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

And then there is this one. You should listen very carefully:

Returning to surplus also ensures we're not generating price pressures in the economy.

Who do you think said this? It was none other than former Treasurer Wayne Swan. Wayne Swan might never have been able to get to a surplus—he might never have been able to reach the destination—but at least he was a believer. I believe that Mr Swan believed that a surplus was important. At least he understood that it was in the national interest for us to balance our books. He might not have been able to get there but Mr Shorten and Mr Bowen do not even believe that we should get to a surplus. They are just making a complete mess of it. The Rudd was badly managing money. The Gillard government was badly managing money. The Shorten opposition is more reckless than either of them.