Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Given the conditions that we face, the government is taking the only responsible action to support growth and jobs in the face of the global recession. We had a choice of further spending from the temporary deficit or higher unemployment. We make no apologies for choosing to save Australian jobs and fight for Australian jobs. Those opposite will stand condemned. If only they had had the opportunity to wait another few hours before their shadow cabinet met, because one of their great criticisms is that it will not be spent. The retail figures for December that came out this morning blew a large hole in the argument of those opposite because what it showed was a major increase— (Time expired)