Senator ABETZ (Tasmania—Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service and Minister for Employment) (14:53): That will be the case. There is no doubt that if we had kept on with a Labor Party trajectory of 667 thousand million dollars of debt, then that would have been more severely prejudiced than it may be at the moment. I am confident that the AAA rating will be able to be maintained because we are setting in place a credible path to surplus and recovery for the Australian economy, something that the Australian Labor Party failed to do. When it comes to matters international, I do happen to note that Mr Keating and Mr Swan both seem to have won the accolade of being the best treasurers in the world. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: On my left! Senator ABETZ: And yet the really best Treasurer, Mr Costello, never seemed to get an accolade, so I do not know how these international bodies go about it, but I know what the Australian people thought about the economic management of both Mr Keating and Mr Swan in comparison to Mr Costello. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: On my left! Senator ABETZ: In brief, the building blocks that were set in the last budget are being built upon tonight to further secure Australia's financial security, and, as a result, individuals' cost of living and job security. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order on my right and my left!