Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I think we see the sort of allergy to transparency that appears to infect all of you on that side. It is a very simple question. I asked, 'When will $400 billion be reached?' One of the key bases of the coalition's argument is that it is not enough, because it is going to be reached, and we need to buffer. When will it be reached? The answer I get is: sometime over the next four years, but we have to pass $500 billion now before you even give us the numbers. It is pathetic, really it is. This is the Commonwealth budget, and you are playing politics like this? You will not even tell the Australian Senate when you are going to hit $400 billion, but you want a blank cheque up to $500 billion without doing the Senate the simple courtesy of answering a simple question?

At which year in the forward estimates—the current year, the subsequent year or the outer years—is it anticipated on current advice that the $400 billion will be reached?