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

I am citing the Leader of the Opposition in 'Australia's economic report card': 'In these uncertain global times there is no clearer sign of a strong economy than a surplus.' It was true then, it is true now, it will be true tomorrow, it will be true the day after, it will be true next year and it will be true the year after that. These are economic truths. These are economic principles. These are the principles of good government, which members opposite sort of understood, but they never had the courage and the principal actually to deliver on them. We understand them and we are delivering on them.

I do not say that it is easy, but it is necessary. We do need, as the Leader of the Opposition understands, to get back into surplus if we are to have a strong economy. He knew it; we are doing it.

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