Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

Despite the question, I will congratulate the new Leader of the Australian Greens on his ascension to the leadership and wish him not too much success in the role but all the best in the role. Also on behalf of the government I wish the former leader, Senator Milne, all the best for her future as she determines what occurs with that.

The Leader of the Australian Greens is refreshingly correct when he says that a budget is about choices. We as a government are determined not to saddle the next generation with a burden of debt and deficit because this generation could not act responsibly, so be assured that we as a government are concerned about making the right choices for today and especially for the next generation.

In relation to some of the matters that the Leader of the Greens seeks to ventilate in his question, I say to him: 'Watch this space tomorrow night and see what may or may not be announced.' But it is indicative that the Greens have already started their negative mantra on the budget before it has even been delivered. Senator Di Natale had said that he was going to be cooperative and willing to work with government. I look forward to that, but I must say that I am not sure that question is a good start down that track. But we will have a look at the supplementary questions to see if they are any better than the first.