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

compared to 3.6 per cent in the last four years of the Howard government. We are keeping spending at 23.8 per cent of GDP, and below 24 per cent across the forward estimates. The challenge in our budget is with the revenue write-downs. We have a very clear indication of what those opposite are saying and what they are putting to the Australian people: in the face of these revenue write-downs, they would slash spending in health and education. What that would do is push up unemployment, push up deficit and push up debt. There is a very clear contrast here. Everyone on this side of the House is for jobs; those on that side of the House want to slash and burn.

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