Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the acting Prime Minister. I refer him to the words of George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the House of Commons last week, when he said:

I confirm today that Britain will not put its resources in either. We do not have a surplus; we have a large deficit … An active member of the IMF? Yes. Helping the IMF with advice and technical support? Yes. But the IMF contributing money to the eurozone bail-out fund? No. And Britain contributing money to the eurozone bail-out fund? No. That is Britain’s clear position.

Acting Prime Minister, is that Australia's clear position as well?

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australia's position is that we will support an expansion of IMF funds under the principles and guidelines used by the IMF, but the IMF will not be contributing to a European rescue fund in the way in which the shadow Treasurer has indicated today.