Leader of the Opposition

LIA FINOCCHIARO MLA
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MEDIA RELEASE
7th May 2020

Gunner Government hides so called ‘budget repair’ that won’t happen because it won’t deliver 2020 Budget
 The Gunner Government has secretly released a ‘budget repair update’ showing many Langoulant report recommendations that won’t be implemented because there will be no 2020 Budget before the election. The Government promised to implement these recommendations, but its determination cancel the 2020 Budget before the election means there will be no action, Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said today.
 The secretly released update on the Government’s plan, ‘A PLAN TO FIX THE BUDGET implementation status update by agency – March Quarter 2020’ lists the 74 recommendations the Government chose to implement from the Langoulant report, yet the Government has claimed more than 20 would be implemented in the 2020 Budget. If the Government doesn’t produce a Budget, the commitment to implement these recommendations will fail.
 “The Gunner Government appears to have secretly released this report, because it knows how important the 2020 Budget is for these reforms. Because the Budget is a political liability, the Government has cancelled it under the cover of COVID-19,” Mrs Finocchiaro said.
 “The recommendations the Government said would be implemented in the 2020 Budget include things like publishing extra budget data, rewarding agencies that spend within their approved Budget, enhancing evaluation requirements for government programs, developing timeframes for decision making processes, mandating sunset clauses in new programs, public reporting and several others.
 “The Langoulant report made recommendations that that will improve government processes in the Territory. Because the Gunner Government is hiding behind COVID-19, it will fail to implement recommendations.
 “No wonder the Government tried to hide this implementation status update. It shows how reform will be slowed because of the Chief Minister’s arrogant decision to cancel the 2020 Budget prior to the election, stopping accountability and transparency on the management of the Territory’s finances,” Mrs Finocchiaro concluded.
 The update can be found here.
ENDS

"Only together can we build a better Territory for you and your family.”

- LIA FINOCCHIARO MLA, Leader of the Country Liberal Party and member for Spillett