The Opposition accused the Government of presenting an election Budget and doing nothing to reduce over-spending in areas noted by the Grants Commission.
It said the deficit was really $64 million, to be funded by reserves $28 million and borrowings of $36 million. The Government was now committed to borrow $212 million over five years.
Revenue was up $11 million this financial year, though the Government had said it would fall.
The Opposition finance spokesman, Trevor Kaine, said the program of 2 per cent across the board “”efficiencies” had been mindless. It was better to target cuts.
“”The Budget hurts the needy and gives more to the greedy,” he said.
Opposition Leader Kate Carnell said the Budget papers damned the Government on health.
She quoted the Budget paper’s warning from the Grants Commission which said ACT expenditure on health was $93 million above the Australian average that a major effort was needed to enable resources to be directed to improve quality in health and other services.
“”The over-spending is in administration,” she said.
The Government had thrown more money at it just to get the waiting list down for the election instead of reforming and pruning the administration.
The Opposition said the enclosed stadium in Tuggeranong costing $3.2 million was an example of the electioneering nature of the Budget.
The Opposition said it would need further time to consider the Budget and would give a more detailed response on Thursday.
The Opposition’s spokesman on legal matters, Gary Humphries, welcomed the part-time prison, but said in the long term the ACT should have its own jail, and consideration should be given to it being privately run.
The spokesman on business, Lou Westende, acknowledged there were no new taxes, but said there were no incentives to business. The Government should stop talking about the local-purchasing plan for government and “”establish it forthwith”.
Independent Michael Moore the Budget was do-nothing-to-rock-the-boat Budget.
“”In health the Government has once against fallen for poor and expensive administration and has increased the Budget,” he said. “”If the money was going to service delivery this government could claim to be a Labor Government.”
Independent Helen Szuty said the Budget was a reasonable one in the light of decreased Commonwealth funding. She thought, however, that the Government should not fund capital spending from the recurrent Budget, but borrow more for capital spending.