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

We have an absolutely clear mandate to address the debt and deficit disaster that members opposite left us. We have an absolutely clear mandate to tackle the $25,000 of debt per man, woman and child that members opposite saddled Australians with. We have a clear mandate to do that. The measure that the member who asked the question refers to was a budget measure. As I said earlier to the Leader of the Opposition, it will cost the average family some 40c a week.

I regret it very much, but there is no easy way to address the debt and deficit disaster that members opposite left us. We at least have had the honesty and the decency to tell the Australian people how we propose to tackle Labor's debt and deficit disaster. Now it is only right and fair that members opposite should explain how they will address—

Mr Perrett interjecting—

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