❓ Hon. Simon Ehrenfeld questions the Treasurer regarding consistent overestimation of budget expenditure cuts over six years. The Treasurer's response deflects, stating forecasts beyond the budget year don't represent a policy of expenditure cuts.
AnsweredQoN 266Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Budget forecasts
266. Hon Simon Ehrenfeld to the parliamentary
secretary representing the Treasurer:
I refer to the state government's six-year practice since
2021 of presenting the budget estimates with a significant overall expenditure
cut in the first year ranging from 4.3% to 7.4%, yet delivering significant
expenditure growth in each of those years.
(1) Can the Treasurer inform us of any
previous occasions the state budget expenditure has been cut by 5% or more?
(2) Given the state government's failure
to meet those forecast budget expenditure cuts, what was the reason it
persisted with such estimates for six years?
266. Hon Simon Ehrenfeld to the parliamentary
secretary representing the Treasurer:
I refer to the state government's six-year practice since
2021 of presenting the budget estimates with a significant overall expenditure
cut in the first year ranging from 4.3% to 7.4%, yet delivering significant
expenditure growth in each of those years.
(1) Can the Treasurer inform us of any
previous occasions the state budget expenditure has been cut by 5% or more?
(2) Given the state government's failure
to meet those forecast budget expenditure cuts, what was the reason it
persisted with such estimates for six years?
AnswerView source ↗
I answer on behalf
of the parliamentary secretary, who is out on urgent parliamentary business. The
following answer has been provided by the Treasurer.
(1)–(2) Fiscal outcomes are projected in the
state budget, revised in the midyear review and finalised in the Annual Report on State Finances . Forecast
contractions beyond the budget year in annual budgets do not represent a policy
of expenditure cuts.
of the parliamentary secretary, who is out on urgent parliamentary business. The
following answer has been provided by the Treasurer.
(1)–(2) Fiscal outcomes are projected in the
state budget, revised in the midyear review and finalised in the Annual Report on State Finances . Forecast
contractions beyond the budget year in annual budgets do not represent a policy
of expenditure cuts.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.