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Articles on Federal Budget 2013

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Surplus hopes pinned on heroic assumptions

As a recent Grattan Institute report showed, Australian governments face a decade of deficits unless governments make tough decisions to both reduce expenditure and increase taxes. How does the 2013-14…
Wayne Swan’s budget has been met with mixed reviews. AAP/Alan Porritt

Federal budget 2013: business and community groups respond

There has been a mixed initial reaction to Treasurer Wayne Swan’s sixth budget from industry and community groups. Big business says it is disappointed with Wayne Swan’s sixth federal budget, laying doubt…
Wayne Swan delivered his sixth budget. AAP/Alan Porritt

Federal budget 2013: The slow road to the black

What is almost certainly the Gillard government’s last budget delays the attack on the deficit and concentrates on entrenching “legacy” programs, for which Labor hopes to be remembered. Dealt a difficult…
Federal treasurer Wayne Swan’s election year budget has to reconcile huge revenue writedowns with spending promises for schools and the disability insurance scheme. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Federal budget 2013: expert reactions

Australian Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan has handed down his sixth budget, facing an almost impossible task: how to reconcile an enormous revenue shortfall with big spending promises, all while keeping…
Treasurer Wayne Swan has unveiled an $19.4 billion deficit, but promises to be back in surplus by 2016-17. AAP

A long slide towards debt leads to Wayne’s budget swansong

How did the Australian economy, which boasts the best performance of the major advanced economies, end up with an estimated budget deficit of A$19 billion this year and an estimated debt of $178 billion…
Many of the measures in Wayne Swan’s budget had already been announced in advance. AAP/Lukas Coch

Federal budget 2013: big deficit to stay next year

Treasurer Wayne Swan has delivered a budget with a A$19.4 billion deficit this financial year, falling only to $18 billion in 2013-14. The government would aim to bring the budget back to “balance” – less…
Today’s budget will not be a typical big-spend budget. AAP

The ‘Alice in Wonderland’ budget

Softening up voters for harsh measures, Julia Gillard observed a fortnight ago that “Tuesday 14 May will be no old-fashioned pre-election budget night”. The budget would not be a “political pamphlet” but…
If you’re a family or a business, you’ll get a look-in on Budget night. But what if you’re a Western Swamp Turtle? Sascha Grant

On budget night, humans will trump other species, again

Last year the Australian governments (federal and state) spent AU$6.23 billion on the budget line “climate change and environment”. This probably seems a reasonable amount to most taxpayers, compared to…
Looming cuts to expenditure and probable tax increases mean there will inevitably be winners and losers. But just how should these be chosen? Image sourced from www.shutterstock.com

ALP’s real budget balancing act is picking the winners and losers

The government is facing two options to tackle its budget deficit: significant cuts in government expenditures or increasing taxes to close the gap with spending. Prime Minister Julia Gillard has already…
What is the “optimal” level of public debt? Persistent deficits do not automatically lead to a situation where the government resembles a household under mortgage stress.

Debts and deficits: why a string of deficits does not necessarily spell the end of the world

The debate about long-term public finance and the role of government is one that is most definitely needed. However, there are two aspects to this debate that are often conflated. First, there is the issue…
Ah, the freedom of the open road! Walter Parenteau

New freeways cure congestion: time to put the myth to bed

Although the national budget is now apparently $12 billion in debt, a welter of state governments are pressing the federal government for support to build new freeways. The Victorian Government has just…
A myopic focus on short-term cyclical business cycles has meant successive governments have failed to carry much needed structural reform. Image sourced from www.shutterstock.com

Beyond the boom: have we frittered away our opportunities?

No sooner had Treasurer Wayne Swan accused the Europeans of “mindless austerity” a month ago than he embarked on a resolute but most likely counter-productive search for cost savings in the coming May…
While the blame game for the deficit continues, the economy remains vulnerable to future turbulence. AAP/ Alan Porritt

Why deficits leave us ill-prepared for future shocks

Labor has said all options are on the table to address Australia’s structural deficit and falling tax revenues, following disclosure this week of a $12 billion revenue shortfall, just weeks from the federal…
Tony Abbott’s attack on Australia’s debt and taxation levels is sorely misguided. AAP/ Alan Porritt

Abbott’s budget bluster highlights a deficit of social responsibility

Today’s announcement by the government that it has a $12 billion “black hole” had the status of a confession. It needn’t have. All talk of “black holes”, “revenue shortfalls” and “structural deficits…
Governments have been increasing expenditure, despite shrinking tax revenues. But our structural deficit is unsustainable and must be tackled. Image sourced from www.shutterstock.com

Federal Budget 2013: Why our unsustainable structural deficit must be tackled

All Australian governments, and ultimately all Australians, are faced with making tough decisions in their budgets. Without significant reductions in government expenditures and the services they provide…
Prime Minister Julia Gillard will today announce significantly lower than estimated tax revenue. AAP/ Shane Eecen

New hit to budget revenue

The estimate of budget tax revenue collection for 2012-13 has been further slashed, with the Treasury now saying it will be $12 billion less than forecast in October. The revision is another blow to a…
The kind of tax reform being called for by groups such as the Business Council of Australia can only come about if politics and vested interests are put aside.

Meaningful tax reform? Only if everything is on the table

There can be no dispute with last week’s call from the Business Council of Australia for meaningful tax reform. This is a larger issue than both the looming budget and September’s election. However, it…
Without considerable changes to Australia’s fiscal policies, both state and federal governments are likely to face significant budget deficits for the next ten years. AAP

Australian governments face a decade of budget deficits

Structural changes in the economy are likely to leave Governments across Australia facing budget deficits of around 4% of GDP for at least the next decade, according to research released today. The Grattan…

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