|
|
Liberal and Labor governments can't seem to restrain their spending
- Article from:
-
Review - Institute of Public Affairs
- Article date:
-
September 1, 2008
- Author:
-
|
Copyright informationCopyright Institute of Public Affairs Sep 2008. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
|
The new government has been laying out excellent criteria for public policy, writes Mitch Fifield. But its own policies are failing these stringent tests.
On a Brisbane stage in midNovember last year, Kevin Rudd positioned the final nail above the coalition government's coffin and drove it home. The then opposition leader, in his campaign launch address, criticised the coalition's 'irresponsible spending spree'. Rudd declared that 'this sort of reckless spending spree must stop.'
That the coalition allowed the Labor Party-with their record of $96 billion in government debt-to brand itself as the party of fiscal conservatism and smaller government was the saddest indictment of the Liberal ...