Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

I was cut to the quick by that comment, Mr Speaker. I was asked about reactions and I have been explaining some of the reactions to the budget, but there are other reactions to the budget. The opposition leader has said that he would have a small deficit or a small surplus—that is $50 billion worth of increased taxes or $50 billion of cuts in expenditure. What did we have on the same day, within 18 minutes? We had the shadow Treasurer saying that it would be $25 billion smaller. So we have one saying $50 billion to be cut and another saying $25 billion. And, of course, my counterpart, the shadow minister for small business, independent contractors, tourism and the arts, got into the act, saying just the other day that for this year the deficit will be 50 per cent lower. We know that tomorrow night all expectations are there for the Leader of the Opposition—

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