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

I would like to say I was aware of an alternative approach, but the only alternative approach that we can find is 'just say no' from the other side: 'Just say no to everything. Let's talk down the economy. Let's never put forward any coherent policy. Let's not tell the Australian people about the $70 billion worth of cuts that we would put in place were we to win the next election. Let's not tell them about that.' The only economic policy that they put forward is utterly incoherent. This is the party that opposed a tax cut for small business but wants to increase company taxes to pay for a Rolls Royce paid parental leave scheme that Mr Abbott thinks he needs and thinks is politically necessary—economically incoherent but, worse, relentlessly and destructively negative and always talking down the Australian economy.