Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. What is the impact on the budget when ongoing programs are left unfunded, and what impact will it have on Australians in funding for these programs isn't continued?

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you to the member for Bennelong for his question. The budget is six weeks away today and it will be handed down at a time of uncertainty, cost-of-living pressures and substantial fiscal constraints. The fastest growing area of government spending is the cost of servicing the trillion dollars of Liberal debt that those opposite left behind. So in this environment, there is a premium on what is responsible, affordable and sustainable, and we have been upfront about the pressures on the budget as we methodically work our way through and try to deal with them.

In October we had to find $4.1 billion for pressures that our predecessors couldn't be bothered funding in an ongoing way. And in May we will have to find billions of dollars more for spending and for programs that they announced but didn't fund in myGov and My Health Record or dental care for pensioners, the Brisbane Olympics or esafety or radioactive waste. Time after time after time they were all press release and no provision.

The member for Hume was asked about this fakery and trickery today and he said it is all part of managing the budget. This is what happens when you put this ringleader for rorts in a key economic portfolio. No wonder they had—

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order. That is clearly unparliamentary and abusive language, and he should be asked to withdraw.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To assist the House, I will ask the Treasurer to withdraw that comment and keep moving.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw, Mr Speaker. This is what happens when you put somebody like the member for Hume in the key economic portfolio. No wonder they had almost nothing to show for a trillion dollars of debt, and now we know it was even worse than they claimed. The Leader of the Opposition was a key part of the Morrison government as a member of the Expenditure Review Committee that deliberately left hanging Australians who rely on these programs. The Leader of the Opposition can hide from the voters of New South Wales and he can hide from the voters of Aston, but he can't hide from his record as a key member of the Morrison government or the mess that they left behind.

We take our responsibilities seriously at a time of global uncertainty, cost-of-living pressures and substantial fiscal constraints. It will take more than one budget. It will take more than two budgets to clean up the mess that those opposite left behind. Whether it's the member for Hume or the angry captain of the cookers over there who bears responsibility for this mess, we take responsibility for cleaning it up.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! There's far too much noise on my left. If this continues, people will be warned and they won't be here much longer.