Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Minister, the Treasurer said in February, and I'm quoting directly:

… the pressure on the economy, the upward revision, is because of faster-than-expected private demand at the same time as public demand taking a back seat, is actually retreating.

Yesterday's national accounts show the opposite. Public demand grew at more than twice the rate of private demand in the December quarter, just as it did in September. The Treasury made that claim to justify a rate rise which hurt millions of mortgage holders. The official data contradict them directly. Will you stand by that claim or admit he was wrong?