Now it’s time for ‘Hockeynomics’
UNEMPLOYMENT at six per cent, shrinking pay packets, public sector job cuts and the long hard road back to surplus: welcome to the brave new world of ‘Hockeynomics’.
Federal Budget
The other debt levies you’ve paid
THE Abbott Government is asking Australians to pay a deficit levy – but its not the first time our pockets have been raided. Here are the other levies you’ve paid.
Super penalties removed
OPINION: People who pump too much money into their super fund by mistake will no longer be slugged with penalties. Anthony Keane explains why.
Foreign aid axed as spooks survive
WHILE the AFP and spooks in the Australian Secret Intelligence Service had minor cuts, there’s been a massive reversal in fortune for the world’s poor.
Two minute guide to tonight’s Budget
DO you drive a car? See a doctor? Are you a pensioner or on a disability pension? Or do you earn more than $180,000? If so, you need to read this.
What Hockey won’t say tonight
AS we wait to see what’s in the Budget, we’ll bet Joe Hockey won’t say any of these things. He’s probably thinking them though.
Hockey’s $80bn for new roads
TREASURER Joe Hockey has confirmed the Government will spend more than $80 billion on roads, to be funded by a change in the fuel excise.
The Federal Budget drinking game
TONIGHT’S Budget will be a unique blend of pain and boredom. But you can turn the nightmare into a real hoot with our drinking game.
PM: Hard Budget good for long-term
TONY Abbott says the public will respect the government for tonight’s Budget, after confirming a debt levy for anyone earning more than $180,000.
Joe Hockey’s box of Budget tricks … and cigars
THE Government is preparing to acknowledge it has gone back on some election promises but will justify pain by accusing Labor of having hid a financial disaster.
The 2014 Budget in a nutshell
THERE will be lots to dazzle voters in tomorrow night’s Budget as Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey show they are no wimps — but how will it affect your life?
Which state wins in the Budget?
JOE Hockey will tonight announce $40 billion of infrastructure spending and most of it will benefit commuters. How will your trip to work be affected?
How to decode Budget jargon
CAN’T tell your net debt from your GDP? Fear not, here is a handy guide that’ll have you sounding like an economic whiz in no time.
PM’s pay freeze was already happening
IT was sold as a last-minute decision by the Government to freeze Federal MPs’ wages to ensure they were hit by Budget pain. But that wasn’t quite right.
14 awesome Australian inventions
WI-FI, Aerogard, plastic money. Who knew one government agency was responsible for such amazing inventions? But with massive budget cuts looming, here’s what’s at risk.
Budget puts freeze on MPs’ salaries
MPs will have their pay frozen for the next year as the Abbott government aims to “lead by example” in what will be a tough Budget.
Defence civilians for the chop
THE Federal Budget will see the start of major cuts to the defence bureaucracy as the first steps are taken towards a Japanese model.
Why Budgets are like comic books
OPINION: Like a good comic book, Federal Budgets are a struggle between good and evil with superheroes and villains. So who will Joe Hockey be?
Budget up in smoke? MPs puff on cigars
THEY’VE said we must do the “heavy lifting” — to save our budget. Now Joe Hockey and Mathias Cormann have been caught sitting back smoking cigars.
Tony and Joe’s tough Budget love
OPINION: The Abbott government’s moment of budget truth has arrived and they are not after your love, so hold on to your hip pockets.
Should the young pay for the old?
WOULD you be prepared to pay more to help finance the retirement plans of octogenarians? That’s what former PM Paul Keating is suggesting Aussies do.
Promises Abbott’s already broken
TONY Abbott made plenty of promises before the election — including no new taxes and no change to pensions — but he is already breaking them.
New kennel for PM’s attack dog?
EXPECTATIONS are growing for a post-Budget ministerial reshuffle with Tony Abbott considering a new niche for his favourite non-wimp Scott Morrison.
These public service jobs set to go
TREASURER Joe Hockey is preparing to target a number of departments as part of drastic budget cuts to the public service.
Fuel excise rise will hit motorists
MOTORISTS will likely be slugged an extra $1 billion a year at the petrol pump on top of a deficit tax and a GP co-payment under the Liberal’s tough love Budget.
Why you’ll pay more for petrol
MILLIONS of motorists could soon be paying more for petrol if the federal government decides to increase the fuel excise in next week’s budget.
The new cost of seeing the doctor
AUSTRALIANS are almost certain to pay a fee for the doctor, as the Prime Minister said “free services to patients are certainly not free to taxpayers.”
Abbott: Debt levy an ‘appropriate measure’
A DEBT levy in the form of tax increases is now certain in Tuesday’s Budget, and according to Tony Abbott “we are all in it together”.
‘We’re not doing this for fun’
FINANCE Minister Mathias Cormann has all but confirmed a debt tax is in the Budget, as Tony Abbott refuses to, saying “we’re all in this together”.
How your hip pocket will be hit
WE all know about the proposed new deficit tax — but what else is tipped to be coming our way when Treasurer Joe Hockey hands down his first budget?
Politicians: You can’t trust them
TONY Abbott is in the middle of his ‘Gillard moment’, but he’s far from the first Australian politician to be caught out. Here’s the hall of shame.
How did we get in this mess?
AUSTRALIA made a big choice 13 years ago. Now it’s really starting to hurt our hip-pockets. And both parties are to blame.
Older people want work at 70
IN news to cheer Treasurer Joe Hockey, more than a third of older people want to work until they are 70, yet fear for an appropriate job.
The PM should ditch the debt tax
THE people hired Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey to fix the nation’s budget defict. Turns out, they underquoted for the job, writes Jessica Irvine.
Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/business/economy/federal-budget/page/27