Annette Hurley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Senator Conroy. Can the minister outline the government’s fiscal strategy and how important it has been in combating the effects of the global recession?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hurley for her question. The government’s responsible economic and fiscal policy has helped chart Australia through very difficult economic circumstances. The stimulus package has helped ensure Australia has the strongest performing advanced economy in the developed world, growing over the past year when every other advanced economy has gone backwards. If it were not for the fiscal stimulus, Australia would be in a recession and hundreds of thousands more Australians would be out of work.

The government’s fiscal stimulus was carefully designed to phase down as the economy strengthens. The impact of stimulus on growth has already peaked and it is already tapering away. As stimulus is increasingly withdrawn it will detract from growth through 2010, making room for the recovery in the private sector. That means fiscal and monetary stimulus will both be withdrawing as the private sector recovers. The Governor of the Reserve Bank has said he is comfortable with the level of fiscal stimulus and its gradual withdrawal means monetary and fiscal policy would be acting consistently.

While the government is focused on the tough policy decisions and responsible economic management in Australia’s long-term national interest, those opposite are all over the place. They are a policy-free zone.

Annette Hurley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise how important serious policy development is in ensuring governments are able to preside over responsible economic and fiscal policy?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Responsible economic policy requires hard work and a coherent economic policy framework. It requires being focused on working through policy options, promulgating them, arguing them and then actually implementing them. In contrast, right across the opposition, they are devoid of policy ideas. The Leader of the Opposition in this chamber is probably the leading offender.

In the spirit of Melbourne Cup that is coming upon us, we are running a sweep. Your choices are: whether or not Senator Minchin will actually reveal one policy before his 200th press release or whether he can get himself reshuffled out of the portfolio. (Time expired)

Annette Hurley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister outline how other approaches jeopardise the objectives of sound economic management?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President—and if you let me know which one you want to be in, we will stick you in the book!

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Conroy, you need to be relevant to the question.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier this week, once again, we saw this lazy opposition being exposed by its own work. We had the revelation of a leaked email by a coalition staffer, advising his colleagues that they should focus on dirt digging rather than on policy discussions.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I need order on both sides before we proceed.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. Maybe you could enlighten the opposition as to how that answer, to quote your letter of 18 November 2008 and the sessional order that was voted on by the Senate on 13 November 2008, is directly relevant to the question asked by Senator Hurley.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on the point of order: Senator Conroy has been directly relevant to the question that has been asked by Senator Hurley. Again, I raise the issue of using a point of order impermissibly to argue their case, if badly. If the opposition do not like the answer then they can simply not listen. But, in this instance, we are capable of asking a question and being directly relevant to it and that is what is happening here.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I did draw the minister’s attention, very early in that answer, to being relevant to the question that had been asked. Minister, you have 28 seconds remaining to answer the question.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question clearly asked was: what are alternative strategies to doing hard work? Dirt digging is absolutely central to that answer—central to those opposite and certainly central to Senator Ronaldson, who likes to pride himself on being a hard man. Senator Ronaldson, there is a difference between a hard man and a man involved in digging dirt but, when you have got form, it comes back to haunt you. (Time expired)

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Conroy, resume your seat. Your time is up. I have asked you to resume your seat because time is up. I am waiting for there to be order. Just before I call Senator Cormann, I would like to invite the Speaker of the Republic of Vanuatu to join me on the floor.