E&OE TRANSCRIPT
DOORSTOP
CANBERRA
TUESDAY, 2 JUNE 2015

SUBJECT/S: Budget 2015; Joan Kirner

JIM CHALMERS, SHADOW PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION: Good morning.

There was a very revealing exchange in estimates last night with the Treasury Secretary Mr Fraser. It was more evidence of the chaos and confusion that characterises economic policy under the Abbott Government.

Amidst all of the fudging and fumbling from Joe Hockey, one thing is clear – he has doubled the deficit for the coming year. It’s also clear that this change in the Future Fund treatment is responsible for a huge proportion of any claimed improvement in Joe Hockey’s Budget down the line. If he wanted to be upfront about it, he wouldn’t have just hidden it as a footnote in a chart. That’s the first issue.

The second thing I wanted to say was about the passing of Joan Kirner. I worked with Joan Kirner in the early 2000’s on reform of the Labor Party. Joan Kirner was a real gem. She never accepted the status quo in this country or in our Party. Her passing is a very sad day, not just for the Labor Party, not just for women in the Labor Party, not just for the people of Victoria, but for every Australian.

ENDS