NO.135

ELECTION COSTINGS

Today I am releasing a full list of all Coalition expenditure for the 2007 election policies, showing that in each of the forward estimates the underlying cash surplus will be 1% of GDP.

All Coalition policies have been submitted for costing. Thirty eight were submitted for costing prior to the guaranteed costing cut-off (5.30pm, 15 November 2007) and nine were submitted subsequently, six of which were announced subsequent to 15 November 2007.

According to the Finance and Treasury website Labor submitted 32 policies for costing before the cut-off and 123 after the cut-off. 84 were submitted yesterday, and 20 the previous day. By submitting 104 policies with three working days or less to the election Labor knew, they could either not be costed or, if they were, it would be too late for any critical analysis.

Mr Rudd is engaging in an elaborate ruse to avoid scrutiny.

No policy matching $2 billion of new funds for public hospitals can be found in Labor’s policy submitted for costing. What can be found is savings from the Health and Medical Investment Fund (ALP 116). HAMIF is a trust fund to deliver additional funding to health. It is obviously going to be raided to pay for other promises. Just as Labor proposes to raid the Future Fund.

Coalition Election Policy Costings .pdf 492KB)

Labor Election Policy Costings .pdf 3.5MB)

MELBOURNE

22 November 2007

Contact: David Gazard (03) 9650 0244