Coalition's election promises to be properly accounted for

15/11/96

Deputy Liberal Leader Colin Barnett today said the Coalition's election promises would be openly and properly accounted for, unlike Labor Party promises, which were already mounting into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

"The Labor Party has yet to explain how any of its election promises will be funded despite a challenge to do so by the Premier some time ago," Mr Barnett said.

"On the other hand, on Monday, for the first time in an election campaign in Western Australia, we will open the State's financial books for all to see.

"From then, at the end of each week of the election campaign, we will track the extent of Labor's unfunded promises by using a barometer.

"The people of WA need to remember that they have paid a high price for Labor's bad financial management and unfunded election promises of the 1980s and early '90s.

"Just four years ago, we were borrowing money to pay for school maintenance.

"Net State debt was growing by hundreds of millions of dollars each year when we took over government, but since then the Coalition has reduced net State debt by $1.9 billion.

"The people of WA cannot afford to rely on the unfunded election promises of the Labor Party."

Mr Barnett said that when the State's financial books were opened on Monday, they would show that all the Coalition's election promises were fully funded.

"We believe that many of Labor's election promises cannot be funded, but we will reserve judgement until the financial books are opened," he said.

"After this, I will hold a media conference weekly to show the people of WA the extent of Labor's unfunded promises."

Media contact: Justine Whittome (09) 222 9699