DANIEL MOOKHEY MLC
NSW SHADOW TREASURER

RYAN PARK MP
NSW SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH

The NSW Auditor General’s report into the Government’s response to covid-19 has revealed major underspending on critical Covid measures, while huge amounts were wastefully misused.

The Government underspent on covid measures to the tune of $2.6 billion:

• $1.1 billion in 2019-20 (which was not rolled over);
• $1.1 billion in 2020-21 (which was rolled over); and
• $432m in the first six months of 2021-22.

Some of the worst examples of the covid underspend:

• $179m on personal protection equipment;
• $18m on community based services;
• $18m on mental health; and
• Only 10 per cent ($14m) of the package of small business fees and charges rebates made it out the door in 2020-21.

Meanwhile, it was also revealed that the Government has to pay private public transport operators compensation of $131 million due to reduced patronage on public transport during the pandemic, a result of the Government’s addiction to privatisation.

The report found also found that NSW Treasury failed ‘to issue guidelines on eligible covid-19 expenditure or on how to record and monitor spending.’

Daniel Mookhey MLC, NSW Shadow Treasurer said:

“The government can’t just flood departments with money for a big announcement, while secretly hoping that they don’t spend it all.

“Money the government promises for critical health and economic support must get out the door.

“The Premier has broken his own law about managing the budget.

“Mr Perrottet needs to heed the lesson. If he tries to buy his way to re-election in next month’s budgets, he will risk another downgrade to the state’s credit rating.

“Every dollar the Premier spends in the coming budget has to have a clear and identifiable public benefit.

“We can’t afford to pay for more of this governments infamous pork-barrelling.”

Ryan Park MP, NSW Shadow Minister for Health said:

“At a time when people are waiting longer than ever to access elective surgery, patients waiting in pain have every right to be frustrated that the Government hasn’t spent the resources it allocated to try and get on top of this ever increasing waiting list.

“Given the delays in accessing PPE for our frontline health workers, especially at the beginning of the outbreak and the mental health challenges that communities going through lockdowns experienced, it’s also disappointing to see that the Government didn’t utilise all of the funding available to purchase adequate PPE and support mental health services across the community.”