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

It has been 16 days since the Treasurer delivered the Albanese government's third budget. It was a budget that provided universal cost-of-living support through tax cuts and energy rebates to every taxpayer and every household. It was a budget that showed how serious we are about becoming a renewable energy superpower through billions of dollars to support green hydrogen and a future made in Australia. It was also a budget that delivered the fiscal responsibility that our economy needs right now. The budget's $9.3 billion projected surplus builds on last year's record $21.9 billion surplus. That's the first back-to-back surplus in nearly two decades. Because of our restraint, the budget will be $215 billion stronger over the next six years. That means that debt will be $152 billion lower than under the Liberals. Because of that, we'll save $80 billion in interest costs over the next decade.

While the Leader of the Opposition and his acolytes shamefully blame migrants for every issue under the sun, we are getting on with the job of cleaning up the mess that the Liberals left us. Labor backs in renewable energy while the Liberals continue to push their nuclear fantasy. Labor strengthens Medicare because the Liberals cut it to the bone. Labor will continue to deliver a responsible budget while all they did was leave us with a trillion dollars worth of Liberal debt and a cheap slogan on a mug.

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

Order! In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded.