Consultancies up 5%, but weren’t they meant to be down?
Despite promises before the last election to slash consultancies, Labor has reached near record levels of spending on them, according to Liberal Senator Gary Humphries.
It has been revealed that Labor have spent $454 million on consultancies in their first full year in office, yet Labor prior to the last election said in relation to consultancies that “Complacency and lack of discipline by the Howard Government has allowed unnecessary spending to flourish,” (Lindsay Tanner, then Shadow Minister for Finance, 2 March 2007, see attached Media Release).
“It’s no real surprise really, ever since their election we have seen them embark upon record spendathons, taking us further and further into debt,” said Senator Humphries.
“Labor hand-on-heart guaranteed that they would reduce consultancies by $395 million, however we have actually seen a 5% increase on the last financial year.
“There’s a serious downside here for Canberra. Spending put on the credit card eventually has to be repaid, and the pain of that will be felt particularly in Canberra as programmes and jobs get cut.
“This is a government who cannot get itself into order, which promises the world but hasn’t the wherewithal to work out how to deal with the realities.
“Labor must immediately get their house in order and stop this chaotic situation.
“However, I suspect that this is a sign of the future; when it comes to repaying the enormous debt, Labor will not have the ability to make the tough decisions and reign in spending.
“Labor need to get back to basics and focus on real local solutions,” concluded Senator Humphries.
10 November 2009
Josh Manuatu
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GARY HUMPHRIES : STANDING UP FOR CANBERRA
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