Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I will take the interjection about a surplus. It was like winning the pools: the money was flowing in. You have to have money in the bank when you win the pools. It is not about economic credibility. It is not about a surplus when you win the pools. The money was flying in hand over fist, and all you guys did was let money flow out as quickly as ever.

You just have to look at Peter Costello, whom you worked for, Senator Fifield. Peter Costello did not have the backbone or credibility within the coalition to actually stand up to John Howard on what he thought was the right thing to do: to stop that tsunami of spending that took place.