Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

The government has made its priorities clear. This is about getting us back into the black, getting more Australians into jobs and spreading the opportunities of the mining boom, and we will outline a budget which sets out a clear path to the return to surplus, which we are committed to. But what will be interesting to see this week in this parliament is whether the opposition are prepared to apply the same discipline to themselves that they are asserting the government should adhere to. I think we should be running a bit of a wager as to whether they will front up. I wager they will not front up and do what they say they will do. Those opposite might want to know that your shadow Treasurer, Mr Hockey, has committed to bringing the budget back to surplus on your figures by next year. That is what Mr Hockey has said, but he has not done the numbers to work out how. (Time expired)