Senator CORMANN (Western Australia—Minister for Finance) (14:17): What I can confirm is that, since the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook before Christmas, spending is $7.3 billion less. What I can also confirm is that, instead of the massive growth in spending under Labor, hidden in the period beyond the forward estimates, under this government we have brought spending growth down. Senator Wong, the worst finance minister in the history of the Commonwealth, used to have the supposed target where she said, 'We're going to control spending by not exceeding spending growth of two per cent above inflation.' She always failed. She never met that target. Three point six per cent spending growth— The PRESIDENT: Pause the clock. Senator Moore: Mr President, I rise on a point of order going to direct relevance. There was a straightforward question about the spending level—$62 billion more than in the last year of the Labor government. We have not got close to that answer. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Moore. The minister has a minute and 15 seconds in which to answer the question. I remind the minister of the question. Senator CORMANN: What I can confirm again for the Labor Party is that, under Labor, spending as a share of the economy was constantly trending up. The Intergenerational report showed 37 per cent as a share of the economy over the next few decades. Under the coalition, spending as a share of the economy is actually trending down, from 25.9 per cent now to 25.3 per cent. Spending under Labor, according to the Independent Commission of Audit, was heading for 26.5 per cent as a share of the economy in 2023-24. It is actually now trending down. Why is that? Because we are actually controlling spending growth. Do you know what the only reason is that spending is still at 1.5 and not still down at one per cent? Because— Senator Moore: Mr President, I rise on a point on order, again going to direct relevance. The minister is confirming everything except the question. The PRESIDENT: I am sorry, Senator Moore, I cannot agree with you on this occasion. The minister was answering the question. I was listening very carefully. He was indicating the spending rates and he was indicating the levels—where they are going up and coming down. That was part of the question. Senator Conroy interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Conroy! Minister, you have the call. Senator CORMANN: What I would say to the Labor Party is: it is time that you actually started to focus on the national interest, instead of just putting politics over substance. This government is working to get the budget back into surplus. This government is making the difficult or necessary decisions to get back into surplus as soon as possible. All we are getting from the Labor Party is negativity and politics. That is all we are getting from the Labor Party. (Time expired)