Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

One hundred and forty billion dollars has been written down over the forward estimates, and in the mid-year budget review last November we wrote them down by $20 billion, coming to $140 billion over the forward estimates—and that is why we are in deficit. We are in deficit because we moved to support our economy, during a global recession, to keep the doors of small business open and to keep Australian workers in their jobs. We have behaved completely—

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