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

My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his industry minister’s declaration to all Australian workers, broadcast on Radio 3AW this morning, that none of their jobs are safe. When will the Prime Minister admit that his tens of billions of dollars in cash splashes and relentless talking down of the economy are destroying confidence, frightening workers and their families and making matters much worse?

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

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. He speaks of the need for hope and confidence and about the strength of this economy, when in recent days he has appointed a shadow Treasurer who said a year ago, and has championed this since: ‘I firmly believe we are heading into a recession nationally.’ So there we have, on the one hand, the shadow treasurer in the last 24 hours speaking about the need for hope and positive sentiment in the economy, reflected again in the question just asked by the Leader of the Opposition, when the same shadow Treasurer has chanted this mantra for the year, beginning with February last year: ‘I firmly believe we are heading into a recession.’ What double standards!