KINGSTON: Senator Wong thank you very much for your time this afternoon.
WONG: Good to be here.
KINGSTON: A couple of big issues to discuss. First of all, Mr Abbott’s comments that he’s made. He says that tax cuts are possible but there does still seem to be a lot more questions that he needs to answer.
WONG: What we saw today was the same old Tony Abbott. The same negativity, the same lack of vision, the same sledging, and the same talking down of the economy. But he’s gone one step further. He’s so negative he appears to even have said no to his own tax cut promise. That’s what happened today. He’s previously told Australians he will deliver tax cuts, and in the speech he’s just given he’s said they’re only ‘in prospect’.
So quite clearly he can’t make that commitment, he can’t promise tax cuts because he knows he can’t fund them.
KINGSTON: Let’s look at the Labor leadership issue this afternoon that we’re talking about. Are you one of the Gillard backers reportedly checking out the amount of support that there is at the moment for Kevin Rudd?
WONG: I am simply not going to engage in 2012 with any more of this speculation. We have a Prime Minister, she’s doing an outstanding job, she’s delivered some very tough reforms, and I am focused as the Finance Minister on doing my job.
I think that is what the public expect of us, and certainly that is what the public expect of members of the Government.
KINGSTON: With the powerful NSW Right though, there are those reports that Ms Gillard only has five of the 18 members locked in. That could be very pivotal in any leadership battle though. These are very interesting numbers that are being thrown around this afternoon.
WONG: I’ll leave the speculation to you. What I’m saying is we have a very strong Prime Minister, a leader who has delivered good outcomes, who has delivered tax cuts for Australians, has delivered strong economic management.
We’re seeing lower unemployment, lower interest rates, and in contrast what we have is a Leader of the Opposition who is simply demonstrating again that he is only known for what he opposes, and not what he stands for.
KINGSTON: OK Senator Wong, thank you very much for joining us on the afternoon news.
WONG: Good to be with you.
ENDS
