Treasurer Dominic Perrottet’s priority is cost of living, health and education in NSW Budget
TREASURER Dominic Perrottet has pledged a “people focused” Budget next month in which he will channel Coalition elder statesman Peter Costello. He said his priority would be families and their day-to-day challenges.
NSW
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TREASURER Dominic Perrottet has pledged a “people focused” Budget next month in which he will channel Coalition elder statesman Peter Costello.
Mr Perrottet said his priority would be families and their day-to-day challenges — including the cost of living, health and education — in the Berejiklian government’s election-year Budget.
And he vowed the government will keep its foot on the pedal for long-term infrastructure planning.
Mr Perrottet said he believed the budgets brought down by Mr Costello for John Howard’s federal government “met families where they were”, and he intended to do the same.
“This will be a Budget that delivers for today, but builds for tomorrow,” he said.
“There’s a pressure on family budgets with stagnant wage growth across the board.
“There’s no doubt that pressure on the family budget is being tested and from a state government perspective we’re looking at ways we can assist in alleviating some of that burden.”
Mr Perrottet said the Budget would share the proceeds of the state’s success would be shared.
“We are delivering for people today, passing on the dividends of our strong financial management,” he said.
Asked what would make this Budget different from last year’s — a health and education infrastructure budget — the Treasurer nominated its focus on putting people at the heart of every decision.
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Mr Perrottet said he drew inspiration from Mr Costello, Australia’s longest serving federal treasurer. “I always thought when Costello delivered a budget, you kind of felt he was meeting people where they were and they got it,” he said.
“It’s harder in Canberra because they are more disconnected than we are at the state level. We’re at the coalface of service delivery.”
Mr Perrottet said the government needed to emphasise to voters what would constitute success for the Budget.
“There’s always a challenge in communicating the message,” he said. “The problem with governments is they talk about the size of the spend as if that’s the success. No, it’s the outcome to people’s lives we need to talk about.”
Premier Gladys Berejiklian told The Daily Telegraph yesterday she was determined voters would be crystal clear on the exact benefits they would get out of the Budget. She called this “personalising the benefits”.
“It’s one thing to say you’re building a new metro, a new road, but what does it mean for someone?” Ms Berejiklian said.
“It means five hours extra time with your family every week.
“Similarly with some of the initiatives we’ve brought in the cost of living — what am I getting back from the government’s good work?
“I think it’s really important for us to make sure people feel we’re trying really hard to personalise and helping everyone feel they are part of the success of the state and we’re giving back.”