A week out from the federal budget and we are into one of the more (shall we say) “mechanical” phases of the political year: when a government makes the most of the focus on all things budget-related to milk every possible policy pronouncement for every cent it can, without necessarily outlining all the crucial details.

There have been significant policy announcements in the past couple of weeks: changes at the Reserve Bank; the Defence Strategic Review; the Review of the Migration System; funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and for housing.