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Election spending already tops $10b

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Labor and the Coalition have already committed more than $10 billion of new spending each in the first two weeks of the election year, as economists warn against a cash splash that would worsen the federal budget and stoke inflation.

In unofficial election campaign mode since January 6, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has crisscrossed the country to pledge at least $10.7 billion so far on major infrastructure and smaller grants for housing, sports clubs and community projects.

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John Kehoe is economics editor at Parliament House, Canberra. He writes on economics, politics and business. John was Washington correspondent covering Donald Trump’s first election. He joined the Financial Review in 2008 from Treasury. Connect with John on Twitter. Email John at jkehoe@afr.com
Michael Read is the Financial Review's economics correspondent, reporting from the federal press gallery at Parliament House. He was previously an economist at the Reserve Bank of Australia and at UBS. Connect with Michael on Twitter. Email Michael at michael.read@afr.com
Ronald Mizen is the Financial Review’s political correspondent, reporting from the press gallery at Parliament House, Canberra. Connect with Ronald on Twitter. Email Ronald at ronald.mizen@afr.com

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    Original URL: https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/election-spending-already-tops-10b-20250114-p5l456