Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Is the minister saying that the Prime Minister is also wrong when he said on the same day:

Responsible economic management means that you do something about ensuring that you have got a reasonable surplus …

By plunging into deficit after only 12 months in office, how can the government, by the Prime Minister’s own definition, qualify as responsible economic managers—or is this simply another example of the hollow nature of the hollowmen’s promises of responsible financial management?