Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I thought, 'The member for McMahon surely can't keep getting it wrong.' Then I heard the Prime Minister just then quoting the member for McMahon:

… the government has returned the budget to surplus three years ahead of schedule and ahead of any other major advanced economy …

I thought, 'Well, that's the mantra of the Labor Party.' And I thought, 'Swanee said that and he got it wrong.' And then I looked at the date of the statement. The statement from the member for McMahon was two years ahead of the member for Lilley. Hang on! He was claiming on 13 May 2010, on Fran Kelly's ABC National program, that they had delivered surpluses. He was even ahead of the worst Treasurer in Australian history. No wonder he is writing a book about treasurers!

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