Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I withdraw, Mr Speaker. This is what happens when you put somebody like the member for Hume in the key economic portfolio. No wonder they had almost nothing to show for a trillion dollars of debt, and now we know it was even worse than they claimed. The Leader of the Opposition was a key part of the Morrison government as a member of the Expenditure Review Committee that deliberately left hanging Australians who rely on these programs. The Leader of the Opposition can hide from the voters of New South Wales and he can hide from the voters of Aston, but he can't hide from his record as a key member of the Morrison government or the mess that they left behind.

We take our responsibilities seriously at a time of global uncertainty, cost-of-living pressures and substantial fiscal constraints. It will take more than one budget. It will take more than two budgets to clean up the mess that those opposite left behind. Whether it's the member for Hume or the angry captain of the cookers over there who bears responsibility for this mess, we take responsibility for cleaning it up.

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