Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to preface my remarks with a compliment, and that is that there are some on the other side of the chamber who I respect highly. Senator Stephens is one of those, but I have to say that in this instance I could not disagree more fully with what she has said if I tried. One fundamental difference between the discussion and debate about the budget that was brought down last night is the very fact that the moral obligation for any government is to govern in the interests of all Australians, and you cannot do that by continuing to spend money that you do not have and ratcheting up the deficit for our future generations to pay. They will be the ones who will have to support the dreadful and appalling legacy unless it is dealt with. So, as I said, whilst I do respect—