WA Labor leader Mark McGowan has guaranteed that if elected he will bring the state budget's record deficit back to surplus in a first term as government.
A key strategy is cutting public service spending, including a 20 per cent reduction in senior managers, merging of departments, linking pay more to performance through a "strict wages policy" and shedding consulting and advertising costs
However he also would not rule in or out increasing taxes or charges if elected.
"We don't have any plans to do that but all I'd say is this; the finances will be difficult to manage because of the Liberals and Nationals," he told reporters at a press conference with his wife Sarah ahead of writs being issued on Wednesday afternoon for the March 11 poll.
"When I get requests from people to cut land tax for instance, I would love to be able to do that but it's very difficult in the current financial circumstances to do that."
"We will be making all our positions plain during the course of the election campaign."
The deficit is forecast to be $3.4 billion at the end of the financial year and general government debt is expected to be $33.3 billion.
"We will bring the budget back to surplus in the first term ... the first thing the state should do is vote out the government that created the problem," Mr McGowan said.
Mr McGowan, who lost the 2013 election to Mr Barnett, said he was now ready to govern with policies to diversify the state's economy, put local workers and businesses first on government projects, improve the public transport, health and education systems and continue the Royalties for Regions funding for the bush.
"I think West Australians are keen for change ... I'm ready to serve as premier of Western Australia. I've got the energy, enthusiasm and passion. This state has given me everything and I want to give this state back something," he said.
"Mr Barnett is the one who blew the boom. He failed to see at the end of the mining boom we needed a broader, more diversified state economy. Labor has a plan to do that."
Mr Barnett rejected that, saying the money was not squandered or lost.
"It has been invested in services for people today and then for their children and grandchildren into the future," he said.
He said Labor had no plan to deal with the state's debt or deficit and warned its pledge to tear up contracts for the flagship Roe 8 project would create nervousness about other contracts such as crucial mining state agreements.
