Government department heads to roll under elected Country Liberal Party Government

Government Department bosses would face the sack if they failed to spend within their means under a Country Liberal Party government, the Territory Opposition has announced.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro says spendthrift department heads would roll under an elected CLP government. Picture: Che Chorley

GOVERNMENT Department heads would face the sack if they failed to spend within their means under a Country Liberal Party government, the Territory Opposition has announced.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said CLP government ministers would issue formal notice flagging controls on expenditure when it became clear a department or agency had blown its budget.

MORE TOP NT NEWS

• CLP considers preferencing Labor above Territory Alliance again over fracking backflip
• Territory Alliance deputy leader Robyn Lambley slams CLP over preferences revelations
• Territory Alliance proposes $150m pipeline project between Top End dams if elected

Ms Finocchiaro said if necessary, closely monitored expenditure reduction plans would be implemented and if all else failed, the government would terminate the chief executive’s contract while leaving room for cabinet approved overspends.

“A prudent Country Liberal Government will increase accountability of Chief Executives through a range of measures,” she said.

“We need to send a clear message that it is not acceptable to routinely run over budget.”

Ms Finocchiaro said a clause stipulating the consequences for budge blowouts would be included in new CEO employment contracts.

“This policy goes to the heart of the Langoulant Report’s recommendations, of which a key one is strengthening ministerial and executive accountability for agency financial performance,” she said.

“Chief executives need to be accountable for spending and we will drive the cultural change that’s required.”

Ms Finocchiaro said “after four years of the Gunner Government our budget is in total disrepair and our economy weak”.

“When the Langoulant Report was delivered the Chief Minister made a lot of tough talk about holding chief executives to account but has done absolutely nothing to address the issue,” she said.

New NT News subscription offer: $1 a week for first 12 weeks

“We need to fix the budget and rebuild the economy and that starts with accountability for the spending of public money.

“These accountability measures will set a standard for how a prudent Country Liberal Government will operate.”