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

What I can confirm is that, since the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook before Christmas, spending is $7.3 billion less. What I can also confirm is that, instead of the massive growth in spending under Labor, hidden in the period beyond the forward estimates, under this government we have brought spending growth down. Senator Wong, the worst finance minister in the history of the Commonwealth, used to have the supposed target where she said, 'We're going to control spending by not exceeding spending growth of two per cent above inflation.' She always failed. She never met that target. Three point six per cent spending growth—