It’s back! The federal budget is up for round two with the government changing its tune in the lead up to his year’s budget, promising no surprises. Catalyst is here to break down all we know with sass, wit and actually astute analysis [Stop using the word astute – Ed.]
We don’t have fancy software so just keep hitting your browser’s refresh button to stay up to date and follow us on Twitter as we live tweet SYN Nation’s Represent: Budget Night broadcast, with our editor Rushani Epa joining their panel.
8:28pm
We’re off to SYN Represent Night. Join us on twitter. Check out the ABC winner and losers from this year’s Budget. Quite the difference.
8:23pm
Troy Bramston from The Australian lets the figures speak for themselves. Budget meh definitely wins over budget emergency.
Look at that #budget2015 spending/payments (25.9% GDP) and tax/receipts (24% GDP). Yikes. This is a big spending, big taxing govt.
— Troy Bramston (@TroyBramston) May 12, 2015
8:20pm
Tune into ABC1 and ABC News 24 for the Hashams, the first working family of the post-budget fallout.
8:19pm
For any arts fans out there, $100 million going into a National Programme for the Excellence for the Arts.
8:05pm
OUR FIRST THOUGHTS
Joe Hockey has brought out a Labor budget. Lots of spending, lots of taxing. And may just save him and the Prime Minister
– Dicky
Incredibly jingoistic speech and no big announcements. This was less a speech more an advert. Maybe he’s learnt a thing or two from Hillary Clinton. #budget2015 #worstkeptsecrets
– Harriet
I was struck at the rhetoric and the pledges to counter-terrorism budgets despite the fact we’re not willing to work with countries who can help us the most. Looking at you, Indonesia.
– Brendan
8:04pm
The Australian’s Dennis Shanahan and Fairfax’s Mark Kenny have got their initial reactions out.
8:02pm
Strongly, strongly agree
He should have sculled a VB at the end and crushed the can against his head. https://t.co/wFdl9W8al0 #Budget2015
— Jill Stark (@jillastark) May 12, 2015
8:01pm
Strongly agree
Is it time for Bob Katter's reply speech yet? #budget2015
— Eddie Williams (@EddieWilliams13) May 12, 2015
7:58pm
Looks like the government is flipping back on young people. Lots of cash for the young in here.
– Harriet
7:55pm
Disagree with Brendan. Smart of government to steal Labor’s thunder on the multinationals issue. However some interest in the Catalyst office about the new taxes on people on working holidays. Hockey coming for your backpackers?
7:54pm
You can’t punish people for playing the game on tax. They’re not breaking the rules.
– Brendan
7:52pm
“The treat of terrorism is rising and ever-evolving” but we’re cutting aid to Indonesia and Africa?
– Brendan
7:51pm
Last year’s Medical Research Fund comes back. But how are we paying for it considering the GP co-payment is gone? No answers yet from Joe
– Dicky
7:50pm
Pensions changes now being unveiled. And no new taxes on superannuation. Here are Labor’s plan to tax super.
7:48pm
Joe is the common man tonight. Childcare package being unveiled (again) as we speak. Thankfully Joe can speak about this time unlike on Today last Sunday.
7:45pm
$5 billion being pumped into Northern Australia.
7:42pm
Our girl Jill Singer is tweeting along with us. We can only hope that Joe breaks out into song.
https://twitter.com/snooplady/status/598060169759576064
7:40pm
He speaks, he tweets, he cures economies. And starting with the small business tax cuts. A lot of work put into this by Bruce Bilson, a very competant and dedicated Small Business Minister.
From 1 July this year, small companies with annual turnover of less than
$2 million will have their tax rate lowered, from 30% to 28.5%— Joe Hockey (@JoeHockey) May 12, 2015
– Dicky
7:40pm
Expect a lot of sprucing of the trade treaty trifecta achieved last year by trade minister Andrew Robb. Allows a sense of continuity from last year without talking about, well, the last budget
– Dicky
7: 38pm
“Europe is doing a bit stronger” – Joe
Nobody told the Greek Finance Minister today.
7:35pm
Childcare, small business, infrastructure.
Expect Libs to repeat these magic words for days and days. Going back to the heartland concerns.
– Dicky
7:30m
Bronnnyyyyyyyyyyyy. It begins. Appropiation Bill number 1 2015, babe
7:27pm
BTW we’re just gonna do a Junkee and paste Denham Snadler tweets into every post we do. It’s the only reason we’re here, fuck the economy.
There's a live countdown on the government's website to when the budget is released. #Budget2015 #HYPE pic.twitter.com/vY2YTtwknT
— Denham Sadler (@denhamsadler) May 12, 2015
– Dicky xoxo
7:22pm
While ScoMo may be the architect of this new childcare era, we three are still rooting for our main man, our baby doll, our fixer. Here’s looking at you Chris.
7:18pm
I’m also looking out for the deficit. But I think the childcare package will be the most interesting to watch. It’s back to the old middle class welfare days it’s seems. I’m also looking forward to the soccer mums that will appear in every major newspaper tomorrow.
– Harriet xoxo
7:15pm
After a prolonged battle with ‘feral’ cross benchers and tertiary students alike, the government’s approach to Higher Ed will be a sight to see, as the defiant Chrissy Pyne remains adamant that many of his measures will somehow be seen through. Where Budget 2015/16 takes this will be fascinating.
– Brendy xoxo
7:07pm
At last, it begins. Welcome to budget night with Richard Ferguson, Brendan Wrigley and Harriet Conron. We’ll be picking apart Joe Hockey’s masterpiece and seeing just what it means for young Australians, the country and of course, poor old Joe himself.
Tonight, I’ll be looking out for two things. Firstly, how much deficit reduction will we actually see. From budget emergency to budget “meh”, it’s been a bumpy ride for a government elected on economic competence. Will we see any return to surplus in the next 100 years? And secondly, how many times will the camera turn to man of the moment, Scott Morrison? Is he the next Treasurer or, gosh darn it, is he the next PM?
– Dicky xoxo
6:10pm
We haven’t started yet but as soon as we do, it’ll be here. Here’s a funny tweet which former-independent MP Tony Windsor retweeted.
Hello milk dogs. I am regular dog. pic.twitter.com/5jsNfti3TV
— Ａ Ｉ Ｒ Ｐ ｏ Ｒ Ｔ (@airpout) May 10, 2015