Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Last week, when talking up an increase in the GST, the Treasurer said, 'We've got to do what's right.' Does the Treasurer still think that increasing the GST is the right thing to do?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government will always do what is right, and what I was saying in that interview is that the government would determine what was right and that we would get about it. I can tell you what is not right, and that is the tax-and-spend approach of those opposite. That is what is not right for jobs and growth in this country. What I know of those opposite is they seem to confuse spending and taxes. They seem to confuse savings measures and tax measures. The member for Fraser said very recently, 'We've put on the table around $70 billion of savings over the course of the next decade.' But they are not savings; they are actually tax increases.

Dr Leigh interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I remind the member for Fraser he has been warned.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those opposite do not understand the difference between a savings measure, where you actually reduce expenditure, and a tax measure, where you are pushing up taxes. This government is not about tax and spend; those opposite are.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No answer!

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Isaacs will cease interjecting.

Mr Pasin interjecting—

The member for Barker will cease interjecting.