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

I am again going to quote Mr Costello, who perhaps, if he were still in the parliament, might drag Mr Hockey and Mr Abbott to consider the budget position properly. Mr Costello, when he was Treasurer, stated how an opposition should do a proper budget reply. He said:

You do the tables as to what your policies are going to cost and how you're going to pay for them …

That is the test your guru, Mr Costello, set for your leader, Mr Abbott. Let us see how Mr Abbott measures up tonight. Will he actually put out policies which will bring the budget back to surplus, or will the coalition become the party of higher deficits? Now, just in case Mr Abbott does not, the government has in fact prepared very carefully what your budget position would look like, were you in government. (Time expired)