George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Dastyari, if you are so concerned about the state of the budget, why does the Australian Labor Party here in this Senate continue to block savings measures? Because that is what you are doing, Senator Dastyari. The budget would be $16.5 billion in better shape if the Australian Labor Party did not consistently block savings measures in the Senate—including, by the way, Senator Dastyari, savings measures that in advance of this year's election you said, were there to be a Labor government, you yourselves would introduce. So, Senator Dastyari, the one thing we will always know about the budget deficit is this: it is much lower than it ever would have been under a Labor government, and it would be a lot better if the Labor Party got out of the way and passed the savings measures.