Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

As I said, we are performing extremely well compared with other devel­oped economies—a fact that the opposition does not wish to acknowledge. In fact, our GDP is now five per cent higher than it was prior to the global financial crisis, whereas GDP in the United States, Europe and Japan is still broadly below pre-GFC levels. So let us remind ourselves again: we have grown some five per cent since the start of the global financial crisis; comparable developed economies still have not reached their pre-GFC levels. But you would not believe that, given the gloom and doom of those opposite, who are happy to talk down confidence, happy to talk down jobs, happy to say anything as long as it is in their political interests, even if it is not in the national interest—an extraordinarily irresponsible way to behave.