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

I am a minister and I am a member of a political party—that is hardly a secret. But that is not what you said, Senator Cormann. What was asserted was the politicisation of the Public Service. I want to place on record that I believe that the comments made in the other place in the context of this bill, about the politicisation of the Treasury—personal comments and attacks on Dr Henry—were reprehensible. And I would have regarded them as being reprehensible had they been made by Labor members in opposition. Economic spokespeople from the opposition, like Senator Cormann, ought to put those things to bed. They ought to say: 'We do not agree with those propositions which were put by members on our side'—because the Treasury and the Department of Finance and Deregulation are important institutions in our economic framework and they ought to be defended by spokespeople with responsibility for those portfolios. Instead of defending them, you have gone along with it—and, really, it is quite shameful. That is the first point.

The second point I want to respond to was Senator Cormann's assertion, in the context of his amendment, that we had made up the $70 billion figure. That is a lie. I invite him to look at the transcript of at least two interviews by his senior economics spokesperson, Mr Robb, including on Meet the Press, where he made it clear that the $70 billion was your figure. I think the quote was something like, 'No, it's not a furphy.' So don't come in here, Senator Cormann, and say, 'Senator Wong has just made it up; she shouldn't be believed'. We took it from you! That is what you say is the black hole you have to fill, that is the extent of the cuts you will have to find—

Opposition senators interjecting—