Agree Tristan!
But it's all to easy to critique someone who may genuinely believe, that austerity for those already well and truly suffering it, is the only viable answer!
And just as flawed as the makers and takers argument, of those who believe they entitled to take a virtual whip to others, in order to squeeze a little more production out of them, or even more unpaid overtime etc!
And sadly, a few incorrigible wouldn't work in an iron lung types, is all they need to defend their position, and their right to unfairly exploit others?
A real budget emergency, was an opportunity, to engage with the super funds of Australia, and give them impossible to refuse reasons, for investing our wealth here!
As opposed to foreign takers, many who have relied on debt and other people's money to grow personal fortunes; and assisted and abetted in creating a huge record and massively growing foreign debt, reportedly already larger than China total foreign reserve!
The structural deficit could have been fixed by rolling back welfare for the rich, the real taker class in this country!?
Why, left as it is, tax breaks on the wealthy's super, will soon be twice as much as the aged pension!
And these are the very same people who paid tax rates up to 60 cents in the dollar; and built Australia, and indeed, all that recent governments, in recent years, have privatized!
Which is arguably the real reason we have a budget deficit, given the combined revenue streams of all we have privatized thus far, earns more for the new owners, that the sum total of the structural deficit!
And there isn't as much as a single example where privatization has resulted in lower retail costs, but plenty of gold plated examples, were captive consumers were forced to pay through the nose!
And then the witless call the poorest among us, the taker class!
It not as though these people have buried their combined heads in the sand, but perhaps somewhere far more warm and comfortable?
Rhrosty.

Chris, blaming Marx or all Marxists for the crimes of Stalin is like blaming Archbishop Romero for the crimes of PInochet or Franco , because they all considered themselves Catholic. ALso Marxists like Karl Kautsky and Rosa Luxemburg were critical of Lenin way before things got exponentially worse with Stalin. Marxist social democrats were amongst the first and amongst the strongest and the first advocates of democracy.

What a cruel, selfish, unforgiving, barbaric country Australia has become.

Despite a feeling of sick horror that it's all come to this, it's not that big a surprise. The conservative agenda declared all-out war on the western welfare system some time ago and has made it abundantly clear that it will not rest until that system is totally annihilated.

At least the agenda is out in the open now - in all its naked ugliness.

To the author
Healthcare, a better option woukd be to provide the first say four visits per year free, then charge after that. You could also look at having doctors voice their opinions on whether they feel more free fists are warranted.

Education. This is a warning sign to current students and parents alike, perform, or risk being left behind.

For the parents, it's a warning that if you are going to have kids, you MUST provide the effort to give them the best possible start. Not just dump them when the subsidy runs out, which is often the case with many young ones today.

Pensions. So what, are you suggesting we leave it at age 65 forever?

The facts are, we start work latter, we draw along the way, we live longer, yet you want us to retire at the same age, having contributed less, and having also accumulated super along the way.

Earning or learning, so what's wrong with that?

This budget once and for all spells an end to the tax payer funded free lunch. It's about time!

I've read enough, so perhaps you can run for leader of the bleeding hearts brigade.

One final point, what do you see as the alternative?

Tristian some interesting points there.
Cleaners working hard. Few deny that but, are you suggesting they be paid the same as a person who made the most of their opportunities to better educate and/or increase their skill levels, resulting in a higher reward for their efforts? If you do, then we would be a nation of cleaners.

We live in a society whereby the rich support the poor, which is kind of arse up if you ask me. It is also why so many avoid taxes because the rewards for doing the right thing are not there.

While I am the first to admit that the plan for the unemployed is too harsh, something has to be done to sever the leeches from the public tit, because frankly, they have had it too easy for too long at the expense of the higher end of the workforce. Enough is enough!

On the other hand, what is the problem of expecting someone who is not earning, to be learning in order to receive benefits. Surely that's not a huge ask, because after all, in return for receiving benefits, one is supposed to be actively seeking work. Now they will be improving their skills, so making finding a job a more realistic option.

I watched a bleeding heart program last night on young ones in Sydney out of work. Some of the common denominators were, crap everywhere hanging out of their faces, tattoos (no doubt paid for by the dole) and colored hair, one being bright blue.

I have no interest in supporting this type of youth. Send them back to their parents I say.

Diver Dan sorry to destroy your belief system but Howard did not give us the triple A rating ! It was the Labor Government , you are free to verify it if you want, much better to research beforehand though otherwise people get the wrong impression and your validity tends to flounder :)