Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

Unlike those opposite, we have a plan to control expenditure over the budget and forward estimates, and I can report to the House that this year it is estimated to be 25.9 per cent; next year it will fall to 25.5 per cent and the year after that to 25.3 per cent. We have a plan to control expenditure over the budgets and forward estimates. Those opposite have $57 billion of outstanding commitments and calls on the government purse to restore expenditure that this government has been able to get under control. I find it somewhat passing strange that those opposite are raising the issue of expenditure in this place when they left this country in the mess that they did with their fiscal recklessness.

Just before the last election there was a PEFO—you will remember it, Mr Speaker—that contained many assumptions. One of those assumptions was that some thousands of people would continue to arrive by boat, yet they did not account for $1.2 billion worth of expenditure that was necessary to ensure that we could deal with the recklessness that those opposite left behind.

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

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