Liberals cement their place as Budget wreckers

• Liberal Party has today confirmed their position as financial wreckers by opposing the Government changes to the gold royalty rate
• Liberal Party to make WA households bear the brunt of budget repair
• These actions directly put at risk the State's credit rating
• Latest in a long list of budget repair measures that the Liberals have argued against 

The Liberal Party has today continued its complete disregard for the state of the finances by deciding to support a disallowance motion in the Legislative Council to block the Government's proposed changes to the gold royalty rate.

Their decision continues their opposition to budget repair and returns almost $400 million to the debt mountain they created and confirms their guiding philosophy as that of budget wreckers.

This is the latest in a line of budget repair measures that the Opposition have refused to support. As well as the changes to the gold royalty, the Liberal Party have also opposed:

• The Government's $1,000 wages policy;
• Increases to household fees and charges;
• $100 rebate cap for local government rates and water service charges;
• Means testing of seniors' concessions;
• Early cessation of the First Home Owner Grant Boost; and the
• Point of Consumption wagering tax.  

This amounts to more than $1 billion in budget repair measures that the Opposition do not support.

As well as declaring their opposition for budget savings measure outlined in the Budget, they have also voted to repeal their savings measures introduced while they were in government. Their decision to reinstate motor vehicle licensing concessions for local governments cost the State almost $10 million.

The Liberal and National parties' petulance also places the State's credit rating at further risk. The Treasurer is due to meet with rating agency Standard and Poor's tomorrow (October 11), who have already placed the State on 'negative outlook', because of the previous government's lack of conviction when it came to implementing their own budget savings measures.

Comments attributed to Treasurer Ben Wyatt:

"People voted for the Liberal Party because they once saw them as a sensible party which could make adult decisions for the good of the State. Those people have been let down today by a group of craven opportunists intent on destroying the State's finances for supposed political gain.

"Opposition leader Mike Nahan has today cast off any remaining shred of financial credibility. Clearly not satisfied with the damage he caused while destroying the State's finances as Treasurer, Mike Nahan has now added nearly $400 million back onto the State's debt while Opposition leader.

"The reality of the situation is that the decision of the Liberal and National parties will heap further pressure on WA households. They have decided to side with a very profitable industry over WA families.

"In government, the Liberal and National parties could never make the tough decisions needed to correct the direction of the State; this affliction continues to grip them in Opposition.

"The idea that the Government should simply find an alternative revenue source, arguably one that impacts on no-one while also raising billions of dollars is quite simply laughable. It shows the naïve political fantasy land that the Liberal Party now inhabits."

Treasurer's office - 6552 5900