Fed: State budget delay a political stunt - Brogden

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Fed: State budget delay a political stunt - Brogden

CANBERRA, April 14 AAP - The NSW government's decision to delay the state budget wasnothing but a political stunt, Opposition leader John Brogden said today.

Mr Brogden said the NSW Treasury was awash with funds and the government should geton with producing the budget on time.

NSW Treasurer Michael Egan had delayed this year's Budget after finding a $1.1 billionhole in the state's finances, the Sunday Telegraph reported today.

Mr Egan has reportedly sent a letter to all ministers saying NSW has lost more than$1.1 billion in federal grants over the next four years following last month's treasurers'conference in Canberra.

Mr Egan said the government's budget committee would have to rewrite large sectionsof the Budget and ordered all ministers to re-do their sums.

"Just as (NSW Premier) Bob Carr wants to blame Canberra for illegal hand guns, (NSWTreasurer) Michael Egan wants to blame Canberra for his failure to put together a statebudget," Mr Brogden told reporters.

"This is just a stunt, the state Treasury is awash with funds.

"The state of NSW has revenues the largest of which they have ever seen and the peopleof NSW are the highest taxed in the country and it is simply another political stunt fromMichael Egan and the Labor Party in NSW.

"Michael Egan should get on, get back to work, stop blaming other people and producethe state budget on time."

AAP daw/cdh/sb

KEYWORD: BUDGET NSW BROGDEN