Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Edwards for that question. If we want to improve opportunities for our children and grandchildren we need to pass the budget the government delivered two months ago. If we want to stop borrowing from our children and grandchildren, we need to pass the budget that we delivered two months ago. Right now what is happening in Australia is that we continue to borrow from our children and grandchildren in order to fund our consumption. That means that we are forcing our children and grandchildren to pay higher taxes or accept lower services, low benefits, in order to pay for our consumption today. Those on this side of the parliament do not agree with that proposition. Those on this side of the parliament want to build opportunity for people to get ahead; we want to build opportunity for our children and grandchildren. We do not want to put our hands into their pockets to fund our lifestyle today; we want to make sure that we can live within our means and that is why we need the budget that we delivered.