Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Can I say to the honourable member, who I think comes from the state of Western Australia, that the first responsibility we have as a government is to make sure that we are prosecuting a policy of responsible economic management. Secondly, I would say to the honourable member that if he looks at the national accounts figures released yesterday he will see a solid growth performance for the Australian economy but a particularly solid growth performance in the Western Australian state economy.

The honourable member, I presume, refers to the impact of another tax measure which is being considered by those in the Senate. I presume that is the reference of his question; what in particular he was talking about is somewhat unclear. Can I say to all those opposite: if you are going to prosecute a policy of responsible economic management, it means ensuring that you deliver a responsible surplus outcome. Currently, we have a $6 billion assault on it. I would say to those opposite: you ought to pursue these policies in order to make it possible for the people of Western Australia to enjoy, like other Australians, a decision by the Reserve Bank to bring down interest rates, rather than to see them continue to go up. That, I would say to all those in Western Australia, is a good way ahead.

The other thing I would say on the question of fuel prices for those in Western Australia is this: those in Western Australia have benefited from a Liberal government decision since 2001 under Premier Richard Court—

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