Oxford Street is struggling with a downturn in trade. Credit:Danielle Smith "What is the tunnel going to cost, who is going to pay for it, and what has the state government's response been?" the Liberal candidate for mayor, Christine Forster, asked Cr Vithoulkas at the debate hosted by the Property Council on Friday morning. Also at the debate were the lord mayor, Clover Moore, Labor candidate Linda Scott and Greens candidate Lindsay Johnston. Cr Vithoulkas replied: "Obviously I have not looked at the costing budget of that, yes, that would be a state government cost for resolving something that is a Sydney issue. "This is a policy, it's not legislation," she said. "I think it is a great idea. As I said, it is a bodacious idea but we need something exciting to happen."

Angela Vithoulkas runs a cafe and a radio business. Credit:Louise Kennerley Cr Forster's policy to revive Oxford Street was also aired at the debate. The Liberal councillor wants council-owned properties along Oxford Street to be leased by a commercial manager, along the lines of the "vastly successful model that we applied in the QVB," she said. "That is, offered an asset under a long-term lease to an operator who knows how to get retail, tenants, and to source them and to retain them and to get them in there," Cr Forster said. Liberal councillor Christine Forster challenged Cr Vithoulkas about her idea. Credit:Daniel Munoz There is heightened interest in next month's City of Sydney elections, which will be the first to be run under controversial laws aimed at increasing the business vote.

Although Cr Moore, who won the 2012 election with about 50 per cent of the vote, remains favoured to win next month's poll, the addition of more than 20,000 "business" voters could reduce her authority over council. Social housing minister Brad Hazzard announced the transfer of 18,000 public housing units to the community sector on Thursday. Credit:Edwina Pickles One of the other controversial issues for the election is the state government's proposed development programs at Waterloo and between Central and Eveleigh. Cr Moore has expressed alarm at the mooted densities of the developments, and on Friday outlined her case for the City of Sydney to be involved in the schemes. "We are well experienced in high-density super-projects," Cr Moore said. "Green Square is an exemplar, and it will when completed be the most densely populated area in the country.

"We're putting in $530 million worth of infrastructure, we will have beautiful streets, there are 40 parks ... there will be a beautiful aquatic centre, library, childcare. "At the City of Sydney we know how to do density well and we've been able to take the city on a journey with us," she said. Cr Scott, however, criticised the City for not providing enough open space. She said Labor would aim to cover 20 per cent of the City of Sydney area with open space by 2025. According to the council, about 15 per cent of the council area is currently filled with parks and open space. Roads Minister Duncan Gay said he was not sure how much thought Cr Vithoulkas had put into the tunnel "thought bubble".

"I'm sure the public would like to know which parts of Hyde Park or Centennial Park the project would impact and whether it would affect the war memorial precinct or local businesses," Mr Gay said. "I look forward to seeing a detailed proposal to determine whether this tunnel is even physically possible, considering the Eastern Distributor already runs under Oxford Street."