Chris Bowen (Prospect, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law) Share this | Hansard source

It is not more than $9 billion. It is $9 billion. That is what is in the budget papers. The honourable gentleman would be the first to criticise Dr Henry, the Treasury and the modellers if Dr Henry said: ‘It might be $9 billion, but actually we think that’s a bit optimistic. We think that’s on the high side. We think it could be a bit less than that.’ I think the shadow Treasurer would then be right to say: ‘The Treasury are fiddling the books. They are not putting the right numbers in.’ The Treasury’s best estimate is $9 billion. It is based on conservative, but nevertheless appropriate, assumptions about different parameters which may affect that revenue base going forward. So I have to disabuse the honourable gentleman of his notion—

See this speech in context