Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the shadow Treasurer for that question. As I said before, we are putting in place our medium-term fiscal strategy and committed to surpluses, on average, over the economic cycle. That is the responsible thing to do. If the shadow Treasurer wants me to bring down the forecast for the May budget today, that simply cannot be done and he absolutely knows it. But what we on this side will give is a commitment to support jobs and growth. What we are seeing here very clearly today is a determination from those opposite to take an axe to our economy and to slash and burn, particularly across jobs, health and education. You get no clearer commitment to that than what the shadow Treasurer said in Western Sydney last week.

See this speech in context