Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Gallagher for her question and the question as Minister for Finance. Indeed, those remarks are remarks that I stand by in terms of the importance of the quality of spending. It is crucial across government that we work always to ensure that government spending is targeted where it's necessary to what is necessary. That's been the approach of our side of politics all along. It was that type of approach in terms of making sensible decisions around budget management that enabled us to create an environment coming into this economic crisis that we face right now that had our budget come back to a point of balance. It was through that careful budget management and that economic management that we ensured that—

Senator Wong interjecting—

Have you looked at the previous budget outcome, Senator Wong? In relation to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, this was an important investment made in an important national asset.

Opposition senators interjecting—