Font Size: Decrease Increase Print Page: Print February 18, 2009 Article from: Australian Associated Press THE Federal Opposition has described as "inexplicable" the half-billion dollars the Rudd Government is reported to have spent on consultancies.
The Government is on track to be the highest-ever spender on outside advertisers, an analysis by The Australian Financial Review reveals.
Labor had increasingly relied on hired experts from the private sector and universities to shape its policy agenda, especially in the areas of health, broadband, economic regulation, climate change, water and education, the analysis found.
The Opposition's new finance spokeswoman, Helen Coonan, said the $553 million awarded to consultants was extraordinary.
"It is a figure that I find almost inexplicable," she said on ABC Radio.
Senator Coonan demanded the Government provide more detail about the consultancies and from where the money to fund them was coming from.
"I think ... since May (2007), there's been 150 per cent jump in the value of consultancies."
At the same time, the Government had imposed a special 2 per cent efficiency dividend across the public service.
