The Liberals have completely lost control of the state budget.
Just a day after respected independent economist Saul Eslake showed Tasmania’s finances are on track to be the worst in the nation within three years, a member of the Liberal-Lambie coalition has now threatened to tear up their coalition agreement and vote against the budget.
Speaking on ABC radio this morning, Jacqui Lambie Network MP Andrew Jenner said he would block the budget if it contained cuts to frontline services.
Despite the Liberals’ attempts to keep their $300 million of budget cuts hidden from Tasmanians, information being gradually exposed through Right to Information shows the Liberals do indeed have plans to cut frontline services.
Heavily redacted documents obtained from the Department of Premier and Cabinet show ongoing cuts are proposed for at least one frontline DPAC service , while “staffing efficiencies” in the unit have also been proposed.
This follows information released by the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management which shows the Liberals’ “efficiency dividend” will require $35 million to be cut from the agency, including from critical services like the Triple Zero line, and will result in frontline police officers being taken off the beat.
And that followed a leaked memo from the Department of Health which showed vacancy control being implemented in a range of frontline health services.
Not only are these cuts threatening to blow apart the Liberals’ coalition with the Jacqui Lambie Network, but Mr Eslake’s report also outlined that vacancy control measures, and efficiency dividends are extremely lazy and a poor means of achieving meaningful and lasting savings.
The Liberals have completely lost control of the state’s finances. Now they’re losing control of their coalition partners and the entire budget process, it’s hard to see how they can possibly get the finances back on track
Josh Willie MP
Shadow Treasurer
