Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Clearly, that is not a question one could answer with any certainty at this time. The impact of the financial crisis is not determined. We are in a very turbulent period. A projection one would have made two weeks ago would no longer be relevant. What is the case is that this government is absolutely focused on trying to provide the strongest possible protection we can to Australian pensioners and families from the global financial crisis. We have sought to reassure people that our economy is in good shape and that our institutions are in good shape. We have taken a range of measures—including the measure announced on the weekend to guarantee deposits—which seek to provide the sort of protection that all Australians will benefit from. We remain committed to those sorts of measures. (Time expired)