The Budget has been delayed until at least November but the Government has refused to release even a pre-election fiscal outlook.

For the first time in the NT’s history, voters will go to the polls with little detail about the state of the books.

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The Government had argued providing such information was impossible, given the carnage caused by the coronavirus and the enormous impact it will have – both on NT Government spending and the funding we receive from Canberra.

But Tasmania spoiled the party the Friday before last when it managed to release a detailed fiscal outlook.

It acknowledged the volatile conditions under which it had been prepared, but it still gave Tasmanians an idea of the economic mountain they would need to climb when we finally make our way to the other side of this crisis.

There are similarities of scale between Tasmania and the NT when it comes to governments, budgets and economies.

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In 2019/20, the NT Government budgeted revenue of $5.8 billion, expenses of $6.6 billion and the NT had gross state product of $26 billion. Over the same period, Tasmania had budgeted revenue of $6.4 billion, expenses of $6.3 billion and gross state product of $30 billion.

The big difference is that Tasmania entered this crisis with minimal debt, while the Territory’s financial situation has been deteriorating badly for years. Tasmania says it’s now looking at a debt of $2.3 billion by 2021-22. But in the Territory – with no Budget and no PEFO - we don’t have a clear picture.

When asked about the Tasmanian example, Treasurer Nicole Manison said the NT Government had a duty to put out “accurate information and not make stuff up”.

“We want real numbers, not fake numbers, so we can make the best decisions to protect Territorians,” she said.

These comments would have come as something of a shock to close observers of Territory politics, where rough enough has long been good enough when it comes to budgets.

This government’s own independent review – authored by former WA under-treasurer John Langoulant – found NT budgets had been treated more like (very) rough guides than serious financial plans.

“Successive Territory Governments have also approved a significant amount of funding outside the annual budget development process, which erodes the integrity of the Government’s fiscal strategy and targets,” the report stated.

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“These issues require urgent remediation through cultural change at both the agency and ministerial level.”

Although the Government clearly didn’t think that cultural change was too urgent.

Just months after the report was delivered, we learned it had given the Darwin Turf Club an unfunded $12 million grant to build a new grandstand at Fannie Bay.

That was just some of the $167 million of unbudgeted policy changes made between the May 2019 Budget and the end of June.

This Government came to power promising to be open and transparent.

But that’s not the only reason it needs to open its books.

We need to know the state of our finances so we can get an idea of how big the repair job will be. Between now and the election the major parties will need to tell Territorians exactly how they plan to tackle this crippling debt.

Which perks are they going to sacrifice to – eventually - bring us back into the black. Labor and the CLP have ruled out public service cuts, but will either party at least lock in Langoulant’s recommendation that public service pay rises be capped at $1000 per year?

That recommendation was made before COVID-19 hit. Perhaps it should be revised to zero for the next term of government.

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Maybe non-essential public servants who have accrued large amounts of annual leave could temporarily move to a four-day week, as many in the private sector have been forced to do.

This government should like this idea – something similar was suggested this week by New Zealand’s Labour PM Jacinda Ardern, who saw the regular long weekends as a potential way to boost domestic tourism while borders are closed.

Other sacred cows will also need to be reconsidered.

Do our ministers really need to be carted around in chauffeur-driven Lexuses?

A ride in a cab might help them reconnect with their constituents and provide a boost to the flailing taxi industry.

Does every child really need a $100 sports voucher – even the children of millionaires? Perhaps it’s time to means test some of these handouts. And after blowing the budget so badly on the last one, can we really afford to put on another Arafura Games?

The Northern Territory’s GST-funded party is about to end. Tough decisions will need to be made.

We need to know how our political parties plan to address the looming budget disaster before we go to the polls.

For them to do this, we need an honest picture of just how bad the situation really is.