Senator BRANDIS (Queensland—Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (14:11): My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Wong. I refer to the Treasurer’s budget speech last year—page 1, line 1: The four … surpluses I announce tonight are a powerful endorsement of the … success of our policies. That is what Mr Swan said. He went on to say: The deficit years of the global recession are behind us. The surplus years are here. Does the minister stand by those statements made by the Treasurer last year?