Media Release

Peter Gutwein MP
Shadow Treasurer

Saturday 15th January 2011

Has Giddings blown the budget?

With the Mid-Year Financial Report due within weeks, the Treasurer Lara Giddings must tell Tasmanians if once again the Government has blown the budget.

One of Michael Aird’s legacies to Tasmania was that he spent more than he budgeted in every single year he was Treasurer. In fact, in the four financial years between 2006-07 and 2009-10, Michael Aird overspent by nearly $800 million.

This is one of the reasons why Tasmania’s budget is in such a mess now.

The Tasmanian Liberals believe that strong financial discipline and leadership is needed now more than ever. If the Mid-Year Financial Report, due in a couple of weeks, indicates that the Government has spent more this year already than it has budgeted for, it will be a clear sign that Lara Giddings is just not up to the job. Especially as she has been a principal member of the Cabinet budget sub-committee which is partially responsible for managing the budget.

Tasmanians deserve to know whether or not Lara Giddings can stick to a budget. After all, it’s not her money she is spending, it’s taxpayers’ money and if we can’t trust her to stick to a budget, how can we trust her to rescue Tasmania’s economy?

So Treasurer, is the budget blown already and what are you going to do about it?