Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

For the sake of those in the gallery, I had better explain that we are here today talking about debt and deficit because the Labor Party put this on the agenda. It was not our side; it was the Labor Party that put debt and deficit on the agenda this afternoon. What I would love to see—and maybe the member for Chifley could do this for us—is the tabling of the Einsteins on your side who decided in your tactics committee meeting to put this on the agenda for the MPI debate today. They are geniuses! Let us run through a little bit of the history.

When you came into government the budget was in surplus by $20 billion. It is now forecast to be in deficit by $30 billion. Let us have a look at what has happened with net debt. When you came into office, the government was $50 billion in the black. What are we expecting now? Net debt is going to be well and truly over $200 billion. And yet you want to debate debt and deficit in this place this afternoon. What those opposite need to do is go to the Press Club and have a look at the record there of what Brian Loughnane said in his speech after the election about what the causes were for you losing. One of them was debt and deficit. And yet here you are today talking about debt and deficit. I will say one thing: keep it coming; let us have MPIs for the next three years on debt and deficit. Make our day.

We want to clean your mess up. What we are seeing in you not allowing us to raise the debt limit is you making sure that we cannot clean your mess up. It reminds me sometimes of when you go into the city and walk around the park. You see people walk their dogs that poop. We have had five poops in the park—the five biggest budget deficits in Australia's history have just been lobbed in the park. And we want to come along with the poop scoop and clean up your mess, and you are hiding the poop scoop from us; you will not allow us to get to the poop scoop. What is that going to do?

Ultimately, the Australian people are going to say: 'They need more time in opposition to realise the damage they have done.' Give us the poop scoop, please! We want to clean up your mess. And it is an almighty mess—the five biggest budget deficits in Australia's history. As a matter of fact, it is the fastest deterioration of debt in modern history—yet those Einsteins on your tactics committee are saying, 'Let's come in here and do the MPI on debt and deficit.' Bring it on. Come on Ed, don't go. Are you going to get the list of the people who are on the tactics committee? Come on, table it for us. Or are you going away to get your poop scoop? We need the poop scoop. Come on, bring it back to us; we need your poop scoop.

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