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

I absolutely accept that there are some tough decisions in this budget. I absolutely accept that, and I absolutely accept that there are a lot of decisions in this budget which a lot of people would not like. And, under different circumstances, this government would not have needed to take them. But we were left with a debt and deficit disaster by members opposite. Members opposite know that it is important to get back to surplus, because, let's face it, for years they boasted not just that they were getting back to surplus but that they had got back to surplus. They never, ever delivered it.

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