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

There is no alternative plan from the alternative government of Australia, and, going by the interjection from the worst finance minister in the history of the Commonwealth, she still does not understand that a tax cut is not expenditure. Cutting tax is not spending money. Cutting tax is allowing people to keep more of their own money. Cutting tax enables them to make judgements about where best to invest their own money to be more successful in the future. On this side of the chamber we understand that tax cuts are not expenditure, and it is clear that even after her 18 months in opposition Senator Wong still thinks that cutting taxes is actually spending money. This is going to be the choice for the Australian people at the next election—do they want to return to a high-taxing, high-spending government like the Labor Party or do they want to stay with a sound economic team? (Time expired)