Treasurer Joe Hockey is not backing down on his harsh judgment of anyone talking about a looming recession.
A day after he labelled economic doomsayers "clowns", he has told ABC radio "they're complete fools".
Mr Hockey said the latest national growth figures show Australia had one of the fastest-growing economies in the developed world during the March quarter.
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen advised Mr Hockey to steer clear of words like clown for his own good.
"Most people associate the words clown and Joe Hockey in a way that he wouldn't appreciate," he told reporters in Canberra, adding the treasurer was doing real damage to the economy with his "alarmist rhetoric".
Share
