Budget built on broken promises
Posted: Friday, 8 June 2012 | By: John Robertson
The shocking announcement today that another 10,000 workers will lose their jobs and speeding fines will increase by a staggering 12.5 per cent under Barry O'Farrell, confirms next week's budget will be built on lies and broken promises.
"Barry O'Farrell promised 'more public servants, not less' but today he has broken that promise and axed 10,000 jobs," said Opposition Leader, John Robertson.
"In Opposition Barry O'Farrell promised to rip out speed cameras and stop the revenue raising – but today he has announced that speeding fines will increase by 12.5 per cent, gouging an extra $100 million a year from motorists.
"It's becoming clear that next week's budget will be built on lies and broken promises.
"First it was electricity privatisation, and then it was hunting in National Parks, now it is 10,000 jobs cuts, more speed cameras and higher fines.
"The people of NSW can no longer take this Premier at his word.
"The 10,000 jobs cuts are in addition to the 5,000 announced in last year's budget and will cut our schools, hospitals and police stations to the bone.
"You can't cut 15,000 workers without impacting on the essential services we all rely on.
"Before the election the Premier promised not to privatise electricity generators – but last week he sold out the households and businesses of NSW and passed legislation to sell the State's power stations.
"Barry O'Farrell pledged not to do deals with the minor parties and never to allow hunting in National Parks – but last week, the Premier gave the Shooters and Fishers Party free reign in our National Parks as part of a deal to buy their vote.
"The increase in speeding fines comes on top of the Premier's decision last week to flood NSW roads with an extra 109 fixed speed camera, 39 new mobile speed cameras and turn back on seven speed cameras he decommissioned last year after saying they were revenue raisers.
"The Premier lied to the people of NSW about what he planned to do in Government and the families of NSW are now paying the price.
"Barry O'Farrell's broken promises are hurting working people."
O'Farrell's broken promises on the record
"We will need more public servants, not less." – Fate of our State debate, February 24 2011
"I can't envision a situation where we would have more [speed cameras]." - ABC News, 7 April 2011.
"There will not be a decision to turn our national parks into hunting reserves." - Sydney Morning Herald, 13 April 2011
''We have absolutely no plans to privatise either the generators or the poles and wires." Lithgow Mercury, 28 January 2011
"We have no intention of doing deals with the minor parties." - Sydney Morning Herald, 13 April 2011
Tags: Barry O'Farrell, budget, environment, Industrial relations, jobs, John Robertson, National Parks, speed cameras