Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen has hit back at Prime Minister Tony Abbott's attack on Labor's legacy at the World Economic Forum, describing his speech as a recitation of empty slogans.
Mr Abbott took a swipe at Labor's stimulus package during the global financial crisis at the summit in Davos in Switzerland, in a departure from the convention of avoiding domestic point scoring while on the world stage.
He accused the former Labor government of trying to spend its way to prosperity.
"Governments can be like addicts in search of a fix," he said.
Mr Bowen dismissed the comments as "tired old recitation of empty slogans".
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"It appears Tony Abbott is addicted to being leader of the opposition and hasn't adjusted to being prime minister," Mr Bowen told ABC radio.
Mr Bowen said vision and detail were expected in such a keynote speech.
"We saw neither, we just saw slogans and electioneering," he said.
He said Mr Abbott and his team have a track record of saying one thing abroad and acting differently at home, referring to his rhetoric about Australia being open for business, but not approving the sale of Graincorp.
