Cormann, Sen Mathias

Senator CORMANN (Western Australia) (14:05): Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given the minister refers to all these special circumstances—floods, cyclones, tsunamis, the global financial crisis and so on—why does the government then want a blank cheque from the parliament? Why does the government want to change the current requirement where the government has to declare special circumstances and table an explanation in both houses of parliament when it increases its debt above $75 billion? Why do you want to remove that requirement which is in the current legislation? Why do you want a blank cheque from the parliament? Senator Conroy: Why isn't the shadow shadow finance minister asking these questions? The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Conroy! Senator Wong.