Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Sheldon for his question. The Albanese government and those on this side are focused on delivering a better future for all Australians, and we understand that at the heart of that is a stronger economy and an economy in which all Australians can participate and from which all Australians can gain the benefit.

I know those opposite find the truth hard to bear at times, but the reality is that they left the economy in a terrible state. Their approach to economic management was defined by wastes and rorts and of course, as the good senator has reminded us, by a trillion dollars in debt with nothing to show for it. Of course, they did tell us, and they printed cups that told everybody, that they were in surplus, but, like so much under the Morrison Liberal government, it was just yet another announcement without any delivery—a slightly embarrassing one. They were left with a lot of merchandise they don't know what to do with—lots of merch. But there was a trillion dollars in debt with nothing to show for it. What else are they known for? Well, those opposite deliberately kept wages low.