Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

It is yet another question from those opposite about the forecasts in the budget, particularly the forecasts relating to debt. We are absolutely unapologetic about the need to borrow to support our economy—to support jobs in our economy, to support businesses in our economy and to support the rural sector as well. Everyone in our economy benefits from the economic stimulus that we have put into the system, and the economic stimulus that shows through, particularly in retail sales, goes right through to the farm gate.

But, of course, those opposite are so desperate to see the economy fail they want to talk it down all of the time. I would have thought that the retail sales figures that came out yesterday would have been welcomed by those opposite. They are very, very good news for the rural sector, because demand has gone up in those areas where people are buying the basics. You only have to look at what was said yesterday by Mr Luscombe from Woolies. He talked about the impact not just in the retail sector but right down the supply chain and the fact that for every worker employed in retail there are many more workers employed down the supply chain, including in the rural sector.

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