Chief Minister accused of 'cooking the books' during debate on mid-year budget review legislation

The Territory’s Chief Minister and Treasurer Andrew Barr has been accused of “cooking the books” to hide the “real state” of the ACT’s economic and fiscal position.

Legislative Assembly members debated the mid-year budget review legislation on Wednesday (20 March), with Assistant Shadow Treasurer Peter Cain accusing Mr Barr of using a number of “tricky accounting measures” in the papers.

“[He’s used these to] avoid scrutiny, hiding key information in the back pages of the budget papers … and others have been altered so that numbers don’t seem as bad, and other information is blatantly misleading,” he said.

“It’s the old cooking the books trick.”

Mr Cain’s comment was called on a point of order, and he withdrew it after Speaker Joy Burch said it could infer “unwanted and irregular behaviour” by an MLA.

He pressed on stating the mid-year budget review, announced last month, was a “deceptive presentation” of the Territory’s “true state”, and pointed to Mr Barr’s own financial objectives which had been outlined in the 2013/14 budget.

These include that “temporary deficits must only occur if they are offset by surpluses at other times”, that the government should aim to maintain operating at a cash surplus, and to maintain a AAA credit rating (which was downgraded to AA+ earlier this year).

“Across all key balance sheet metrics, the ACT has declined significantly since 13/14,” Mr Cain said.

“This budget review would be a failure if released in 2013/14.”

Mr Cain said his party couldn’t vote in favour of the legislation supporting the review, as it would make present and future Canberrans “worse off”.

“The Canberra Liberals cannot support incompetence, a deceptive presentation of figures, and a budget position that has seen a significant decline while Labor-Greens have been in control.”

Mr Cain also pointed to recommendations made by the Public Accounts Committee inquiry into the mid-year budget review.

It made nine recommendations, which he said included calling for the numbers to be presented how they were reported in 2013/14.

Committee inquiry member and ACT Greens backbencher Andrew Braddock was quick to state he felt Mr Cain was misrepresenting the recommendations.

“It does not seek to replace the current reporting framework with the UPF [Uniform Presentation Framework],” he said.

Mr Barr did not specifically go after Mr Cain’s comments, instead attacking the intentions behind the Canberra Liberals’ lack of support for the legislation.

Not only does it include revised investment for projects in a number of areas – such as health, education and public transport – but also pay rises across the public sector.

Mr Barr said that by opposing the legislation, Mr Cain was “putting on the record” the Canberra Liberals’ opposition to the delivery of public housing, continued investment in the second PACER team, investment in major infrastructure, and public servant pay rises.

“How you vote on Appropriation Bills [such as this] is a matter of quite significant public interest,” he said.

“The Canberra Liberals have confirmed that they are now voting against the pay rises to every single ACT public servant whose pay rises are supported in this second appropriation.

“Opposition for opposition’s sake from the Canberra Liberals, the same approach they have taken throughout this century: more negativity, more personal attacks on me, being the sole focus of their contribution.”

Mr Barr said this showed the Opposition’s election strategy would be to “fire shots” at him from its “far right-wing trench” rather than providing positive suggestions or policies.

“As we look towards the election, Canberrans will have a choice, a choice between a government that will invest in them and their future, or an Opposition who will cut, slash and burn.”

The Appropriation (Office of the Legislative Assembly) Bill 2023-2024 was up for debate straight after, which is specifically about pay rises for officers of the Assembly and workers in the Legislative Assembly building and directorates.

This received the support from all parties.

Mr Barr said it was interesting the Canberra Liberals were supportive of pay rises for these specific public servants.

“I wonder what the rest of the ACT public sector has done to offend the Liberals, that they can’t vote for their pay rise, but they will vote for this one,” he said.

“Quite extraordinary.”