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

The shadow Treasurer talked about pensions. The pensioners of this country have had a very good deal under this government, because they have lost the carbon tax but they have kept the carbon tax compensation. The households of Australia have had a very good deal because they have lost the carbon tax, which was hitting them with $550 a year. It is no wonder that confidence is returning to our economy, because this government has a plan. All that members opposite have is one long complaint.

As I have said time and time again, in this House and in the community, not all the restructuring that we proposed in last year's budget has gone through this parliament. I regret that, but in good faith we have been prepared to sit down with the crossbenchers. We would even sit down with the Labor Party if they were prepared to sit down with us and do with us what we were always prepared to do, in opposition, with them. Even so, thanks to the measures that this government has put in place and this parliament has passed, Labor's debt and deficit going forward is halved. A budgetary position that was heading to southern Mediterranean and southern European levels at a rate of knots has been halved under this government.

Opposition members interjecting—

I hear shrieking from the other side of the parliament about this government doubling the deficit.

Mr Giles interjecting—

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