The Lennon Labor Government in Tasmania has this week demonstrated that the Rann Government’s stated reasons for delaying its budget are plain nonsense, Shadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today.
In announcing the Budget would be delayed until September, Mr Foley claimed it was because of the election:
“The delay’s occurring because we had a State election.”
Kevin Foley, ABC Radio, 6 April 2006
“We’re putting the budget back to September to ensure that a proper process is undertaken to give a good, strong, balanced budget for the state.”
Kevin Foley, ABC Radio, 6 April 2006
However, Tasmania had a state election on 18 March – the very same day as the South Australian state election – and yet its budget was delivered yesterday, June 15, more than three months before Mr Foley will deliver his budget!
“Tasmania has demonstrated that a budget can be delivered in the normal timeframe by a re-elected Government if it doesn’t have on its hands a budget crisis of its own making,” Mr Lucas said.
“The Liberal Party warned before the election that there was a massive black hole in Labor’s election promise costings – costings that weren’t even independently checked.
“It’s clear that Labor’s budget has been delayed until September simply to give Mr Rann and Mr Foley an opportunity to work out how many election promises they will break to combat massive capital works budget blowouts and massive unfunded election promises.
“Mr Rann and Mr Foley have already gone back on their election promise to quarantine health, education, police, correctional services, and families and communities from their promised 2% ‘efficiency dividend’.
“The announcement in May that 400 public servants would be cut proved the lie that public service cuts wouldn’t be needed to fund Labor’s election commitments.
“It is unprecedented for a budget to be delayed as late as September and is a clear indication of the extent of the budget crisis facing South Australia.
“This year’s delayed budget of broken promises will once again demonstrate that Labor cannot be trusted when it comes to the state’s finances.”