Senator WONG (South Australia—Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister for Finance and Deregulation) (14:33): It is the case that the government believed, on the basis of the economic forecasts, that a surplus would be returned this financial year. Senator Ian Macdonald: Nobody else did. The PRESIDENT: Order! If you wish to debate it, that is for after question time. Senator WONG: It is not just the Treasurer and the Prime Minister who said that— Senator Cormann interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! You have asked a question, Senator Cormann. You are entitled to have an answer, but it is very hard to answer a question when you are asking a question while the answer is being given. Senator WONG: It certainly is something that not only the Prime Minister and the Treasurer said; I said it, and I said it in this place. That was based on the best forecasts we had, the forecasts which were prepared by those who prepared the forecasts for Mr Costello and Senator Minchin for 11 and, I think, six years respectively. The facts are, though, that the economic circumstances have changed, and responsible governments have to adjust to those circumstances and do what is right for the country. I accept that I and other economic ministers and the Prime Minister will wear and are wearing some political criticism for that, but I will tell you this, Mr President: this government— Senator Ian Macdonald: Perhaps you could apologise. The PRESIDENT: Order! Interjections are disorderly. Senator Cormann has asked a question. He is entitled to hear the answer to the question. Senator WONG: This Labor government will always put jobs and growth first. We will always do that, and that is what we have done, because, when you are faced with the second largest write-down in revenues since the Great Depression, a government has two choices: you can cut to the bone and chase revenue down and ensure unemployment rises and the economy stalls—is that the prescription?—or you can make the decision that we did to defer the return to surplus, because the economy required us to make that decision, delivering a measured return to surplus and taking $43 billion worth of savings to ensure that we can deliver programs like DisabilityCare and the schools reform package. That is the choice this government has made, and we have laid it out. (Time expired)