22 January 2004

Hon Matt Robson MP, Progressive Deputy Leader

ACT at sixes and sevens over government spending

The illiberal ACT Party is all over the place when it comes to appropriate government spending levels, Progressive MP Matt Robson said today.

"Day after day we get speeches and articles by the party's leader, a member of Parliament since 1975, calling on the government to slash spending, cut programmes, and hand out huge tax cuts to the wealthiest among us."

"In contrast, I'm told the party's best educated Caucus member, Dr Newman, is calling on the coalition government to spend more in the campaign to reduce drug problems in society," Matt Robson said.

"The ACT Party, which has been an Opposition party ever since it entered Parliament, can't make its mind up on as simple an issue as whether the government should spend more, or spend less, which goes a long way to explaining why they remain in opposition," the Progressive MP said.

In her weekly column, Dr Newman said more of the government's $6 billion surplus needs to be invested in police programmes associated in the war against drugs.

"The Progressive Party, because it is inside government, has secured additional funding in the campaign to combat drug abuse. We will continue to push for more funding in the drugs area because it is a priority. But we don't pretend that it doesn't cost money or that we could afford the massive tax cuts for the rich ACT promotes – cuts which if implemented would push the government's finances significantly into deficit for the first time in a decade," Matt Robson said.

ENDS

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