The McGowan Government has delivered a budget of misery and pain for Western Australians without any reduction in debt over the forward estimates.
“The State Budget is full of broken promises that will ultimately cost jobs and damage our State’s economy,” Member for Moore Shane Love MLA said.
“And despite all the pain there will be no decrease in State debt under Labor – it will increase by $11 billion over four years.”
Mr Love said the McGowan Government will cut $861 million from Royalties for Regions to pay for essential government services in regional WA, freeing up funds to pay for their Perth election commitments.”
“Royalties for Regions was created to revitalise communities that had been neglected for many years under successive State Governments but was now nothing more than a slush fund for Labor to free up funding for Perth projects,” Mr Love added.
“The priorities for the Labor Government are clear, they are focussed on delivering Metronet, city cycle paths and marinas, while our communities see funding for childcare, aged care and Community Resource Centres cut.
“Recurrent expenditure for teachers, subsidies for the delivery of water services, general road spending, have all been shunted into the Royalties for Regions program.”
Nationals WA Leader Mia Davies said it was clear the McGowan Government had no financial plan and the Budget showed the Premier cannot be trusted. “Mr McGowan promised no new taxes, no fee increases to ordinary West Australians and that he would create more jobs to stimulate the economy,” Ms Davies said.
Member for the Agricultural Region Hon Martin Aldridge said the Premier rejected The Nationals proposal to raise $7.2 billion through an increase to the 25c special lease rental paid by Rio Tinto and BHP, preferring to slug ordinary West Australians with the financial burden.
“The McGowan Government have failed to deliver on their promises and regional Western Australians will suffer the most,” Mr Aldridge added.
