Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

I can indicate that I am not aware of what Premier Newman said, but what I do know is that Premier Newman faced a very similar situation to the situation that we now face in Canberra: a profligate Labor government that thought they could just borrow and borrow and borrow as though there were no tomorrow. Premier Newman in Queensland had to take very tough but responsible decisions to get their budget back on track. Similarly, we are seeking to do so in Canberra, and it stands to reason that people that had been given promises that clearly could not be fulfilled will feel disappointed. We as a government understand that. We acknowledge that. But at the end of the day we have to ensure that our government and budgeting are on a sustainable basis. (Time expired)