Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

That question just demonstrates the total economic illiteracy of those opposite. For three years those opposite have said, 'We'll tighten the belt further; we'll have a bigger surplus than you.' 'We'll have a bigger surplus than you,' has been the refrain. Yet within 24 hours Mr Hockey and Mr Abbott had entirely different positions. In the 'Real Solutions' plan there was no commitment whatsoever. Mr Abbott does an announcement—a mini faux launch—and there was nothing about it. Yet Mr Hockey, within 24 hours, contradicts Mr Abbott about the surplus saying, 'And we'll be in surplus,' and Mr Abbott, dragged to reality by Mr Hockey, decides he has nowhere to go.

What we have in this country at the moment—as you can see if you look at the front page of the Ageis a state government in Victoria that has brought the state of Victoria to a standstill. What do the statistics out of the state of Victoria say? More than 12,000 construction jobs have been lost and more are at risk. The reduction in jobs in Victoria's construction sector is twice that of the national average. We have a state Liberal government, that those opposite fully support, that has ground the state of Victoria to a standstill. (Time expired)