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

There have been 90,000 jobs created in Australia since the beginning of the year, and that is why we are bringing our budget back to surplus: because we have trend growth, we have low unemployment and it is important to have a surplus and build it over the years. That is why we are putting in place productivity-enhancing reforms, particularly incentives for small business. But it is also why we are in a position to spread the benefits of the mining boom right around our country, particularly to 1.5 million low- and middle-income families, with additional payments in terms of family tax benefit and, most particularly, our schoolkids bonus to help 1.3 million families with the cost of education. But, just as those opposite voted against jobs during the global financial crisis, they voted against the schoolkids bonus in this House—and shame on them. As we stand here today, they are voting against it in the Senate as well.

Tonight the Leader of the Opposition needs to come clean on what other assistance to families the Liberal Party opposes. When he walks into this chamber tonight, he should say whether he is supporting proposals to spread the benefits of the boom and how he is going to pay for it. How is he going to pay for spreading the benefits of the boom? If he is supporting a return to surplus, will he support the saves to get there? What is he going to do to find the money to fill the $70 billion crater in the budget bottom line that the shadow Treasurer spoke about on breakfast television? We on this side of the House have always stood for jobs. Those opposite want to give the benefits of the boom to Clive Palmer.

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