Sky News host Peter Gleeson says carparking fees in Australian city centres are “highway robbery” and need to be reduced to encourage people to re-enter the CBD and boost the inner-city economy.

“The economic vagaries of a pandemic bring with it many challenges and we are seeing the states and territories face up to those with their budgets being handed down right now,” Mr Gleeson said.

Mr Gleeson said the pandemic exposed “the fragility of inner-city CBD economies”.

“It has also spawned a massive shift to the regions, as we’ve outlined on this show in recent months,” he said.

“If decision makers want to get people back to the CBDs of our nation, they need to look at carparking fees.

“Carparking fees in city centres are simply highway robbery. I paid $66 for a one hour 40-minute lunch at a city carpark the other day.

“Cost me more to park than the food. How can anybody justify that?

“Something needs to be done about city carpark fees. Maybe the government could step in and subsidise the first three hours free as they do in suburban shopping centres.

“When JobKeeper goes in March, we need a quick start. That means getting people back into our cities.”