Andrew Wilkie: Ideology and parochialism ahead of the public interest

A STATEMENT ON THE STATE BUDGET

This is a disappointing State Budget because it puts ideology and parochialism ahead of the public interest.

Balancing the budget over the long term is obviously necessary. But to fast-track a surplus at the expense of frontline services, including teachers, nurses and pathway planners, is putting money ahead of people. Moreover organisations like Ambulance Tasmania and the Parks and Wildlife Service still remain chronically under-resourced. Surely it would have been much better to restore last year’s cuts and delay the return to surplus by a year or two.

That the weight of stimulus spending is in the north and north-west is reckless politicking. The whole state is under pressure right now, and in fact youth unemployment is higher in the south-east than it is in the north-west. The three amigos might hope to score a political windfall from this budget at the next federal election, but what about the 80 unemployed Cadbury workers, for example?

The State Government has also missed a golden opportunity to do the rail revitalisation project properly, instead of the half-baked rebuild which is the outcome we’re stuck with. The additional $60m from Canberra has gone begging, at least for now.
Independent Member for Denison Andrew Wilkie