Barely six months since we last did this, it’s somehow budget week again. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will tomorrow unveil a budget that will be generous — with no pivots toward austerity — but also “not a spendathon”.
Here’s what we know so far.
Women
Last year’s budget was widely slammed for leaving women behind, and the Coalition’s gender problems have only been accentuated by their handling of recent rape allegations. Frydenberg has promised a female-friendly budget. So far that’s meant a $1.7 billion childcare subsidy, $353 million on women’s health initiatives such as breast cancer screening and reproductive health, and doubled funding for domestic violence prevention.
Aged care
Tomorrow’s budget will include the government’s response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which delivered a damning assessment of the government’s failures in the sector. In response, we’ll see $17.7 billion pumped into aged care over the next four years.
Tax cuts
Temporary tax cuts for low- and middle-income earners will be extended for another year.
Energy
The government will allocate another $58.6 million to fund the gas-fired recovery.
Higher education
There’s a $53 million support package for private colleges, although experts question whether that will be nearly enough.
Infrastructure
More than $10 billion will be spent on infrastructure projects, including upgrades to rail in Victoria and the Great Western Highway in NSW. There will also be a $250 billion top-up to the widely-rorted Building Better Regions Fund.
Single parents
A housing measure will enable 10,000 single parents to get in the property market with only a 2% deposit. But it’s been criticised by the opposition and some economists for only helping a handful of people buy a home.
Mental health
The budget will allocate $47.7 million for new and expecting parents. And the government is briefing The Australian about a record funding increase on mental health with a focus on suicide prevention.
JobTrainer extended
The $1 billion JobTrainer program, which aims to train and employ 17- to 24-year-olds will be extended by a year.
Brewers
Brewers and distillers will benefit from a targeted tax cut of up to $250,000.
Game developers
Australian video game developers will get a 30% tax offset after years of lobbying the government for support.
A better deficit?
Estimates suggest the budget deficit might be about $30 billion better than originally thought, boosted by a booming iron ore price and a better-than-expected economic recovery.
I hope its not 250 billion for Michael McCormack to waste on building better regions.
“Beer and Cigarettes up in horror Budget”
> The government will allocate another $58.6 million to fund the gas-fired recovery.
Sadly they don’t seem to be able to find any expert that thinks this is a good idea (unless you count gas industry figures).
The experts seem to think the gas industry has:
But then, what would experts know?
Another $60m into the BS gas led recovery. How ridiculous – my wife and I are just planning to get rid of ALL gas appliances from our house – everything will run off solar! The gas cooker will be gone by end of this year, the gas heater and hot water service next year. Gas is dead, forget it, we’ll be the only country in the world using it and trying to export it – we have planks of wood running this country right now!
Yes this Budget is all about JOBS. Scotty from Advertising, Fryd-the-berg, Alan Sludge, Angus Taylor etal their desperate need to stay in power so they can continue to miss manage and feed their mates. There is no forward thinking or real structural change to ensure we have a sustainable future. There is no vision. The Emperor is NAKED.