Can You Help?

This website is in imminent danger of being shut down. It has been online since 1995, but the personal circumstances of the owner, Malcolm Farnsworth, are such that economies have to be made. Server costs and suchlike have become prohibitive. At the urging of people online, I have agreed to see if Patreon provides a solution. More information is available at the Patreon website. If you are able to contribute even $1.00/month to keep the site running, please click the Patreon button below.


Become a Patron!


Minutes After Turnbull Launch, ALP Releases Its Election Costings

Jun 26, 2016

The ALP has released its election costings, projecting that they would balance the Budget in 2020-21, the same year as the government.

The Opposition’s “Fiscal Plan” proposes $10.5 billion more savings than spending over the decade. However, the Budget bottom line will be $16.5 billion worse over the 4-year Forward Estimates.

The ALP says: “The more modest fiscal consolidation over the forward estimates of around 0.2 per cent of GDP per year (on average) is more than made up for by Labor’s structural savings over the medium term. Labor’s approach to budget management has fairness at its core, and will not seek to fix the Liberals’ budget mess by attacking family budgets. We will budget transparently and honestly.”

The costings were released in Sydney by the Shadow Treasurer, Chris Bowen, and the Shadow Finance Minister, Tony Burke. The Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten, is in Gladstone. The release was announced during Prime Minister Turnbull’s campaign launch and took place at 1.00pm, shortly after Turnbull finished.

The costings document is shown below. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Federal Election, A.L.P., Budget, Election Advertisements, Video Tagged With: , , ,

Bill Shorten Delivers ALP Budget Reply Speech As 44th Parliament Ends

May 05, 2016

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has delivered his Budget Reply Speech in the House of Representatives.

The ALP leader’s speech was the final item of business for the House of Representatives. Whilst it is scheduled to return on Monday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is expected to formally announce the July 2 election on Sunday and the Parliament will not return.

  • Listen to Shorten’s speech (32m)
  • Watch Shorten (32m)

Transcript of Bill Shorten’s Budget Reply Speech.

After seven months of waiting. After months of ruling-in and ruling-out, after all that on and off the table… After apprehension and great expectations. This Budget has fallen apart in 48 hours.

This Budget was meant to be Malcolm Turnbull’s justification for rolling Tony Abbott.

After Tuesday night Australians are left to wonder why he bothered.

• The same $80 billion of cuts to schools and hospitals – still in this budget
• The same cuts to working and middle class families – still in this budget
• The same cuts to Medicare, to childcare, to aged care, to paid parental leave, to pensioners and carers – still in this Budget.

The same wrong priorities for Australia. Was this really the point of the Turnbull experiment? [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Federal Election, A.L.P., Audio, Budget, House of Reps Tagged With: ,

Scott Morrison Budget Speech 2016-17

May 03, 2016

The Treasurer, Scott Morrison, has delivered the 2016-17 Budget Speech, his first for the Turnbull coalition government.

The Budget forecasts a deficit for 2016-17 of $37.1 billion, falling to $6 billion in 2019-20.
It tightens superannuation concessions and introduces a new Youth Employment Package with internships and wage subsidies for business.

The Budget cuts company tax for small business and raises the personal income tax threshold of $80,000 to $87,0000.

The full text of the Budget is shown below, with complete audio and video.

Documents

Download the Budget documents (PDF).

  • Listen to Morrison’s Budget Speech (31m)
  • Watch Morrison (31m)

Hansard transcript of Scott Morrison’s Budget Speech.

Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2016-2017 [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Federal Election, Audio, Budget, Liberal Party, Turnbull Tagged With: ,

Victorian Budget Delivered: Big Surplus, Capital Works, Transport Projects

Apr 27, 2016

The Victorian Treasurer, Tim Pallas, has delivered the State Budget for 2016-17.

The Budget has a surplus of $2.9 billion, with surpluses averaging $2.1 billion a year over the forward estimates. Net debt is forecast to gall from 5.9% of GSP this year to 4.8% by June 2020.

The Budget includes capital funding – “the most..ever” – for new and upgraded schools, and for road and rail projects. There is up to $12.4 billion in new capital investment, and an average of $7.4 billion a year t0 2020.

The Budget allocates $572 million for action on family violence. [Read more…]

Filed Under: A.L.P., Budget, VIC, Video Tagged With: ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »