The first law of governing is that you can’t spend what you can’t raise through taxes and borrowings; and the second law is that today’s borrowings have to be paid for – with interest – by tomorrow’s taxes. Governments, like households and businesses, have to live within their means. Although governments have some unique capabilities,…
E&OE…………………………………………….. AGAINST STRATEGIC PESSIMISM On my first meeting as prime minister with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, I described Japan as “Australia’s best friend in Asia”. Some months later, Prime Minister Abe deftly rescued me from the difficulty that had created by upgrading the friendship between Japan and Australia to a “special relationship”. Prime Minister Abe’s…
Originally published in The Australian It’s good that ministers have been told to “stop spending” (The Australian, February 17) because the national government has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. In the final Swan budget, revenue was $65 billion higher than in the final Costello budget but spending was $135bn higher — hence the…
It is an honour and a thrill to rise to acknowledge two great Australians who have announced that they are leaving this parliament at the next election. There are few members of parliament who leave at their peak, in their prime and at a time of their own choosing. It is very much to the…
The Hon Warren Truss MP has been a steady and effective minister in the Howard government, a universally respected leader of the National Party for almost a decade and an outstanding Minister for Infrastructure in the Abbott government. Thanks to Warren Truss, Sydney’s second airport is finally underway; Sydney’s Westconnex is finally being built; the…
It is an honour to follow my colleagues the member for Berowra and the member for Ryan in this tribute to the late, great Jim Carlton. I should also note that it is a pleasure to be back in the Federation Chamber after quite a long absence. Jim Carlton had a glittering career. He excelled…