Dr. Thomas questions the Treasurer on the actual savings achieved from specific cost-cutting measures promised in Labor's 2017 election plan. The Treasurer provides aggregated figures, linking savings to broader budget repair initiatives.

AnsweredQoN 174Legislative Council
Asked
11 March 2020
Portfolio
minister representing the Treasurer

QuestionView source ↗

SERVICE PRIORITY REVIEW —
SAVINGS
174. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the minister representing the
Treasurer:
I refer to Labor's 2017
election costings entitled ''WA Labor Financial Management Plan''
released in March 2017 and, in particular, to the page titled ''Recurrent
Savings and Revenue to 30 June 2020''.
(1) How much has
the ''Service Priority Review of Government'' item, listed to
save $750 million by 30 June 2020, actually saved to date?
(2) How much has the ''Cap the use of external
consultants'' item, listed to save $23.8 million by 30 June 2020, actually saved to date?
(3) How much has
the ''Stop the excessive use of outside contracts'' item, listed
to save $60 million by 30 June 2020, actually saved to date?
(4) How much has
the ''Cut Government Advertising'' item, listed to save $55 million
by 30 June 2020, actually saved to date?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by
the Treasurer.
(1) A total of
$763 million in savings over the period 2016–17 to 2020–21 from
service priority review initiatives was allocated to agency budgets as part of
a broader budget repair package announced in the 2017–18 budget. Initiatives included the government's $1
000 wages policy, a wage freeze for all positions determined by the
Salaries and Allowances Tribunal, a reduction in senior executive service
positions and savings associated with machinery-of-government changes announced
on 28 April 2017.
(2)–(4) Savings
associated with items listed in parts (2)–(4) were achieved through the
''Remove Non-salaries Indexation'' measure also announced as part
of the budget repair package in the 2017–18 budget. Savings of $300 million
in non-salaries expenditure over the four-year period to 2020–21 were
allocated to agency budgets as a result of this measure.

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