Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State) Share this | Hansard source

I am tempted to give the one-word answer 'no', but it does require some explanation. I cannot speak to when a determination was made to put it all into one bill, but it is not a matter of blackmail to pay for new government measures. What is a sign of absolute irresponsibility is to make promises and have no way of paying for them or to put them onto future generations of Australians. It is a moral issue that this budget be balanced. It is a moral issue that when we come out with new spending measures we find ways to pay for them. It is not blackmail to say that when I care about something I am going to do something about it rather than just printing more bumper stickers without finding a way to pay for it.