GUNNER’S FACELESS HIT SQUAD

Backroom staff ordered public service cuts Ministers kept in the dark Key budget committee scrapped

MINISTERS in the Gunner Government have been kept in the dark about the extent of proposed cuts to their departments, the Sunday Territorian can reveal.

Public servants appear to be taking their orders to cut costs from faceless men in Chief Min- ister Michael Gunner’s office, rather than the relevant Cabinet ministers.

Senior Labor figures have expressed concern about the influence of those backroom staffers.

Some are suggesting the Budget process is in disarray.

MINISTERS in the Gunner Government have been kept in the dark about the extent of proposed cuts to their departments, the Sunday Territorian can reveal.

Public servants appear to be taking their orders to cut costs from faceless men in Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s office, rather than the relevant Cabinet ministers.

Senior Labor figures have expressed concern about the influence of those back-room staffers, with some suggesting the Budget process is in disarray.

The Sunday Territorian understands the Government has not established an expenditure review committee – a key process that ensures proposals brought to Cabinet are able to be paid for without blowing the budget.

A highly-placed Government source suggested reports in the NT News last week, revealing plans to slash public service positions, came as a shock to some ministers, who will ultimately have to sign off on those cuts.

Department chief executives have been given hard figures – one department was told to cut more than $15 million from its annual budget – directly from staff in Mr Gun- ner’s office.

“Things are not gelling properly,” the source said. “There are issues in the way Government and the departments communicate.”

Last week, Treasurer Nicole Manison (pictured) attempted to soft-pedal impending cuts and job losses in the public service by saying the Government was only looking for “efficiencies” from departments.

She could not rule out job losses and refused to provide a total figure for the amount of cash sought from the cuts.

In previous years, an expenditure review committee was established to set the economic direction of government, chaired by the Treasurer.

It would also price out individual ministers’ wishlists and ensure proposals taken to Cabinet could be paid for.

Labor has not convened that committee or replaced it with any other Budget oversight subcommittees.

“Treasury is going to be calling the shots on the Budget, that’s quite clear,” another source said.

The Government has refused to say how much money it has asked departments to cut, saying it will be revealed in the Budget, due on May 2.

Ms Manison said she had been involved in the Budget process and was the one to ask ministers to ask departments to make cuts.

Cabinet will ultimately decide on the final Budget, she added, “after the process”.

Cabinet Budget meetings are set for the end of February, which will give the Government less than two months to finalise the details.

Sources said they expect it to come out on time.

“It’s going to be a tough Budget,” Ms Manison said. “(But) make no mistake: I’m the Treasurer and I’m the one who’s developing the Budget.”

The frustration from some MLAs in Government over unelected faceless bureaucrats calling the shots has already boiled over. Last week Stuart MLA Scott McConnell quit his Parliamentary committee obligations, a month after saying “free thinkers” and the powerful fifth-floor cabal clash in “the system that exists”.