Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Hansard source

To have that question on a day—or is it the day after? I'm sorry, the days are merging together—when we see the Financial Review headline that you are going to add more money to off-budget spending by putting the multibillion-dollar, expensive, slow and risky nuclear scheme spend off budget is really quite extraordinary.

Your question to me is: 'We don't like off-budget spending, but don't mention the $600 billion for an expensive, slow-to-build, risky nuclear scheme.' Senator Ruston, I could answer your question by pointing out that debt was $149 billion lower in 2023-24 than was forecast at the election, and that has saved Australians around $80 billion in interest costs. I could point that out to you. But I'm also saying to you: don't come in here and ask a question about off-budget spending when you are proposing—should you win government—to add $600 billion to the off-budget spend for a nuclear scheme which will deliver four per cent of Australia's electricity at the most expensive cost to Australians. That's a genius question and a genius scheme.