It is of no consequence. They will not stick to the budget anyway.

Last year they budgetted for a deficit and now by June it will be nearly twice as much at they budgetted for.

They make a big deal out of nothing, a 12 year old kid could write it.

Bit like a bus timetable, just a work of fiction. Bet the surplus never gets here.

Considering that his last budget was for a $12bn deficit that came in at well over $40bn deficit, Wayne Swan's surplus is a joke. Combine this with dodgy accounting such as paying the carbon tax compensation in June to avoid counting it, and you have a federal laughing stock.

The reason Whine Swan won't get any benefit, is that no one believes him any more.

A good point, allowing small business to write off good years, against previous bad ones.

Much better than the previous plan of 1 % tax cut, about a cup of coffee per week.

A bad point, more cash splashed around to waste.

If you wish to contribute to the cost of education, then provide free school goods, not cash, that can be spent/wasted on anything the parents choose.

This just goes to show it's simply a sweetener, and boy, do they need one at the moment.

When will they ever learn.

We all contribute in some way or another to the central kitty. The government is simply a distribution centre based on its own principles, in the same way that every individual has his/her priorities only based on the premise that someone else should contribute more than they do.
What amazes me is that most people seem to consider that somehow the government should provide all this largesse without a thought of where it's coming from. It always from someone else's pocket, usually the high profile "engine room" of the economy. Already there is talk of overseas investment in our economy being questioned.

I am reminded of Margaret Thatcher's famous quote " The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money"

You only have to see what is happening in Europe to see the truth in that comment.

snake, what you say is only partly true.

"I am reminded of Margaret Thatcher's famous quote " The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money"

You only have to see what is happening in Europe to see the truth in that comment."

Much of the economic problems of Europe today stem from the their slow economic growth following the U.S. financial crisis of 2008-2009, which resulted in unsustainable fiscal policies of some countries in Europe, such as Greece. The US financial crises had nothing to do with socialism and everything to do with capitalism, regardless, the end result is all bad.
What would old Margie think of that? We could send Swanee over there to fix their economic woes, he can cook the books as well as anyone. LOL

Oh dear Paul, how can you tell such porkies. "The US financial crises had nothing to do with socialism and everything to do with capitalism, regardless, the end result is all bad."

Mate we all know it was Clinton instructing the banks to give home loans to people who had no chance of meeting the repayments that brought that lot on. Please don't take us for mugs, that is of course, you actually believe the garbage you preach. In that case it says it all about lefties.

Then you get one right. "What would old Margie think of that? We could send Swanee over there to fix their economic woes, he can cook the books as well as anyone.", but for the wrong reason. Yes we should send Swanee over there, or over anywhere else for that matter, but only to get the idiot away from here.