Tell us your plans:Turnbull

The Coalition’s Treasury spokesman, Malcolm Turnbull, is urging the Federal government to make a major economic statement, setting out its plans for Australia.

Mr Turnbull accused the government of displaying incompetence, as the economy turned down.

Addressing the State Liberal council in Victoria, Mr Turnbull said Kevin Rudd had presented himself last year as the motorist’s friend and the shopper’s advocate.

“The empathy of 07 is replaced by the impotence of 08,” Mr Turnbull said.

Meanwhile his boss, the Opposition Leader, Brendan Nelson, accused the government of doing nothing to restore either business or consumer confidence in Australia.

Dr Nelson said both business and consumer confidence had plunged to levels not seen since the early 1990s.

“The responsibility of government is to do everything it can to drive confidence in the business community,” the Opposition Leader added.

Dr Nelson, too, said that a major economic statement would help to create optimism and confidence.

The opposition is planning to press this argument, when parliament resumes on Tuesday, after its two month winter break.

The shadow of job cuts at Ford and other industrial plants will hang over the Federal parliament, when members and senators take their places on Tuesday.