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

I thank the Leader of the National Party for his question. I would say a number of things to the Leader of the National Party on his question. No. 1, the Leader of the National Party would need to recognise, as the opposition does more generally, the nature of the revenue write-downs that have occurred. We have spoken in this parliament before about these revenue write-downs, which are in part some overhang from the global financial crisis, and in part a result of the strength of the Australian dollar and the various pressures that it is bringing to bear in the Australian economy. We obviously had a period, too, where we saw a reduction in commodity prices. Those things do effect revenue, and that is plain for all to see.

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