Outspoken Liberal MPs Don Randall and Peter Dutton have launched a scathing attack on Treasurer Wayne Swan, describing him as the "worst treasurer ever" and claiming he is as bad as "the treasurer of Zimbabwe".
In what appears to be a strategic new Opposition line, both Mr Randall and Mr Dutton referred to Mr Swan as the “worst treasurer of all time”.
The MPs suggested that the RBA’s rate cut yesterday was a response to Labor running the economy down in its first 10 months of office.
“He’s one of the worst treasurers this country’s ever had,” Mr Randall told reporters outside Parliament House this morning.
“I don’t think the treasurer of Zimbabwe would be any worse to be perfectly frank with you.
“They were left with a prisitine economy when they took over from us, with a huge surplus, and they’ve gradually run it down.
“They’ve run down business confidence in Australia to the extent that the Reserve Bank’s had to kickstart it.”
Mr Dutton, the Opposition's finance spokesman, said Labor's $22 billion budget surplus should be spent on the Australian people.
The Government has promised to hold the surplus as a buffer to local and international economic challenges, whilst saving it for nation building initiatives.
But Mr Dutton says the treasurer needs to clarify his position.
“What I’m saying today is that Australia’s worst ever treasurer, Mr Swan, should come out and say what the surpluses are for,” he said.
“Are the surpluses for spending or for saving?
“Because at the moment what they’re telling us is that they’re saving these huge surpluses and they’re also going to spend them. And it doesn’t lend any economic credibility to Mr Swan whatsoever.”
Video: Jon Bullock