LHMU News
Troy 'Scrooge' Buswell ignores Christmas spending message
The ghosts of Christmases past, present and future tried to pay a visit to Troy Buswell on Wednesday in the wake of the Scrooge treasurer’s $51m surplus Mid Year Review, achieved only by stingy offers to school support workers and delaying the payment of pensioners’ cost of living rebate.
Unfortunately neither Mr Buswell nor any of his representatives in the treasury came down from their offices in Governor Stirling Tower to receive the framed electricity bill the ghosts had prepared for him.
The snub came despite a group of school support workers singing carols beside the Christmas trees in the lobby of the building.
The education assistants, cleaners and gardeners, who are still waiting for their pay dispute with the government to be resolved, wanted to highlight just how short in the arm and long in the pocket the treasurer is and later distributed candy and leaflets to members of the public outside the building.
Dave Kelly, secretary of the LHMU said: “We think it’s disgusting that Troy Buswell continues to pick on the most vulnerable members of society with his unnecessary spending cuts.
“Workers and seniors are facing hardship this Christmas and beyond because their incomes aren’t rising fast enough to pay for ever-more expensive outgoings in the state, including households bills which are up by $1000 a year.
“Western Australia must be one of the few places in the world with a relatively healthy bank balance as the global economic downturn eases.
“And yet stingey Troy Buswell continues to act like the state is going bankrupt.
"He needs to loosen his grip on the state finances and use its relative wealth to help these people.
“It is Christmas after all, but it’s obvious Mr Buswell doesn’t have much of the festive spirit about him.”
Education camapign website: www.kidscantlearnwithoutus.org.au
