Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much. I would suggest to the opposition that they might use some of that energy, instead of howling abuse, to get their figures in some sort of order. The recorded statement of the shadow finance minister—

Opposition members interjecting—

No amount of screaming actually changes this: the shadow finance minister of the opposition said: 'We are saying that we need to identify up to $70 billion of cuts.' And then on another occasion he was asked to verify that figure and he said:

No, it's not a furphy. We came out with that figure …

The statement of the shadow minister for finance. Ever since then, the Leader of the Opposition has been seeking to mislead the Australian people and pretend that that was somehow a figure that emanated from the government or others. It is the statement of his shadow finance minister that they need to find $70 billion worth of savings. And that stands on top of the statement of the Leader of the National Party that the savings that they identified at the last election have largely evaporated. That means—

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