Shadow Assistant Treasurer, Peter Cain, has today slammed the Chief Minister for labelling the wastage of $76 million of taxpayers’ money on the failed HRIMS debacle as merely ‘disappointing’.

In comments reported by The Canberra Times, the Chief Minister downplayed the wastage of over $76 million and shifted the blame onto the public service.

“Ministers are ultimately responsible for their Directorates. What has come to light with this disaster is that multiple Ministers, including the Chief Minister himself, have all at one time or another, had responsibility for HRIMS – yet but no one has lost their job for it.”

“For the Chief Minister to merely label this wastage as ‘disappointing’ demonstrates the extent of the Chief Minister’s arrogance and sense of entitlement.

“He has thrown money at a program that did not deliver a product. It is shameful, and it ought to be treated as such,” Mr Cain said.

“Once again, we see zero accountability from this Labor-Greens Government.”

“HRIMS is sadly not a one-off incident. Procurement is a systemic failure under the Special Minister of State, Chris Steel. Since he took the office in 2020, procurement has been disastrous – over budget, over time and a complete failure.”

“Instead of Minister Steel being held to account, the Chief Minister has backed him.”

“I guess wasting $76 million of taxpayer’s money is not enough to stand down Minister Steel – but in any other world, he would lose his job.” Mr Cain concluded.