Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer.

Government members: Oh!

Don't be so disappointed in him; he will give it a go. I refer to Labor's claim that it will bring the budget back to surplus this financial year despite collecting less revenue than forecast. Will the government rule out cuts to health and medical research grants in order to fund its $120 billion black hole?

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The honourable member for Dickson was warned about props. I give the same warning to everybody.

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

I thank the member for Dickson for his question about the Australian economy and about his allegations of a black hole. The only black hole around is the $70 billion crater in the Liberal Party's bottom line that the shadow Treasurer announced on breakfast television when he was sitting next to the environment minister. I would like to talk more generally about the state of our economy and relate that to revenues. There have been a number of statements in recent times about the strength of the Australian economy, and one in particular stands out. It goes like this:

There is no doubt the Australian economy is doing better than most—our unemployment is remarkably low, our debt-to-GDP compares very favourably on all measurements, our inflation is low.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, I rise on a point of order on relevance. The Treasurer was asked to rule out cuts to health and medical research. He refuses to do that. He tried to cut it last year, and with his $120 billion debt—

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Dickson will resume his seat.

Mr Dutton interjecting—

The member for Dickson is warned! Abuse of points of order will not be tolerated. Introduction of argument into questions or points of order will also not be tolerated.

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

The shadow minister has the hide of a rhino. He comes in here and wants a guarantee from me that there will not be cuts in certain areas when he has said nothing about the savage cuts in Queensland to health and education by the Newman government—absolutely nothing. He has been completely mute. The reason every single one of those over there have been mute about the cuts in New South Wales and in Queensland is that they have the stamp of approval of the Leader of the Opposition.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will return to the question.

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

Certainly. I was also asked about the economy.

Opposition members interjecting—

I am sorry—if you cannot understand a question from the member for Dickson, you are not going too well. I was asked about an alleged hole in the budget and I am responding to that by talking about the strength of our economy and our economic fundamentals and about the commentary that our unemployment is remarkably low, our debt-to-GDP compares very favourably on all measurements and our inflation is low. So who do you reckon might have said that? Which leading Liberal? Which living Liberal leader might have said that? It was John Howard who said that. So when they come in here to run their scare campaign about our budget, they cannot climb over that assessment of the Australian economy. Nor can they climb over the assessments by the IMF, the OECD and most other reputable bodies.

The fact is that we have put in place a responsible fiscal policy in this country and we have done that over five years. We stimulated our economy to support jobs, now we are coming back to surplus and our economy is growing. What we are doing is paying down debt. That is precisely what a responsible government does in these circumstances, and it is precisely what those opposite cannot do because they have a $70 billion hole in their budget bottom line and the fact is they have got an agenda to slash in health and education just like New South Wales and Queensland.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to table this article showing Labor's $120 billion blowout. I am sorry he refuses to rule out cuts to health and medical research.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, leave is not granted. I table the media release entitled 'NSW bishops: unprecedented threat to Catholic schools', from the Catholic Education Commission.