BY PETER BAKER & ALEX BAINBRIDGE
HOBART — The Bacon Labor government released its state budget on May 22. Treasurer David Crean described it as "about sharing rewards" and the May 23 Mercury lauded Crean as "com[ing] close to being a hero in welfare circles". However, the Tasmanian Greens released an alternative budget on May 26 and the Socialist Alliance described Labor's budget as based more on "smoke-and-mirror tricks" than genuine concern for the poor.
The government and media were keen to focus on a $107 million "Economic and social indicator fund", which includes $88 million to be spent this year, mainly on health, public housing and education. It is worth only $40 million of new spending.
Launceston Socialist Alliance convenor Dr Kamala Emanuel told Green Left Weekly that "the fund is composed of $25 million unused from last year, $28.5 million to come from proposed government asset sales — which are controversial and may yet be defeated — and announcements of future spending".
The government has "allocated" $33 million to increase public housing stock. Of this, $25 million has been reallocated from last year's budget and $5 million would normally be spent — only $3 million in new funding has been announced.
However, the government has sold almost $20 million worth of existing public houses, according to Liberal spokesperson Sue Napier. Welfare groups are claiming there is an urgent public housing crisis.
A government paper Towards Affordable Housing issued in early May foreshadows a move to shift the responsibility for public housing to the private sector.
The state's chronically under-funded health service received a $50 million boost in the budget, including spending on an expanded emergency department at the Royal Hobart Hospital and 111 new nursing positions. Nursing unions have waged successful but hard-fought campaigns over the last two years for safer staffing levels and for a postgraduate allowance to be paid to all eligible nurses. These victories have been recognised in the budget.
Emanuel told GLW that the increase in health spending was "the very least" the government could do. "The extent of problems was revealed when the director of the Tasmanian Cardiothoracic Unit revealed that 17 people had died last year while on the waiting list for heart surgery, while the number of deaths is usually closer to six. Operating theatres remained closed because there were insufficient nurses to staff them.
"The Greens released an alternative budget on May 26, projecting to increase revenue from big-business operations in forestry and mining, as well as bulk power users. The Greens would reduce income from gambling and phase out pokies in pubs and clubs.
The Greens propose funding increases for education and training, programs for the long-term unemployed, forest protection and assistance to "clean, green and clever" industries.Emanuel told GLW that the Greens' alternative budget demonstrated that a more equitable budget was possible, adding "All that is required is the political will."
From Green Left Weekly, June 11, 2003.
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