THE ACT government spent $446,000 to throw a party launching light rail and that’s got Liberal MLA Candice Burch hopping with indignation.

Ms Burch, the opposition’s transport spokesperson, says that under her questioning at Estimates hearings on Friday (June 21), government officials confirmed that $446,000 was spent on the launch party.

“The real cost of the light rail launch party has finally been revealed, and it is much greater than the $100,000 figure the government originally reported,: says Ms Burch.

“There are so many Canberrans who are in considerable financial distress because of Labor’s unyielding rates hikes.

“To learn that the Labor-Greens Government has spent almost half a million dollars of ratepayers’ money to throw a party is staggering.

“This is another example of how the government is so reckless with ratepayers’ money.

“Let’s not forget the thousands of Canberrans who are living in poverty, or the thousands of Canberrans, including children, who have had their bus taken away from them because the government says they don’t need it.

“I think many Canberrans would be shocked at this unnecessary expense.”