Senator CONROY (Victoria—Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity) (14:10): I thank Senator Sherry and also congratulate him on his career. Honourable senators: Hear, hear! Senator CONROY: The Gillard government is returning the budget to surplus on time as promised. The Treasurer has managed to do this despite the vandals opposite and despite the global uncertainty ripping $150 billion from government revenue. Senator Cormann: Scrolling, scrolling. Senator CONROY: We know that Mr Abbott has scrolled you off the page of the ERC process, Mathias, so you keep scrolling merrily. Importantly, this is a budget that provides a surplus for families and not from families; it provides the Reserve Bank with the maximum flexibility to reduce interest rates further if they support it. Importantly for families and small businesses across Australia, interest rates are now lower than at any time under the previous government. Our economic fundamentals are strong. Unemployment is at 4.9 per cent today. Inflation remains within the RBA's target and the economy is forecast to grow at around three per cent per annum. In contrast, the test for Mr Abbott, and the opposition, tonight in his reply is not to squib it. Those opposite should show us their cuts. They should come clean with the Australian people. Senator Heffernan: Mr President, I think it is breaking standing orders to read the answer. We know you can read, but we want to know if you can think and talk at the same time. The PRESIDENT: There is no point of order, Senator Heffernan; you know that. Senator Conroy, you have 14 seconds remaining. Senator CONROY: Mr President, I am not surprised that those opposite want to try to shut down the answer. I am not surprised, because they do not want to come clean. They do not want to tell us on the back of the $70 billion self-confessed black hole where they are going to find the other $15 billion. (Time expired)