Significant Savings in Ministerial and Premier’s Department spending

Since coming in to Government we have been determined to fix the budget mess and put the budget back on track to surplus.

We have demonstrated fiscal discipline and a commitment to our savings targets, because we understand that by getting the budget back on track we can better invest in the services Tasmanians need.

Significant savings have been made in a number of areas, including:

• Supplies and Consumables: As a result of prudent management, this expenditure has reduced by 18.3 per cent across Ministerial offices. In the year to March 2015, spending was $283,817 compared to $347,520 by the previous Government. In the Department of Premier and Cabinet, there has been a 15.7 per cent reduction in spending, saving $244,404. In the year to March 2015, spending was $1,315,624, compared to $1,560,027 a year prior.

• Entertainment: The entertainment expenses for Ministers and Ministerial Offices for the 12 months to March 2015 is lower than the three years of the previous Government. With fiscal discipline, staff have spent $36,114. The previous Government spent an average of $49,356 across the three years to March 2014, with the biggest spend of $65,092 in the year from April 2013 to March 2014. Entertainment expenses for the Department of Premier and Cabinet has also decreased from $26,326 in the year to March 2014, to $7,311 in the year to March 2015.

• Ministerial staff: Staff numbers have decreased overall from 81 FTE to 76.8 FTE, and the operational costs of the Premier’s Office and Government Media Unit were $3.043 million in 2014-15 compared with $3.2 million under the prior two years of the previous Government.

• Communications: We have reduced the number of staff in the Media Unit from 12 FTE under Labor and the Greens in March 2014, compared to seven under the Liberal Government as at March 2015. In addition, Department of Premier and Cabinet spending on communications has decreased from $630,195 to $439,539, and the move to a whole of Government media monitoring contract has reduced costs by almost $2,000 per month.

• Ministerial Transport Services: We have reduced the number of permanent drivers from 16 to 11 FTEs. This has allowed us to set a course to reach our 20 per cent savings target, and reduce operating costs by $500,000 by the 2015-16 financial year. The use of Ministerial taxis has also decreased by 22.56 per cent.

• Vehicle Fleet and Fringe Benefit Tax: The Government has reduced the vehicle fleet costs by 9.37 per cent, saving $30,249 in the year from April 2014 to March 2015, compared to the previous year. Three vehicles were returned and not replaced and the total Fringe Benefits Tax payable reduced by 52.96 per cent, a $23,206 saving.

By making these savings we can better invest in essential services like health, education and public safety.
Will Hodgman, Premier