Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition goes to Perth and says, 'No, we don't like that mining tax,' then comes back here and votes to keep the mining tax. So consistency is not an endearing principle for the Labor Party. When it comes to the budget it is vitally important that you be consistent. Of course the Labor Party, after having delivered some of the biggest budget deficits in Australian history, have left behind the fastest growth in government spending of any economy in the top 17 of the IMF—what a great legacy that is from Labor! What is more, they were so concerned before the election about the state of the budget that the old, well-tanned member for Lilley said before the last election that the Labor Party was introducing a $1.1 billion saving in relation to R&D for companies with a turnover of more than $20 billion. They said they were introducing that saving because it was a down payment on the repair that the budget needs.

Well, he would know. He created the problem. He was so outraged about the problem he actually suggested that they have part of a solution—a $1.1 billion change to R&D. The problem is that they never legislated it. They announced it, but never legislated it. So we come in here and say: 'Yes, we agree with you, Labor. You screwed up the budget. We have a collective interest to try to fix it.' But the Labor Party now say that they are so concerned about the budget deficit that they now are going to vote in the Senate against the savings they announced on R&D before the election. What are you thinking? What could you over there be possibly thinking? Before the election you say one thing and after the election you say other things. You are inconsistent.

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