Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

There is their argument that not only is there no inflation crisis; inflation is a fairytale and a charade! Furthermore—and this is the ultimate underlining of their economic irresponsibility—they say there is no economic case to reduce government spending. That is what the alternative Treasurer of the country said barely a week or so ago. I have not heard any recanting of that yet—that there is no economic case to reduce government spending. This from the Liberal Party—the Liberal Party attacking this federal Labor government, from the left, with a single argument saying: ‘You should be spending more on government spending.’

I find it remarkable that their third point is this—this is the trifecta of their new economic orthodoxy: we should preserve welfare payments to Australia’s wealthiest. That is their orthodoxy: firstly, there is no inflation problem; secondly, there is no case to cut government spending; and, thirdly, we should preserve welfare payments for the wealthiest.

But when it comes to consistency, I conclude with this on the question of revenue—and revenue measures were touched on specifically by the Leader of the Opposition himself in question time today—and it goes to the excise on alcopops. Brendan Nelson on 27 April said:

The proposed increase in the excise on alcopops is something that will be supported by us ...

Brendan Nelson on 1 May said:

What we’ve learnt is that they spin a few things out into the newspaper like the outrageous half a billion dollars tax binge on ready-mixed drinks ...

I presume that means you are now opposed to it. What a long time a week constitutes in politics. Supporting the introduction of this tax one week, opposing it the next. And the opposition has the gall to ask the government about consistency of economic policy! The opposition needs to take a long hard look at itself. It is no longer articulating any credible economic policy position in the lead-up to this budget.

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