Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I always welcome the interjections of the member for Goldstein because who knows what they are going to be this week. They are very sensitive overseas to our changes in terms of banking regulation and the debate in Australia. Members opposite understand where this is going and they are not happy about it. The problems that can be caused by intemperate remarks from the opposition have a massive impact upon banking regulation. I want to know: what does the opposition have against average mortgage holders that they would jeopardise their interest rates by playing with fire? The reality is that this government, by contrast, understands the importance of banking regulation and it understands the importance of certainty. It was a Labor government who guaranteed the banks; it was a Labor government who, through the global financial crisis, ensured the settings were fair enough that we could get through it in a solid state.

Of course, the coalition shadow Treasurer very recently has said that perhaps we should—

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