Media Release

Peter Gutwein MP
Shadow Treasurer

Sunday 30th May 2010

Where Will the Education Millions Come From?

Shadow Treasurer Peter Gutwein has called on the Treasurer Michael Aird to explain how he will pay for the more than $20 million in out of hours penalties potentially owed to staff in Tasmanian public schools.

This first Labor-Green budget will need to fund more than $1.1 billion in promises that were made in the lead up to the election meaning that any unplanned expenses will affect our already strained bottom line.

It has been reported that overtime debts averaging around $100,000 per school may need to be paid to staff at most of Tasmania's more than 200 public schools, meaning that the budget could take a $20 million hit.

The Treasurer needs to explain how much Treasury estimate the cost will be and importantly how it will affect the budget bottom line. As the budget is finely balanced will this push the budget further into deficit or send the State back into a net debt position?

If not is this because the Government intends to force individual schools to meet this unexpected administrative expense from their own internal budgets?

Furthermore, an explanation is needed as to why this situation has only now been picked up, just months after the State election. The Treasurer must explain when Treasury was advised of this issue.