Will Hodgman and Peter Gutwein claimed that their savage $450 million in cuts would come from consultants, advertising and travel. But since the May Budget, they've announced millions of dollars of new consultancies.
In recent months they have paid $200,000 for 'advice on bus contracts', $521,000 for advice about selling the Treasury buildings, $59,000 for a study of traffic movements on the Southern Outlet, and $64,000 for a consultant to advise them to spend a further $762,000 on a feasibility study for a western bypass in Hobart.
The Liberals have further plans to spend big on projects like:
- The Northern Suburbs Transit Corridor 'preferred transport mode study',
- The Hobart Transport Vision
- Macquarie Point Car Park Stage 3
- The community consultation for the northern prison
Shadow Treasurer David O'Byrne said the Government's budget was in an absolute mess, and Tasmanians were having to pay.
"Peter Gutwein and Will Hodgman have wrecked the budget and Treasury has warned that we are now in a debt spiral that could see debt blow out to $30 billion," Mr O'Byrne said.
"The Liberals promised to protect frontline jobs from their savage $450 million budget cuts and instead take the axe to consultants.
"But they have done the exact opposite and we've seen massive spending announcements on consultants over the past few months.
"The Liberals are not cutting consultants as they promised and we know that $35 million of cruel cuts will hit frontline services and jobs, with $400 million more to come."
David O'Byrne MP
Shadow Treasurer
