Voters face a choice between growth and economic contraction, according to the Opposition party.The One Bermuda Alliance’s pro-growth platform includes payroll tax exemptions for new Bermudian hiring, directing 20 percent of Government’s goods and services spending to small businesses and job creation through redevelopment of the Hamilton and St George’s waterfronts.The OBA yesterday rejected the ruling party’s claim that it is the party of austerity.“The choice in this election is not growth versus austerity, the choice is between further contraction under this Government, or responsible growth under an OBA government. That’s the choice,” said Shadow Finance Minister Bob Richards.“This Government is not about growth, it is about contraction, and their record is proof.“While there is slow growth overseas, our economy is still contracting.”The Progressive Labour Party has defended its spending as championing the needs of the people and economic growth, and painted the OBA as a party which would impose deep and damaging budget cuts.Mr Richards yesterday took aim at PLP claims that he had championed “austerity” as a policy plank, saying that the PLP line proves that Government “are masters of deception, if nothing else”.He acknowledged making the comment “it’s all about austerity” at an October 2010 press conference.However, Mr Richards explained that he was referring to the Auditor General’s report on “huge Government overruns on capital projects coupled with Government’s own documented plan to implement austerity measures for the Civil Service”.“In January 2010, The Royal Gazette reported that civil servants had been ordered to implement ‘austere cost savings ... a four-point plan approved by Cabinet to curtail spending in the wake of a massive Budget overspend for the last fiscal year was sent to all department heads by the head of the Civil Service, Kenneth Dill’.“And they executed that plan,” he said.Government’s execution of the plan included budget cutbacks which included letting go 93 public school teachers, cuts which proved fatal to the Sunshine League and the Bermuda Cadet Corps and a Bermuda Police Service which “operates ten to 15 percent below authorised manpower levels,” Mr Richards added.An OBA government would establish a Spending and Government Efficiency Commission to tackle “wasteful spending” he continued.And Bermuda would see its first Contractor General who would “oversee the bidding and the implementation process of all government capital contracts; an area that has witnessed huge overspends from dodgy bidding procedures and cronyism”.Mr Richards went on to say that an OBA administration would lower the cost of Government’s insurance bill by using locally based risk management expertise.“Government has paid lip service to this idea but, in dithering for so long, they’ve wasted millions of taxpayer dollars in insurance premiums.”Premier Paula Cox responded to the statement by saying she was puzzled by Mr Richards’ reference to using Island based risk management expertise as she had announced in March that Government will be reviewing its insurance programme and had selected the team to do so.“In short, we’ve already acted on this and countless other efficiency plans that have and will save the people of Bermuda millions of dollars. And we will continue with our plans to make the Government more efficient,” the Premier said in a statement released yesterday afternoon."Since March, there has been action and demonstrable progress. They say imitation is the most sincerest form of flattery so I guess it is a compliment that the Opposition wishes to take a leaf out of our book to distract from their lack of real solutions for Bermuda. That said, we thank the opposition for their endorsement of our actions."