Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I've tried to work with the shadow Treasurer in a bipartisan way. I have accommodated every single one of the six issues that he raised with me. I have accommodated every single one of the concerns that he raised with me by making sensible changes to what had originally been proposed. I met with him, I arranged briefings for him, I engaged with him genuinely and respectfully, publicly and privately, on this really important matter. That's because my preference was and continues to be a bipartisan agreement between the major parties.

I say, respectfully, I'd rather not deal with the crossbench in the Senate, because I want these changes to endure any future changes in government. That's why I tried to take the shadow Treasurer seriously, even if his colleagues don't. Unfortunately, all along in this process, we have been hostage to the shadow Treasurer's ability to carry an argument internally in his show. He has been unable to do that.

If the House listens closely, they will hear the familiar sound of the shadow Treasurer getting rolled once again. The decision that they've announced today is irresponsible. It creates uncertainty, it's disappointing, but it's not surprising, because this is what happens when the opposition leader's destructive negativity collides with the shadow Treasurer's weakness. This is why they have no credibility on the economy; they're always looking for unnecessary conflict to distract from the fact that they have no credible or costed economic policies, and they won't tell us where $315 billion in cuts are going to come from.

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