We often get these great throwaway lines about unwise Labor government spending without a skerrick of back-up evidence to support them, but when repeated often enough such messaging comes to be believed.

What we do know, as a study of the budget papers shows, is that the highest taxing governments in Australia’s history were the Howard government followed by the Coalition government since 2013.

Down the road from where I live is a one of those much-maligned school halls built by the Labor government when Anthony Albanese was Minister for Infrastructure. They are not only a godsend for schools, but are used frequently to host a variety of functions held by members of the community. Furthermore, they will last well into the future and continue to serve generations to come.

By contrast the present federal government, in a cynical display of political expediency, refused to claw back a staggering $20 billion it gave to businesses with rising earnings.

As we stare at a shortage of rapid antigen tests, that sum could have purchased 1.6 billion test kits at a full retail price of $12.50 each. It is the equivalent of more than 60 tests for every Australian person.