Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

The only solution that members opposite have for funding the NDIS is to borrow and to tax. They are like the cowboy bar in The Blues Brothers that has both types of music: country and western. Their approach to spending is taxing and borrowing—both types of fiscal approach. We are going through the hard work of savings. I might add that back in September 2014 before the National Press Club, the shadow Treasurer said, 'We will go to the next election with savings proposals which will ensure that our election commitments are fully funded.' Understanding that a revenue measure is not a savings proposal and understanding that declining to support a government's spending measure is not a savings proposal, how many savings proposals in 969 days since the last election have they put forward? Zero. Not a single savings proposal. The member for Adelaide said this in November 2015:

We have repeatedly pointed out that we think that there are a number of areas across Government where there are savings that can be found … we are continuing to identify and point out savings measures …

Maybe they are secretly identifying them, but they are not going so well on the pointing out of the savings measures. This evening you will see several.

See this speech in context