Fires eat up state coffers

Budget focus on health and education PREMIER Lara Giddings will not say who the winners and losers will be ahead of Thursday’s tight State Budget, but has promised the core sectors of infrastructure and health services will be among the financial priorities in 2013-14.

At a Budget preview in her Murray St office yesterday, Ms Giddings admitted the situation was worse than anticipated due to the January bushfires and the GST receipts shortfall that wiped millions from Government coffers.

‘‘We continue to face challenges in the economy that have resulted in a significant downturn in Commonwealth and state revenues,’’ she said.

‘‘These factors, coupled with unforeseen costs like the January bushfires, will make it harder to meet our fiscal targets.’’

The bushfires have cost the state

Education is the key to creating new opportunities, which is why we will fund the Gonski education reforms

$45 million and the Government has asked the Commonwealth for an additional $22 million.

The Premier said the Budget was future-focused with a commitment to funding two major reforms.

‘‘As I have already foreshadowed, we will be funding our share of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which is the most significant social policy reform since Medicare,’’ she said. ‘‘Education is the key to creating new opportunities, which is why we will fund the Gonski education reforms, in anticipation of striking a final agreement with the Federal Government in the near future.’’

She said ‘‘jobs, people and opportunities’’ were the focus for the second year running.

‘‘We want people to want to live here,’’ she said.

The Government has a clear plan to bring the Budget back from deficit, she said, but would not reveal how big the shortfall would be this year.

Police are unlikely to receive any extra dollars with the Premier confirming the current recruitment drive will be a one-off.

The public s ervice cuts announced last year have already been achieved with 1200 positions slashed.