What these five voters think of the budget (and Labor’s election bid)

Paul Karp, Tom Rabe, Gus McCubbing, Lucy Dean and James Hall

Mar 26, 2025 – 1.36pm

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This was the budget Jim Chalmers never expected to deliver, but it might be Labor and Anthony Albanese’s last-ditch effort to cling to power with the federal election looming in May.

With the polls neck and neck and Labor just four lost seats away from slipping into minority government, party strategists are hoping to woo voters in marginal electorates.

Paul Karp is The Australian Financial Review’s NSW political correspondent.

Tom Rabe is the WA political correspondent, based in Perth.

Gus McCubbing is a journalist at the Australian Financial Review in Melbourne.

Lucy Dean writes about wealth management, personal finance, lifestyle and leisure, based in The Australian Financial Review's Sydney newsroom.

James Hall is the Financial Review's Queensland correspondent.