George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, he won't need it, he reckons—just like the last one. How far do Labor have to take it before they take it seriously? This government can try to trivialise their recklessness all they like, but it is a bit like Shakira's hips: the numbers do not lie. Real numbers do not, anyway, but the rubbery forecast and the smoke-and-mirrors budget delivered by the Treasurer are a pure work of fiction. The numbers for 2012-13 that we will see in about 16 months from now will tell a darker truth. In 16 months time we will see how much of a big deal the debt limit is—whatever it actually may be by then.

The shadow Treasurer delivered an excellent speech at the National Press Club earlier this month. One of the most telling graphics he used gave a visual representation—a very strong pattern of budget surpluses under the coalition. And then you saw this massive decline of budget deficits when Labor had the keys to the cookie jar. It clearly demonstrates that Labor's out-of-control spending has delivered the four biggest budget deficits on record, totalling $174 billion. They are very frightening figures—although I can understand families in my electorate having trouble putting them in perspective, because families are faced with the same issues every day. They have to watch their spending. And why is it that families have to balance their budgets but the Labor government cannot? Families know that, if you spend more than you earn, you either run out of money or you have to tax the credit card. And speaking of credit cards, can I say how sad it is that this government is so bogged down in the muck and mire surrounding the member for Dobell and, to get out of it and focus on the economy once again, they need to clear the air. Today the Prime Minister failed to do so in question time. When she was asked what line the member for Dobell had crossed, there was absolutely no answer—only some dancing, some line dancing, perhaps, to a country song, probably Johnny Cash: 'Because he's mine, he'll walk the line.' Going back to the credit cards, families understand that credit card debt has to be paid back. They do not get voted out and let another family come in to clean up their financial mess..

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