Calls for efficient management

THE Government should have an efficient management system for the country’s expenditure, executive director of Institute of National Affairs Paul Barker says.
“We need to make sure that the expenditure is actually transparent and honestly managed,” he said.
“And that requires effective auditing systems by the watchdogs and open budget systems with the public engaged in open budgets and watching.
“They need to see what the budget is right down to the local level and holding local officials accountable.”
Barker said wherever money was being spent on things that were not relevant to the public was when the public could hold officials accountable from the local right through to the national level.
He said what was relevant to the public was health, education and businesses services as well as roads and other infrastructure. Meanwhile, Barker said that previously in the resource sector, some major projects had higher tax rates than some of the later generations.
“So it’s time that we brought it back to a reasonable level because we have to look at what the tax arrangements are globally and make sure that we are reasonably consistent with the global scenario,” he said.
“But recognising that we have to make it fair, reasonable and competitive.
“But when it comes to personal income tax, obviously, it’s really about growing the economy.”