Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

There was a lot in that, Senator Colbeck. It might come as a surprise to you, but our Prime Minister is not the finance minister, and he's not the Treasurer and he's not the health minister and he's not the resources minister and—what else was there? So—surprise, surprise; shock, horror!—here it is, breaking news on the floor of the Senate: the Prime Minister talks to the finance minister about budget matters. Wow! Guess what? He also talks to the Treasurer about these matters. There's a shock, isn't it, because they're three different people, in our government. They're not one person; they are three different people, and you actually do have to go and speak to each other about it. So, that's what happens. We run a traditional, proper government process when we put our budgets together, and they are always focused on cost of living, which is what matters to the Australian people. (Time expired)