Julie Bishop steals the Budget show

All eyes were meant to be on Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivering his first Budget speech but it was hard not to be distracted.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has handed down his first Budget including tax cuts for millions of Australians and a surplus for the first time in 12 years.

And while all eyes were meant to be on the treasurer it was hard not to be distracted by former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop attending her last Budget speech.

The retiring MP choose a very eye-catching, blue sparkly dress that was more disco than deficit and it didn’t go unnoticed.

 

Has Julie Bishop just calculated her tax cut? Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

 

A surplus of sparkles. Picture Gary Ramage

 

The $2541 Orla dress by Rachel Gilbert is described on the designer’s website as “perfect for a special occasion”.

And if the Budget doesn’t qualify as that then we’ll pack up our red shoes and go home.

 

Celebrating a budget surplus!💙 https://t.co/JShkRwwriR

— Julie Bishop (@JulieBishopMP) April 2, 2019

 

 

Julie Bishop is wearing a full on sequinned blue jacket to the budget announcement and I am just really hoping she’s gonna do a jazzy little number at the end while Morrison loudly quips “now THATS a woman”.

— Alexandra Macdaddy (@r_o_t_macdaddy) April 2, 2019

 

 

Is Julie Bishop going to the parliamentary disco after this? #Budget19

— PrincessPooket (@JBPooket) April 2, 2019

 

 

Speak up Josh! Julie Bishop’s sparkling blue top is louder than you! #budget2019

— Just_wolf (@Mister_Lupus) April 2, 2019

 

 

I love Julie Bishop’s style going out with glitz and glamor this #budget2019

— Roanna Dawson (@RoDawson) April 2, 2019

 

 

Ms Bishop wasn’t the only one who opted to bring some bling to last night’s Budget speech, with Mr Frydenberg’s young daughter also opting for sparkles.

 

All power to Josh Frydenberg's daughter's budget night style. pic by @cochl. pic.twitter.com/sCALD4E0Kw

— Stephanie Peatling (@srpeatling) April 2, 2019

 

The Budget was brimming with sizeable tax cuts for millions of Australians. Mr Frydenberg said 10 million Aussies would benefit from the changes — the only question is whether the government will still be around to implement them after next month’s election.

The government has promised to more than double a tax offset for Australians earning up to $126,000, with a single-income family expected to keep an extra $1000 from tax time this year.

Most of the tax relief in this Budget flows to middle income earners, who will receive a tax cut of $550. Higher income earners have no tax cuts in this Budget. This is how much money is headed back to your pocket.

 

 

 

 

 

The Treasurer appears to realise housing affordability is still a major problem for Australians, but you wouldn’t know it from his first Budget.

In his Budget speech, the Treasurer said: “Affordable housing is a priority for the government.”

But none of the hundreds of pages in his first Budget, promising a strong economy and “benefits” for Australians, reflected that.

Deep in the Budget papers, a few promises of funding for affordable housing refer to community and social housing, but there is nothing to help first home buyers save for a deposit or break into the property market.