Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

the opposition seem to be making some play of the negotiations with the crossbenchers which will see $150 million change from the initial proposition which will then be found by budget time by analysing where further cuts can be made to compensate for the arrangements that have been struck in the negotiations over this flood levy.

But let us be clear. There is an assumption in the question somehow that, if given their druthers, the opposition have a better plan. They do not have a better plan. In their propositions for costings I think the shadow Treasurer made a mistake that the shadow finance minister might not have made in that he double counted some of the money which was promised for their cuts. I can understand the well-reported frustration of the capable shadow finance minister that he is not writing the questions which the shadow treasurer is asking. Let us be clear, there is no contradiction in what the Treasurer has said. We will fund this reconstruction. All I would say to the opposition is that if they will not lead and they will not follow then just get out of the way and let Australia get on with flood recovery.

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