Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister outline to the House how our government's economic plan is building a stronger economy and a secure future for all Australians?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Dunkley for his question. I know he's excited, like everyone on this side of the House is excited, because, after 12 long years, Australia will be back in the black tonight when the Treasurer comes to this despatch box to hand down the first surplus budget in 12 years. It's been a long way back from when Labor was elected in 2007 and turned a $20 billion surplus into a $27 billion deficit in just 12 months. It's been a long way back.

And what that tells us—all the way back there when the member for Lilley became the Treasurer—is: you vote Labor once, you pay for it for more than a decade. That is the consequence, because, when Labor get into power, we know that they cannot manage money. You vote Labor once and you pay for it more for than a decade because the Labor Party propose to change it all—higher taxes on families, higher taxes on retirees, higher taxes on businesses and higher taxes on Australians who just want to work hard and get ahead and provide for their families.

That surplus has been achieved by getting the budget under control, and it's been achieved by getting Australians back into work by building the strong economy which has ensured the highest growth in employment in a year that this nation has ever seen, with more than 1.2 million jobs created under the economic policies of this government. And what is the dividend of that? Guaranteed, delivered funding for essential services in health, in education, in pharmaceuticals, in disability care and in aged care—that is the dividend of a strong economy.

You do not guarantee funding for essential services by increasing taxes. That is the false economy of the Labor Party, and that is the three-card trick they'll try and play on the Australian people. The plan that we have been implementing that has delivered a stronger economy and guaranteed record funding for essential services is the plan that you will continue to see tonight: a balanced budget; paying down debt; lower taxes on all Australians without increasing taxes on any Australians; backing small and family businesses; ensuring that we're taking all industry forward, whether it is our mining industries and agricultural industries or our new frontier industries in the health and medical instruments sector; and the infrastructure that both busts congestion and drives our economy forward. This budget will be delivering for the hardworking Australians who are making Australia stronger, and this budget is for them.