Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr President. In last night's budget we did ask the Australian people to contribute. We did ask the Australian people to help us build a stronger economy. We did ask the Australian people to help us repair the budget mess that we have inherited. It is not a budget mess of our making but a budget mess that we will take full responsibility to repair, and we do ask that the Australian people help us. We know that people will not be excited about some of the measures in this budget. We do know that some people will find it difficult to make their contribution. We do ask people across Australia to accept that what we are doing, what we are putting on the table, in this budget is something that we are doing in the national interest. It is something that we are doing to strengthen our country. It is something that we are doing for the right reasons, because we have no choice. The spending growth trajectory that Labor recklessly and irresponsibly put our country on is not sustainable. There is no alternative to the job that we are doing. (Time expired)