Keith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Finally, here is the big night for the Treasurer. It's time to shine a spotlight on the Treasurer. I'm told that this morning the Treasurer almost quoted the Little River Band—'Hang on, help is on its way,' apparently—but, unfortunately, I don't think that's the case. When the Treasurer strides up to the dispatch box, the music that leads him in should be Kenny Rogers's 'The Gambler':

You've got to know when to hold 'em

Know when to fold 'em

Unfortunately for the Australian people, this Labor Treasurer will roll them. He's going to roll the dice on the Australian people's wealth. He's going to roll the dice on their income. He's going to roll the dice on the Australian balance sheet. And I think that is a disgrace, because it will drive inflation.

I say this to the Treasurer: this is not a game of Monopoly. You are not playing with Monopoly money; you are playing with the wealth of the nation. And the nation deserves better than putting fuel on the inflation fire that is homemade, and is homemade by this Labor government. This Labor government has increased spending by $209 billion in the last two years. Real wages have gone backwards by 7½ per cent; that is a direct impact on the individuals who need help and assistance. As we know from Kenny Rogers and his song 'The Gambler', the gambler broke even, and what a tragedy it is for the Australian people that that's the best they can hope for from this Treasurer and this Labor government.