PM ready to pass budget

 PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill is confident of handing down the 2014 budget without a hitch next month amid speculation members of his government may join the Opposition.

He said that yesterday as members of his majority government were rumoured to be meeting with the Opposition.

O’Neill said while politicians may be politicians, “our government is very stable, very mature”.

“Of course, we have a few individuals who will go around trying to create opportunities for themselves,” he said.

“This is a political game that has been played out over the past 40 years so there is nothing new that we can’t control, but I want to say again our leaders are mature people.

“This is a government that is determined to do the right thing for our country. 

“We are not interested in playing political games anymore. We are serious about managing the affairs of the country and attending to its problems.”

O’Neill said the budget session would be very important.

“It will be budget again, under very difficult circumstances, given that commodity prices of many of our exports, especially minerals and petroleum are fairly depressed.

“It’s going to affect our revenue flows into the country to maintain some of the commitments government has made, including our investments in infrastructure, law and order and infrastructure,” he said.

“It’s going to be difficult but it’s not impossible. Our aim is to maintain the same level of determination, or same level of intensity, into making sure that we do not pull back on some of the work that we have started.”