Shadowminister: There is nothing quite so blind as a rusted on party hack is there? The ALP's School hall debacle pales into insignificance compared to .... well let's just start with Sports rorts, cart park rorts, paying millions to companies that didn't need it during COVID, or the $30m more for land at the new Sydney airport. I could go on of course, but enough already.

Then there is the human cost of the LNP coalition decisions. The more than 2,000 who committed suicide over Robodebt. The LNP are more morally corrupt and have more blood on their hands than Dracula let loose in a blood bank.

We can expect food prices to rise as trucking costs rise with levies on diesel. It is an inflationary budget, the sort of handouts that you would give before an election.

All in all, a reasonable budget. I'm somewhat impressed with Chalmers. He seems to know what is the right thing for the economy and for the country and is doing a reasonable job in holding back the crazies and economic illiterates that make up the bulk of the ALP caucus.

Given that entire left were chanting for an increase in JobKeeper/JobSeeker/JobPretendToBeLookinger it was going to be impossible for him to do nothing. The increases he has introduced are not outrageous in the scheme of things.

The budget revenue side benefited from what is probably going to be a set of one-time only events which will push it back into deficit in the future. Its good that he resisted the Rudd/Whitlam errors of using one time windfalls to create permanent expenses. So offering half the country a one-off reduction in power costs is a smart move. Theoretically that can be withdrawn next year if a downturn hits the revenue side. OTOH, the payment is designed to hide from half the electorate the actual costs of the net-zero folly, and it'll be difficult for Albanese to allow the full costs of those policies become apparent for all to see.

In the end, Australia is at the mercy of international events. The insanity of the lockdown spending-spree means that the government has little wiggle room if/when those international events turn sour. All they can do is try to hold on tight and hope for the best without making too many silly errors.

Given that this budget didn't make too many silly errors, its a reasonable outcome.

mhaze,

Now for the kiss of death from yours truly. I CAN'T FAULT YOUR COMMENTS, I'm in general agreement with you, a political budget, but a reasonable and responsible budget, good in my view, but not excellent. There is very little to whinge about in it from both the conservatives or progressives perspective. As demonstrated by the fact you and I are in agreement.

Its in no way an election budget, that will come next time. I would say Labor's thinking at this time is an election in early 2025, March or early April, Easter is in late April 2025 it must be held no later than 17th May 2025. Morrison held out, only because he knew he looked like losing.

Aries,

The cost of the so-called rorts by the coalition is dwarfed by the $16bn school halls cock up not to mention the housing fires scheme, the $ms of pork barrelling by Labor to Tony Whinger etc. What can you say of Dan Andrews's corruption?

The only thing you can take to the bank is that Labor will not meet any of its promises.

Paul wrote:" I CAN'T FAULT YOUR COMMENTS".

If you put that at the beginning of ALL your posts, we'd get along much better....and you'd be more accurate....</grin>

The next budget might be the election budget, but if it is that means the next election will occur in 2024, not 2025. There's not much point in giving away all sorts of goodies in May'24 and hoping people will remember (and be grateful for) that in March'25. So my guess is an election mid year '24. Alternatively a normal budget in May'24 and a 'generous' mini-budget early in '25.

Of course, there's many a slip between cup and lip. Things would change if the referendum fails. And the international economy could easily unravel all these plans.