Shadow Treasurer Ben Wyatt has warned that record growth in public spending is likely to continue after Treasurer Troy Buswell sought a 143 per cent increase in on last year's advance.
In Parliament yesterday, Mr Buswell introduced the Treasurer's Advance Authorisation Bill to authorise government spending outside of the normal budget process.
"Mr Buswell has requested more than $760million, an incredible 143 per cent increase on last year's $313million," Mr Wyatt said.
"This will bring the total expenditure beyond the Budget process for this financial year to $1.2 billion.
"This is the devastating financial reality of a Government that has effectively stalled since being elected.
"The Liberal Government has dropped the ball on controlling expenditure growth - expenditure beyond the Budget process of this magnitude is, quite simply, unacceptable."
Mr Wyatt said the expenditure amounts to nearly five per cent of the total Budget and will be spent largely without any Parliamentary scrutiny.
"The impact of the global financial crisis on the State's budget bottom line is starting to pale into insignificance in comparison with the impact of the spending proclivities of this Government.
"Mr Buswell is absent, Premier Barnett is absent. Who is controlling the spending in this Government?"
