Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I was asked about payments to carers and there are no changes to payments to carers. I want to make it absolutely crystal clear that this is a government which is determined to protect the vulnerable people of this country, but it is also determined to ensure that Labor's debt and deficit disaster is addressed. As Reserve Bank board member John Edwards—the distinguished economist and friend of the Labor Party that the Labor Party appointed to the Reserve Bank Board—said: 'This is a budget crisis. It does need to be addressed.' It is going to be addressed by us in ways to protect the vulnerable.

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