Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

The second reason it should be rejected is that the member for Cook has lodged an MPI about this very issue. So, straight after question time today we will have a debate on this issue and the member for Cook will have 15 minutes to add to his five minutes and the minister will be responding to that MPI debate.

But those opposite will do anything rather than debate the economic future of this country. And it is not surprising, as we know from last year's budget reply, where they handballed off the costings of their budget response from the Leader of the Opposition to the shadow Treasurer to the shadow finance minister and to that great moment with the staffer. I wonder if that staffer is still around. I suspect that might be one fewer person employed by the those opposite after that event.

The Leader of the Opposition has a big challenge on Thursday night, which is to actually put forward an alternative strategy on the economy—put it forward without the $11 billion black hole that was in their costings during the election campaign. It is extraordinary. They oppose all of the savings measures made by those on this side of the House. They did everything they could to stop savings measures in the area of health to create space for the reform of the program and the national reform of health undertaken under the leadership of the minister for health. They did everything possible to block that, but at the same time they go around the country and make promise after promise. Barely anyone on their back bench has not made a promise in my portfolio of transport, from a local road to a local railway line. But they never actually say where the money will come from.

Their fiscal credibility was blown apart after the election, and today's performance in question time and in moving this suspension shows that they have learnt absolutely nothing when it comes to dealing with the economic future of this country. Indeed, when the government put forward our economic stimulus plan two years ago in the 2009 budget, the Leader of the Opposition said:

I think what we are going to get is massive debt and a deep recession.

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition said:

It will certainly not ward off recession.

The fact is that our economic management of this country did prevent a recession. It did help to create 500,000 jobs. We have an unemployment rate in this country with a four in front of it—the envy of the industrialised world. We are continuing to build the infrastructure that the economy needs to run faster and smarter. Tonight's budget will see the Treasurer continue with that good and sound economic management to deliver for the Australian public. Thursday night is the time for the Leader of the Opposition to put his money where his mouth is. They have gone round the country making promises about the inland rail line, the Pacific Highway, the Bruce Highway—it goes on and on. Will they deliver this on Thursday night? We know that last time there was an $11 billion black hole. We have to see from the opposition leader serious, credible and properly costed proposals in the budget reply on Thursday.

Let us take just one issue that has been the subject of some debate in today's newspapers: the issue of the provision of support for pensioners to deal with the transfer to digital TV.

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