The government hardly cut spending but the Herald rejoices that it didn't cut taxes

EVEN better, the Sydney newspaper cheers an attack on the well-off.

Ali Moore on ABC1's Lateline on Tuesday with Finance Minister Penny Wong:

Moore: There are many who say that it's not a tough budget at all.

Wong: Well, there are $22 billion worth of tough decisions in this budget.

Moore: Offset by $19bn in new spending.

Wong: Well, actually, the net save-spend position is a net save of about $5bn.

Moore with The Sydney Morning Herald's Peter Hartcher on Lateline on Tuesday:

Moore: But we were promised a tough budget and what we've actually got is a total of $5bn according to Penny Wong, on my calculations on the budget numbers, $3 bn over four years. Is that really tough?

Hartcher: No, it's not tough. The net save is, on the budget papers' own numbers, about $2.7bn, which is negligible. . . . [But] they haven't tried to spend their way into any sort of popularity and there are no tax cuts.

Untroubled by illusory cuts? Ross Gittins in the SMH yesterday:

The budget's total savings of $22bn over four years are needed to hasten the return to surplus . . . . . . Every budget contains things to criticise but, overall, this one is good. We were warned it would be tough and it is, especially on the better-off. Not only is this the first budget in nine years not to include a tax cut, it imposes the temporary flood tax levy.

Existential economics. Michael Leunig kills in The Age yesterday:

All budgets are a celebration of futility, absurdity and misery, all rolled together in one big horrible lump of stupid nothing! This is undeniable. Ha! the price of eggs is up. So what! Big deal, oh really! Etcetera, ho my God. Budget, shumudgett, shudup!!! Shut up. @*#!*@ Boring! Borr-ring! Just go away and leave me alone would you. I hate you. I haaaate you. What a total failure, who cares.

Albert Camus discusses middle-class welfare in The Stranger:

Couldn't he see, couldn't he see that? Everybody was privileged. There were only privileged people. The others would all be condemned one day. And he would be condemned, too.

Deborah Cameron on Sydney radio ABC 702 on Tuesday:

Where will the cuts be in tonight's budget? Will it be in the usual sitting ducks?

Cameron on ABC 702 yesterday:

I had the image last night of Australia as a lazy, indolent teenager in bed well towards midday. It's warm in there. They're a bit lazy. They're a bit spoiled. The Prime Minister has walked in, opened the venetians, said the bacon is in the pan.

A republican sings Long live our noble Queen? George Williams in the SMH yesterday:

If the Queen is really to be our last monarch, Australia's republic debate will need to start soon. Given that the Queen is 85, we may have already left things too late. Our leaders are betting that she will live well into her 90s.

Red-hot chilli peppers. Former NSW premier Nathan Rees shows enthusiasm, September 5, 2008:

I will be having a red-hot go at fixing the problems in NSW.

Julia Gillard on Radio 2HD, September 16, 2006:

Journalist: You are Tony Abbott's opposite number in the house. How do you cope with that?

Gillard: I love it. If you believe passionately in ideas then you should have a red-hot go.

Radio National Breakfast, July 20, 2009:

Fran Kelly: You might be having a red-hot go at trying to get this legislation through?

Malcolm Turnbull: I am very committed to Australia taking effective action against climate change.

Wayne Swan to Laurie Oakes on Channel 9 on Tuesday night:

We're going to give it a red-hot go.

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