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

Senator Wong has, to a large extent, answered her own question, by confirming that the budget will be brought down tomorrow night. I would invite Senator Wong to wait and see what is in the budget.

What we have said to the Australian people is very, very clear, and that is that there is a task in front of us as a nation to ensure that budget parameters are brought into line. We as a government, we as a coalition, do not want to leave a legacy of debt and deficit around the necks of the next generation. The Australian Labor Party had us on a trajectory which would have seen this nation descend into $667,000 million worth of debt.

And, Mr President, do you know who the architect was of that policy? None other than Australia's worst finance minister ever, Senator Wong. Australia's failed finance minister, Senator Wong, has the audacity to come into this place and ask budget questions as though somehow she was the author of all expenditure rectitude. We know what Senator Wong left this nation. The Australian people understand what Senator Wong and the Labor Party left this nation, and we as a government are determined to fix that for the benefit of the next generation. What we also want to do is to ensure that there is fairness for those most in need, such as the pensioners of Australia—and they will be very well looked after in tomorrow's announcements.