Coalition rejects intervention ‘hole’
David Uren; 21/4/08
The coalition has rejected claims by Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner that it failed to provide for funding for the intervention in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory to continue beyond this year. Opposition finance spokesman Peter Dutton said the cost of the intervention was not in the forward estimates, but it was included in the budget’s reserve for contingencies. “This is a continuation of Labor’s ridiculous strategy to try to discredit what was the most successful period of economic and budget management in this country’s history,” Mr Dutton said yesterday. Mr Dutton was commenting on claims by Mr Tanner that the Northern Territory intervention was one of several examples of programs that were obviously intended to last beyond a year, but for which no budget was provided.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23571465-5013404,00.html
Tags: Aboriginal, Australia, Welfare