THE Treasury has defended the 2016-17 budget
against criticism that its fiscal consolidation measures do not go far
enough, saying that delicate trade-offs are required.
The budget
has been criticised for transferring too much of the pain of fiscal
consolidation and tax hikes to the outer years of the medium-term
framework. However, Treasury chief director of budget policy Ian Stuart
yesterday defended its choices during public hearings on the budget held
by Parliament’s two finance committees.
