cpi data confirms cost of living increases, page-7

"An International Monetary Fund report on the history of global government spending has found that Australia's most profligate spending period came during the John Howard-led coalition government era in the early to mid 2000s."

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Howard-era-bought-fiscal-profligacy-IMF-report-pd20130111-3TR6L?OpenDocument

And that is just the standard disclaimer so they don't get sued moondoong. Doesn't change the figures.