LIVE: Federal budget 2020: Detail that should 'concern' all Australians

Reactions to the Budget are coming thick and fast, with one peak body highlighting the key detail that should "concern" all Australians.  

Reactions to the Federal Budget are coming thick and fast, with one peak body highlighting the key detail that should "concern" all Australians. 

 

 

 

 

 

"There's one thing in the Budget that should give us all pause to concern and that is the prediction that Australia's net overseas migration is actually going to turn backwards and go negative, and our population growth is going to slow right down," Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO James Pearson said. 

"That's a problem because while we can boost productivity and we can encourage participation, we need to have a growing population if we're going to underpin solid economic growth into the future." 

Other industry heads have pointed out their disappointment over the Government's "shocking" lack of investment in homelessness and "insulting" ignorance of the impacts of COVID-19 on women. 

"(The Federal Budget) risks relegating a generation of Australian women into lifelong economic insecurity and even poverty as a result," The Parenthood executive director Georgie Dent said.

The reactions come as Leigh Sales had Treasurer Josh Frydenberg fumbling over his words, as she pointed out a “dishonest and cynical” claim from his government.

Quizzing the Treasurer over Australia's net debt, which by June 2024 will be $1 trillion, Sales became unimpressed as he continued to dodge her questions. 

"Isn't the reason I shouldn't make the argument is it was always as dishonest and cynical as you are proving?" Sales asked him, after a heated back-and-forth.

"I think you are being cynical today," Mr Frydenberg hit back. "To be honest, we are dealing with a once in a century pandemic."