What no one has commented on in relation to Keating's answer is this part,
"All the Government really has to do is make sure it doesn't blow the budget. That's the final primary responsibility of the Government, and Kevin Rudd has made that as clear as day where he stands on that. As clear as day. He'll run, in fact, a more conservative fiscal policy than will Mr Costello. What's Costello really done? He's taken the money, spent most of it to leave the surplus on empty. That's what he's done. Outlays are pinned at about 24 per cent of GDP. If revenue to GDP is 26 or 27, ipso facto you run a surplus of 2-3 per cent of GDP. That's all he's done. The idea quite frankly we need those characters, what structural change has he done?"
Seems easy to Keating. He and the ALP have struggled with the concept in his answer!!! And some call Howard profligate. Laughable. Whether you agree that Costello did nothing much to reform at least he ran a surplus. Swan hasn't run a surplus or reformed a thing. Swan is an example of failure and silliness.
