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

We on this side of the House have a methodical approach to finding savings in the public sector. We have been doing that in a responsible way over the time that we have been in government. That is why we have put in place those essential Labor priorities. The biggest increase in the pension in history was put in place because we found room in the budget. The tripling of the tax-free threshold was put in place because we are committed to putting in place policies which reward hard work and make sure that people have access to the essential services that they need, in particular in health and education.

I am asked about the Public Service and I am asked about figures. The Public Service has had an annual growth of just 0.8 per cent over the five years since we came to office ending in 2012-13. That has been the growth in the public sector in the period that we have been in office. It stands in stark contrast to the proposals from those over there not only to cut 20,000 from the public sector; we have not yet got to their hidden agenda, the one they are not going to tell people about until after the next election if they win, which is how they will get to filling the $70 billion crater they have in their budget bottom line—the Campbell Newman approach.

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