Senator CORMANN (Western Australia—Minister for Finance, Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:38): The Australian economy continues to grow. We are into our 28th year of continuous growth, unprecedented in any developed economy around the world—unprecedented. We are one of just 10 AAA rated economies. I'm surprised that Senator Kitching would ask me this question, because I'm sure she would share my concern that there are some in the Labor Party who want to blame the loss of the last election entirely on Mr Shorten, when what is actually to blame was their antibusiness, higher taxing, socialist politics-of-envy agenda, which a majority of Australians understood would have— The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Cormann. Senator Wong, on a point of order. Senator Paterson: Are you objecting to his defence of Bill? Senator Wong: No, I am objecting to the fact that he wants to talk about the Labor Party and not the Governor of the Reserve Bank. And, if you cared about Australians' jobs and incomes, you might want him to listen to the Governor of the Reserve Bank, too. The PRESIDENT: I remind ministers again that any additional information they provide must also be directly relevant. Questions, however, that are not as specific as they were earlier today do allow ministers a wider range in answering a question and being directly relevant. You've reminded the minister of the question, Senator Wong. I call the minister to continue. Senator CORMANN: The thing about fiscal policy is that it always comes down to alternative options in terms of the way forward. Our approach is: lower taxes, encouraging business, encouraging free enterprise, reward for effort, encouraging people to stretch themselves and get ahead and, indeed, ensuring that wages will grow on a sustainable basis. (Time expired)