UnionsWA today comment on the release by the Barnett Government of its Mid-year Financial Projections Statement.  UnionsWA.

Meredith Hammat, Secretary UnionsWA said:

“Problems accessing essential public services will get worse not better as a result of this statement.

“Over four years WA’s population is projected to grow by 9% or more than 200,000 people, while cuts are made to schools, other services and the public sector workforce.

“Unemployment is projected to rise to 5.5%.

“Cuts to infrastructure investment will mean commuting times between home and work will get even longer and for many years ahead.

“The statement also projects rising unemployment in WA at the same time that essential services are being cut meaning poorer quality care for people with disability or those who need our hospitals, less teacher time for students and longer queues for public services such as for licences.

“Not only does this statement not address services cuts, it includes a new round of cuts to 42 agencies totally $92 million.

“The Barnett Government will waste another $52 million paying Serco for the Fiona Stanley Hospital, which is yet to treat a single patient.

“Valuable assets like ports and Kaleelya Hospital will be privatised.

“The service cuts coming from the Abbott Government can only make this situation even worse for WA.”