Elizabeth Lee, Andrew Barr: Canberra Liberals call for Budget audit

ACT Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee has called for an independent audit into the territory’s spending, one day ahead of the Budget release date. Here’s why.

ACT Opposition leader Elizabeth Lee has called for an independent audit into the territory’s spending one day ahead of the budget release date.

Ms Lee will put forward a motion in favour of the audit, which she hopes to see completed by the end of 2022.

She criticised Chief Minister Andrew Barr’s track record as Treasurer, stating he had not delivered a surplus since the 2012-13 financial year.

ACT Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee has called for an audit of the ACT Budget. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

Mr Barr has been the ACT’s treasurer since 2011 and retained the portfolio after rising to the top job in 2014.

“The rate of growth in net debt is unsustainable as the ACT must continue to borrow more to fund future liabilities,” Ms Lee said.

“With net debt forecast to rise to $9 billion by 2024-25, it is incumbent on the Labor-Greens government to be open and transparent with Canberrans about the true state of the territory’s finances and have a proper plan to bring the budget back into a manageable position.”

In response to Ms Lee’s calls for an audit Mr Barr accused Ms Lee of playing “the conservative handbook” of the likes of Tony Abbott, Joe Hockey and former Queensland Premier Campbell Newman.

“Former Queensland Premier Campbell Newman used an ‘independent Budget audit’ to cut 14,000 thousand public service jobs in that state,” He said.

“And now (Ms Lee) is showing her hand and following the path set by other conservative leaders in this country.

“Canberrans know how this works, and it raises the inevitable question for the Opposition Leader – what does she want to cut?

“If given the chance, would she cut health funding? Education funding? Public transport funding? Community services funding?”

ACT Chief Minister and Treasurer Andrew Barr has slammed Elizabeth Lee’s call for a budget audit. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

Speaking to the press on Monday, Ms Lee described Mr Barr’s retort as a “typical response” because he had been “called out for his failures as treasurer over the last decade.

“The fact he has gone on the attack … just goes to show how closed minded he is,” she said.

“We know this government has produced budget after budget that is completely opaque.

“They are consistently comparing apples to oranges, and pulling the wool over the public’s eyes and it cannot continue.”

Ms Lee said while she understood the ACT had a small parliament which required ministers to hold multiple portfolios, there was a “significant” question to be answered about a single person holding the positions of Chief Minister and Treasurer.

“That is something which obviously needs to be looked at and I’m open minded about what that might look like,” Ms Lee said.

“When you have a look at this Labor-Greens government and its mismanagement of the finances over the last 20 years it’s so much more than just ‘OK if we split the treasury and chief minister portfolios apart it will fix it’.

“There is a huge culture of secrecy, a culture of fear and a culture that has resulted in the most opaque communications from the government to the community in the country.”