Liberal Government will regret mindless budget cuts

Shadow Primary Industries Minister David Llewellyn today warned the Liberal Government that it will rue the day it abolishes independent bodies that assess approvals of key infrastructure projects.

“Instead of cutting red tape, what the Liberals are doing sounds a red alert,” Mr Llewellyn said.

“The Government will regret scrapping bodies like the Assessment Committee for Dam Construction (ACDC) and the Marine Farming Review Panel as revealed at Budget Estimates hearings.

“These independent bodies have the knowledge and expertise that provide social and environmental security and take the politics out of the approval processes.

“This has given the community and businesses confidence that projects are safe and sustainable but now that is being taken away.

“Another serious consequence will be the greater burden placed on already stretched resources within the Department of Primary Industries.

“The Government clearly has not thought through these cuts properly.

“The only motivation is so that it can show savings in the budget to pay for its extravagant election promises,” Mr Llewellyn said.
David Llewellyn MP Shadow Minister for Primary Industries