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Queensland’s former LNP government used ‘pain ranking’ to help decide environment budget cuts

The ABC’s Mark Willacy and Alexandra Blucher report (14.2.17) on revelations that senior figures in the former Newman government were briefed on planned cuts to Queensland’s public service workforce using a ‘pain ranking’ to indicate their political difficulty.

‘Massive cuts to Queensland’s public service and government programs under the LNP administration of Campbell Newman were given a “pain” ranking, confidential documents reveal.

‘The ABC has obtained a raft of cabinet briefing notes and internal government savings proposals outlining moves to slash tens of millions of dollars from the environment budget during the LNP’s administration.

‘One document, prepared for the LNP’s Cabinet Budget Review Committee (CBRC) or “razor gang” in 2012, outlines savings initiatives to slice 220 jobs and 20 per cent of the budget from the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.

‘Next to each of the 19 proposed savings initiatives is a “pain threshold ranking” ranging from 1 to 4, with 1 described as “easiest”.

‘… On winning government, the LNP argued that deep cuts were needed to deal with the debt it had inherited from the previous Labor government.’

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