Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

(—) (): I can confirm to Senator Canavan and the Australian people that the task of fixing the budget is both essential and urgent. I say to the Senate that Australia does have a budget situation that needs to be fixed. If it is not fixed, we will end up like much of Europe—sliding into genteel poverty and regretting that we did not act when it was easier to do so. We know that it is not easy now, but we know that it is essential and it will be a lot harder in the future. The Senate has a choice. Each individual senator has a choice. You can either be part of the problem or part of the solution. You can either be a fiscal destroyer or a fiscal repairer. We can either build a better future for our fellow Australians or continue down the destructive path left us by Labor. (time expired).