The Liberal Government’s first Budget is a classic case of giving with one hand and taking with other.

Labor Leader Bryan Green today described it as a deceptive and dangerous budget framed entirely to cover the cost of the Liberal’s reckless pre-election spending promises.

“Hundreds of Tasmanians will lose their jobs, thousands more will have their wages cut and essential public services are under serious threat,” Mr Green said.

“The Liberals bought their way into Government and now the Tasmanian community will have to pay.

“Just as Tony Abbott lied to get elected this budget makes it very clear Will Hodgman lied to the Tasmanian people at the last election.

“It is the most politicised and misleading budgets that I have ever seen.

“Despite the pain this budget will inflict on Tasmanians, the reality is the Government only has enough money to pay for one-fifth of its election promises over the next year.

“A big question mark hangs over whether the Liberals will fulfil all their promises because this big spending budget clearly shows the Government is living beyond its means.

“That’s why the Liberals are cutting $210 million from hospitals, clawing back $148 million from public schools and stripping $42 million from Tasmania’s police force.

“The devil is in the detail of this budget and Tasmanians will see it for what it is an irresponsible, dishonest and dangerous budget.

“You cannot make three quarters of a billion dollars’ worth of cuts to the size of an economy like Tasmania without dire consequences for the community

“Peter Gutwein has misled Tasmanians because the truth is he knew the state of the budget well before the election but the Liberals still went on a spending spree regardless.

“It’s easy to make promises, honouring them is a completely different matter and this ticking time bomb of a budget will blow up in the face of the Government.

“There is no vision for the Tasmanian economy in this budget beyond the Liberals’ own political self-interest and that is a recipe for disaster.”
Bryan Green MP Labor Leader