The NSW Opposition has slammed Labor’s Budget of blame for delivering more deficits, higher taxes and less investment while ignoring the cost of living crisis.
Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said despite the Minns Labor Government’s taxes bringing in record revenues, NSW is facing more real cuts to overall health, education and infrastructure spending and a long line of deficits.
“Instead of helping struggling households and small businesses, Chris Minns is imposing more taxes and blaming everyone, from Canberra to Donald Trump, for his Government’s budget mismanagement instead of the real culprit – their unfunded deals with union bosses,” Mr Speakman said.
“Before the election, Labor promised that their union deals would cost the Budget nothing but they are costing at least $9 billion, and that’s without taking into account more than $6 billion in current union wage demands for which no money has been provided in this Budget.”
“This is a Government of excuses. Chris Minns’ broken promises mean less money for our schools and hospitals, less investment in our roads and key infrastructure and less cost of living support.”
Leader of the Nationals Dugald Saunders said this bleak Budget fails to consider the needs of NSW’s regional residents.
“There are concerning cuts to the money that will be rolled out by the Department of Regional NSW, including for natural disaster support, and hardly any new funding to combat biosecurity threats,” Mr Saunders said.
“Capital investment is also going backwards in the bush when it comes to schools and hospitals, so there’s no good news for our hard-working farmers and families.”
Shadow Treasurer Damien Tudehope said the Minns Labor Government was adding to the state’s debt burden, creating a line of deficits as far as the eye can see, while making farcical claims about the GST.
“Rather than blaming Canberra, Chris Minns and Daniel Mookhey need to look in the mirror for the reason behind their deficits,” said Mr Tudehope. “The Minns Labor Government have added more than $11.5 billion in deficits over the next four years, taking our net debt to $139 billion by June 2028 - more than doubling our interest payments to $8.6 billion a year.”
“Chris Minns and Daniel Mookhey attempts to blame Canberra for an alleged $11.9 billion GST rip-off is undone by their own Budget papers, which clearly say that ‘over the four years to 2027-28, GST revenue has been revised down by $6.2 billion’.”
“This Budget shows the cost of Labor’s union deals, with employee expenses set to blow out to at least 45.5% of Budget expenditure by 2026-27.”
Shadow Minister for Finance Eleni Petinos said the second Minns-Mookhey Budget delivers no relief for NSW households suffering from Labor’s cost of living crisis, instead increasing taxes.
“The Labor Government’s deficits now have NSW firmly on track to lose our AAA credit rating, while they’re hoping to get the people of this state to buy their spin.”
“This is a budget that sends NSW households and small businesses backwards, adding more than $6 billion extra tax in the next 3 years - it’s the same old Labor.”
Mr Speakman concluded by saying the Minns Labor Government’s Budget leaves families and households across NSW behind at a time when they should be supported by their Government.