Northern Territory Shadow Treasurer John Elferink

$150 MILLION RAZOR GANG

Victor P Taffa

The Treasurer must back up with details her claim she will slash $150 Million from the Northern Territory budget this financial year!

Shadow Treasurer, John Elferink, said the Government’s financial mismanagement has forced it to take drastic measures to turn the Budget around.

But Territorians will be the ones forced to pay for years of excessive spending by the Labor Party.

“It’s not enough just to say you’re going to make cuts, Territorians deserve to know from where the cuts will be made.” Mr. Elferink said.

“In the budget report she tabled late on Thursday, the Treasurer was at pains to paint the Government’s budgetary failures in a positive light.”

“But it’s difficult to be positive with a set of numbers that includes”:

• A $1.5 Billion current net debt will blow out to $2.8billion in 2014-15.
• A predicted $729 Million deficit in the year 2013.
• A net debt to revenue ratio of 62% by 2014-15.
• A failure to outline a timeframe to return the budget to surplus.

“Delia Lawrie says she will be able to cut the budget by $150 Million through a public sector staffing cap, an increased efficiency dividend and a 2% budget re-prioritisation.”

“The Government has already failed in its bid to freeze public service numbers – now Delia Lawrie’s planning to slash and burn the bureaucracy.”

“This will mean fewer frontline public servants and the running-down of our public services.” Mr. Elferink said.