John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Wentworth has had some experience in putting into practice his economic beliefs. He has some acquaintance with the business community and he demonstrates a better understanding of economics than anybody who sits over there. The truth is that those who sit opposite do not have an economic plan of their own for Australia’s future. Those who sit opposite are desperately trying to agree with the government and practising what I call ‘echo-nomics’. The member for Lilley reminds me a bit of my childhood. My parents used to take me to a place called Katoomba in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales. The first spot we went to was Echo Point. You would stand there at Echo Point and look out to Mount Solitary and when you called something out the echo would come back. I am reminded a bit about that in the parliament these days. You stand up here and you say ‘budget surplus’ and ‘budget surplus’ comes back. You say ‘rigorous monetary policy’ and ‘rigorous monetary policy’ comes back.

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