Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. In the December quarter, public sector demand grew more than twice as fast as private sector demand. This is the second quarter in which the public sector has outgrown the private sector. That means that over the last six months, the period that the RBA has blamed for hiking interest rates, public sector demand grew faster than private sector demand. Minister, at a time when households and businesses are tightening their belts, why is your government pouring debt petrol on the inflation fire, forcing the Reserve Bank to consider keeping interest rates higher for longer?