Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

You mention local government. Local governments were a very important part of the package, and we supported that. We took the Treasurer and the Prime Minister at their word that it was going to stimulate the economy, that we would only have a temporary deficit and that the economy would start to recover in the new year. They said that this was all that was needed. We are today debating Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2008-2009 and Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2008-2009. Eight weeks after that stimulus package prior to Christmas we are back in the chamber debating a $42 billion stimulus package. This is all borrowed money. I do not know where the temporary deficit went to. This is going to add to the deficit. It is going to add to debt. Generations following us in this place are going to have to repay this debt. The opposition said we would support a stimulus package, one that was well targeted, one that would invest in real, hard infrastructure and one that would create long-term jobs and a lasting legacy of investment that would benefit generations to come.

See this speech in context