Budget loads future Queenslanders with debt, says Springborg

QUEENSLAND Opposition Lawrence Springborg has Labor as usurpers.

In his sixth Budget reply speech, Mr Springborg ( pictured) says Labor tricked people into voting for it at the January election by hiding its real Budget plans.

He says those secret plans included raiding public servant longservice leave entitlements, taking a Leader painted super contribution holiday, saddling government- owned corporations with more debt and forcing departments to find savings.

“This Budget is built on a false premise; this Budget is built on raiding reserves; this Budget is built on transferring debt to the future generations of Queenslanders,” Mr Springborg told Parliament.

“The debt is still there,

it

is

still waiting to be paid off.”

The Budget forecasts net debt to rise from $ 74.1 billion to $ 77.4 billion over the next four years. Mr Springborg’s address portrayed Labor as temporary usurpers with the LNP as the rightful govern- ment. He assessed the former LNP government’s policies and gave them a resounding tick of approval.

He added that the LNP would continue to develop the agriculture, resources, tourism, construction, manufacturing and knowledge- based sectors.

Treasurer Curtis Pitt said the Opposition Leader had failed to inspire or provide a new plan.

“It was a speech more about 2009 than it was about 2015; Mr Springborg is living in the past,” he said.

Mr Pitt was also concerned parts of the Budget had been leaked to the Opposition, saying the LNP clearly “ripped off” Labor policies.

“There are very serious rules about the ability to keep public information handled in an appropriate matter,” he said.