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

I would suggest on the intervention from the honourable member who sits on the opposition front bench in defence of alcopops that, in a time of serious global financial crisis, unblocking the budget surplus in the Senate is of critical importance. I would suggest to those opposite that the responsible course of action is to ensure that the government has access to surplus funds to deploy for this country and to underpin our long-term economic growth. That is the responsible course of action. What we have on the part of those opposite is a very serious policy posture—namely, how to continue to provide a tax cut for a bunch of booze companies. I would suggest that that actually represents an alternative approach. Can I say to those opposite that the challenge is this: in these times of global economic crisis you are either responsible in putting aside a surplus in the first place and responsible in deploying that in support of long-term economic growth, or you take a short-term populist approach. Our attitude is clear cut. We will take whatever decisive action is necessary for the future of this economy. We will ensure that we will boost economic growth by supporting the national economy by necessary measures and by supporting the household economy as well. That is the right balance for the future, the national economy, the national infrastructure and the household economy as well.

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