Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

(—) (): Mr Speaker, I rise to support your ruling and to express the ongoing confidence of the government in your speakership. I think it is very good that today we have some clarification of both the short-term issue that was before the House last Thursday and the longer term rulings that are required. This is a very simple issue. It goes to the operation of the Constitution, the standing orders and the House of Representatives Practice; it goes to the way that our form of government operates, which is that only the executive can appropriate money; and it goes to good governance. If it is the case that each issue can be considered one by one without having the context of the overall fiscal position, then you will certainly not have a return of the budget to surplus in 2012-13.

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