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

No, it was not 15 per cent in 1993. Senator Carr was already in the Senate at the time so he will be able to confirm what I am saying. He is trying not to look at me because he knows that I am telling the truth. He knows that it was none other than former Prime Minister Paul Keating who said that we should let people have access to their superannuation to buy their first home.

The truth is that all the Treasurer has said and all the Prime Minister has said in the context of proposals being put together was 'let's have a conversation about it'. We should have lots of conversations. But what we should have a conversation about is? How we can fix the mess that the Labor Party left behind? How we can get spending growth back on a more sustainable foundation? How we can get the budget back under control so that we can put Australia a stronger foundation for the future, protect our living standards, build a stronger more prosperous economy, create more jobs and ensure that everybody has the best possible opportunity to get ahead?

The Labor Party coming in here and playing politics again does not actually add anything to the debate. What the Labor Party should do is engage seriously in the conversation about the future of our country. (Time expired)