QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator GALLAGHER (Australian Capital Territory—Minister for Finance, Minister for the Public Service, Minister for Women, Minister for Government Services and Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (14:08): I note those opposite find that question funny, about finding savings. You found none! You increased the debt, two-thirds of which was increased before the COVID pandemic, though you'd like to rewrite those facts as well.

On an almost daily basis, we see commitments from the opposition to spend more—no savings, spend more; let's just spend a whole lot more. On their logic alone, that would be worse for the economy right now. We have found significant savings because it's the right thing to do to make sure the budget has room to meet the pressures that we need to deal with in our economy, whether it be in defence, NDIS, social security, health care or aged care.

That is what a responsible government does: it finds savings to fund the areas of need.