Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister rule out increasing existing taxes or imposing new taxes in the next 12 months in order to keep the budget in surplus?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government indicated prior to the last election that we would reduce tax as a proportion of GDP. We have honoured that in the budget which has been delivered. That is an important commitment. Secondly, in terms of the maintenance of the surplus for the future, we have said consistently that our commitment is to bring about a budget surplus across the economic cycle, and that remains our commitment—from prior to the election to the future. The government has no intention to bring in other taxes.