The NSW Budget crisis is now in print with the announcement the Iemma Government has been forced to delay the State Budget by one week, NSW Liberal Leader and Shadow Treasurer Peter Debnam said today.

The Labor Party's Election year Budget has been delayed until Tuesday 6 June 2006 to avoid Parliamentary scrutiny - as the Parliament will close for the winter recess 48 hours after the Budget is delivered.

Parliament will not resume until 29 August 2006.

It's been apparent the Budget has been in crisis since Morris Iemma took over in August – and now he wants to avoid scrutiny of what is clearly going to be a budget falling apart at the seams.

Ministers have been in hectic negotiations with their Sussex Street headquarters as they try desperately to hold together the unravelling State Budget.

Premier Iemma has been unable to kickstart the NSW economy, which is the slowest growing in the nation with the highest taxes.

The Iemma Labor Government also probably needs an extra week to finalise the fire sale of the iconic Snowy Hydro Electric Scheme and get the unions on board.

The delay gives the key players in State Labor – Mark Arbib, Eddie Obeid, Eric Roozendaal, Michael Costa, Carl Scully, and Joe Tripodi – an extra week to tell Morris Iemma what to do.

MEDIA: Brad Burden 9230 2270 or 0401 672 145