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

and certainly should have told the Australian people about. This is a government which was elected by the Australian people to work hard for them for three years, and that is exactly what we will do. We heard members opposite braying and bellowing earlier today, 'There will be no surplus for 40 years.' That is what they said. The only way there will be no surplus for 40 years is if members opposite ever get re-elected to the government benches. That is the only way. I say to members opposite: what would you do? You are the alternative government. I say to members opposite: just one idea would do.

But in this, the year of big ideas, the only idea that they have come up with is spending $100 million more on the ATO to raise a billion dollars. I say: under your logic, spend a billion and raise ten billion. That is the shallowness and fatuity of members opposite. Look at what this government has done in 18 months. In 18 months, what have members opposite done? Just one long complaint. It is just not good enough.

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