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

No, I will do no such thing. We took that approach on the basis of proper advice. I ask the Leader of the Opposition: if he is going to get rid of 12,000 public servants, how many of them are coming from Customs? I ask the Leader of the Opposition, who is out there with his $70 billion black hole, saying that 12,000 public servants will go: how many of them are coming from Customs? If he is going to rule Customs out today, where are they coming from? The Leader of the Opposition cannot come into this parliament and play these cheap political stunts. He talks about 12,000 public servants—does that mean you are closing Customs? That would be a mere patch—

See this speech in context