Media Release

Peter Gutwein MP
Shadow Treasurer

Saturday 13th February 2010

Giddings stuffs up spending announcement

Lara Giddings has scored an embarrassing own goal today. In a feeble attempt at pretending Labor aren’t the spendaholics we all know them as, she quite clearly points out that in just one day Labor has managed to rack up a staggering $173.5 million worth of promises.

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

Furthermore, she has further embarrassed herself and Labor by conceding that the $130 million announced yesterday for the Launceston General Hospital is really only a $78 million commitment over the next four years and likewise the $90 million rural roads fund announced last weekend is really only $67 million, with the rest of the money put off on the never-never.

Both announcements were a deliberate attempt to deceive Tasmanians and Lara Giddings has let the cat out of the bag.

In yet another embarrassing back flip, Lara Giddings confirmed that the Liberals aren’t spending $2.5 billion, as Labor has previously claimed. Ms Giddings comments today confirm that the Liberal figure of $274 is correct and accurate and I would like to personally thank Ms Giddings for effectively, albeit accidentally, ending the nasty scare campaign that Labor had been running.

It’s well known that if Labor continues to govern Tasmania Ms Giddings wants to dump the Health portfolio and take on another ministry. Here’s hoping she never ends up becoming Treasurer.

The Liberals’ have announced election commitments of $274 million over the past eight months in areas like health, education and infrastructure, which are fully costed and fully funded.