Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I have explained now on three occasions that the funding that the Commonwealth provides is indexed. The amount of money we are providing this year is $13.6 billion. That compares with $8.5 billion in the last year of the Howard government. According to the figures I have seen on the opposition's funding cut proposals, they would seek to take $2.8 billion off the current programs. It is the height of hypocrisy for Senator Nash to come into this chamber and argue that this government is doing something when it is not, while at the same time having a policy of cutting funding.