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

I thank Senator Moore for her question. This is very much a nation-building budget, a budget focused on roads, rail, ports and clean energy. The government has taken hard decisions to stimulate the economy, support jobs and best position Australians to take full advantage of a global recovery. The budget keeps stimulus and investment flowing to support the economy in these tough times and locks in the savings that will get us back into surplus when the tough times have passed. This budget is the third component of our stimulus strategy, which we know is working. The first component was payments to support jobs, the second was construction of shovel-ready schools and homes throughout the nation and now the third is stimulus through big infrastructure projects.

As a government there are no easy answers when you are tackling the biggest revenue downgrades ever confronted by an Australian government. The biggest global recession since the Great Depression has dragged Australia into recession, pushing up unemployment and wiping more than $200 billion off revenues. The choices we have taken in this budget will not jeopardise our recovery and they will see us return to surplus in 2015-16. Everyone has been asked to do their bit, especially those that have done well and can afford to contribute a bit more during these tough times. Not only are there savings but there are long-term structural reforms that will help put the budget back on a sustainable path—not just spend in the good years, but put it on a sustainable path. The Commonwealth Treasury says 200,000 Australians would be out of work if not for this stimulus and budget. We think this is a budget for the times, a budget that will stimulate jobs in our economy and prepare us for the future as well.