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

Thank you. What we have seen in recent weeks from the alternative government is a return to the bad and discredited approach of the previous Rudd-Gillard-Rudd Labor governments. Of course, as a country we are still working to digest Labor's last spending binge—a spending binge which they locked into legislation over the forward trajectory.

Last week we had Labor promise to increase expenditure, in relation to education in particular, without telling the Australian people how to pay for it. None other than the Premier of South Australia—Senator Conroy's good friend Premier Jay Weatherill—has commented on the fact that Labor does not have a coherent plan to pay for its spending promises.

What I would say to the Labor Party is, 'Listen to your friend and colleague, the Premier of South Australia, when he says you need a coherent plan to pay for your promises, because the country is still working to digest your last spending binge.' (Time expired)