Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers presented his third budget to the Australian Parliament on Tuesday 14th May. Here’s my assessment – there are some things to like about it (such as the cost-of-living relief), and some things to be skeptical about (such as many, though not all, of the things being funded under the ‘Future Made in Australia’ banner). Then there’s yet another blow-out – to almost $53 billion – in the cost to the budget of the Worst Policy Decision of the 21st Century Thus Far – the ‘Western Australia GST deal’. And there’s a complete absence of any serious attempt to tackle the structural deficits which this Budget, like its three predecessors, projects out as far as Treasury’s eye can see. Indeed, at the margin, this Budget makes that problem a little bit worse.

2024-05-15 Budget Assessment