Lindsay Tanner (Melbourne, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

This expenditure, like other expenditures which the government has committed to, is in fact provided for in the budget. Unlike many of the commitments that the Leader of the Opposition has been making in recent times, there are savings to cover this expenditure and other expenditures. There is a document called the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, which I would recommend to the dwindling band of fiscally and economically literate members of the opposition. It would be an interesting exercise for them to have a look at some budget papers from time to time.

It is also important to note that, as a result of these changes in this program, the government has shifted its mechanism for subsidising householders putting solar panels on their roofs to the renewable energy target mechanism. So there is now a different system in place to enable what is otherwise a very worthwhile objective to be pursued. But again I think it is worth noting that the shadow Treasurer and the Leader of the Opposition, in pursuing—

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