Treasurer Peter Gutwein has been caught red handed misleading Parliament about his plan to raid Special Deposits and Trust Funds to plug his $560 million budget black hole.
Yesterday Mr Gutwein said clearly: “We will definitely not be raiding Trust Funds.”
Today it has been revealed funds including the Housing Fund, the Infrastructure Tasmania Fund and the Hospital Capital Fund will be raided as Mr Gutwein looks in every corner for cash to cover his budget mismanagement and incompetence.
“Mr Gutwein is obviously desperate for cash if he is going to this extent to plug his half-a-billion-dollar black hole,” Shadow Treasurer Scott Bacon said.
“The Treasurer needs to tell Tasmanians how much money he will raid from Special Deposits and Trust Funds to make his bottom line look better and cover up his reckless spending when he releases his budget on May 23.
“Mr Gutwein will try anything to con Tasmanians about his irresponsible spending and rampant mismanagement.
“The Treasurer will not guarantee a budget surplus this year or in any year to come, he has refused to rule out cuts to jobs and essential services, just as he has not ruled out raiding Government Business Enterprises.
“Tasmanians should be very clear – Treasurer Gutwein has repeatedly said this week that he will ‘cut the cloth’ in this year’s budget and that is shorthand for a program of slashing jobs and services.”
Scott Bacon MP
Shadow Treasurer
