesn’t make a habit of going bankrupt as some government tend to do,” developer Theo Makris said.

It comes as the state’s economic credentials are firmly in the spotlight with the state Opposition claiming yet another major ratings agency is critical of our recent performance.

“It’s apples for apples across Australia and South Australia is at the bottom of the pack,” Opposition leader Steven Marshall said.