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

The first part of the question was a reference to reform and it would be useful perhaps if Senator Sinodinos could explain to the chamber how his party's increase in the company tax rate to fund a millionaire's paid parental leave scheme is good economic reform. I am not surprised that you look embarrassed, because you know it is embarrassing as a policy. I am very happy to respond because Senator Sinodinos is right in that there are risks to the global outlook and there are always challenges ahead, even for an economy as resilient as ours. That is why the government made the decision we did to put jobs and growth first in the budget, as the Labor Party always should, and we stand in stark contrast to the austerity prescriptions that cut to the bone that those on the other side would implement, should they come into government. They should be up-front with Australians that that means lower growth and higher unemployment.