Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is also to the Treasurer. I refer the Treasurer to weekend newspaper reports that $81 million from the government’s first spending package went to recipients living permanently overseas. Treasurer, how did these payments overseas stimulate the Australian economy?

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

I think the member has a very short memory. It is the case that we do have reciprocal social security agreements with other countries and payments are made to Australians living overseas, and other countries have payments made to their residents living here. I do have a long memory, because I have a memory of a time when the member who asked the question was actually a minister for social security in this House. I think you will find he might have negotiated some of those agreements. I think that is the case. He was certainly a member of a government that was negotiating the arrangements that apply now and have always applied under both sides of politics.