Senior Liberals have called on the Opposition to provide detailed costings and policy plans in the Budget-in-Reply speech.
According to Mr Abbott, the Budget-in-Reply speech is the perfect opportunity for the Opposition to set out where they intend to cut to the bone in order to fill their $70 billion black hole:
ABBOTT:
When he gives his response to the budget tomorrow night, he needs to tell us exactly what he would do. If the tax cut was not enough, how much would he add to it? Once he has told us how much he would add to it, he then needs to tell us what he would cut to pay for it.
ABBOTT:
He should tell us exactly where it is coming from and he should tell us exactly what will be cut to pay for any increase in spending that he proposes.
[HOUSE OF REPS - 14 MAY 2003]
John Howard echoed Mr Abbott's words about the importance of the Opposition setting out a positive plan in the Budget-in-Reply:
HOWARD:
A litany of negatives is no substitute for an alternative economic plan.
[DOORSTOP - 23 AUGUST 1996]
And despite his earlier criticism of Mr Abbott as an 'economic illiterate', Peter Costello also appeared to agree with Mr Abbott about the need for the Opposition to present a detailed explanation of its policies and how it will fund them in the Budget-in-Reply speech.
COSTELLO:
A Budget reply consists of going through the Budget saying what things the Opposition agrees with, what things it doesn't, putting forward alternative tax proposals and putting forward when they will start, how they will be paid for and what the Opposition would do if it were bringing down a Budget.
[DOORSTOP - 14 MAY 2004]
With senior Liberals agreeing that the Opposition must use the Budget-in-Reply to outline their plans and their detailed costings, Australians will be keenly watching Mr Abbott's speech tonight to find out which services and support he will cut to the bone to pay for his $70 billion black hole, and how he will pay for his reckless spending promises