Budget 2010
Abbott defends $4bn savings target
11:42AM Joe Kelly TONY Abbott is defending his promise to achieve a surplus by saving $4 billion via public service cuts as “more than a punt”.
Labor raids deplete Future Fund
Tom Dusevic, National chief reporter ALMOST all the federal government's nation-building infrastructure fund has been depleted.
Let's stop the reckless spending: Abbott
Matthew Franklin and Patricia Karvelas TONY Abbott has vowed a Coalition government would save $4bn by freezing public service recruitment, as part of an austerity drive to return the budget to surplus.
Book balancing on cards
Nicola Berkovic DEFEAT of the government's resources super-profits tax would still allow Wayne Swan to meet his target to balance the nation's books by 2012-13.
Abbott wimps out on tough questions
12:23PM Joe Kelly TONY Abbott, the pugilistic Opposition leader who has carved out an iron-man image, has labelled himself a "wimp" in a stumbling exchange on radio.
Return of work contracts
Patricia Karvelas TONY Abbott has vowed to change Australia's industrial relations system if elected.
Message is lost in political two-step
George Megalogenis POLITICIANS love giving back your money. They just don't like telling you how you will pay for it.
New radar to protect troops from rockets
4:06PM A RADAR system designed to warn Australian troops of insurgent rocket attacks on their Afghanistan base should be in place by the end of the year.
Email exposes PM's boatpeople 'spin'
2:48PM Joe Kelly KEVIN Rudd's office sought to change a press release announcing a new illegal boat arrival to spruik budget spending on border protection.
Boost for stay-home mums
A union has called on the Rudd government to increase the baby bonus for stay-at-home parents.
Tanner ties himself in knots over super increase
Paul Maley Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner appears to have been caught out in a contradiction just days after taking Tony Abbott to task over truth in politics.
Libs to dump Medibank, broadband, computers
Patricia Karvelas, Political correspondent AN Abbott government would dismantle Kevin Rudd's education revolution and save $46 billion by selling Medibank Private, scrapping the computers in schools program and dumping the national broadband network.
Abbott conjures $47bn 'savings'
Matthew Franklin, Chief political correspondent TONY Abbott will take a drastic austerity program into the approaching election campaign, kicking off the savings drive yesterday with a promise to slash $46.7bn.
Coalition won't cut 30pc company tax
1:58PM Samantha Maiden THE Coalition will not match Labor's pledge to cut the company tax rate from 30 to 28 per cent or to lift the superannuation guarantee from 9 to 12 per cent.
Standards at risk after budget cut
Stephen Matchett INDEPENDENT academic standards could be at risk following a buried budget decision to cut funding for the Australian Learning and Teaching Council.
More discipline needed to turn boom into blessing
Michael Stutchbury, Economics editor LABOR has yet to develop a consistent, credible, compelling message to sell its budget reforms.
Tax uncertainty dogs oil and gas industry
Clive Mathieson THE $25 billion Australian oil and gas sector is banking on significant changes to the government's proposed resource super-profits tax.
Little love for Abbott, but voters have stopped listening to Rudd
Graham Young POLLS suggest the budget has failed to give Labor the boost it wanted ahead of an election campaign.
IN-DEPTH BUDGET SECTIONS
Let's stop the reckless spending: Abbott
Matthew Franklin and Patricia Karvelas TONY Abbott has vowed a Coalition government would save $4bn by freezing public service recruitment, as part of an austerity drive to return the budget to surplus.
Rudd and Co sink low
Matthew Stevens KEVIN Rudd referred this week to the miners' initial strident opposition in 1992 to the High Court's Mabo decision.
Cloud over coal future
Christian Kerr THE government has backed out of its membership of the troubled FutureGen Alliance, casting a cloud over the future for low-emissions coal.
Lunch date a taxing affair
Christian Kerr FORTESCUE Metals boss Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest and Treasury secretary Ken Henry were unlikely tablemates at Wayne Swan's post-budget address.
Cuts to send family battles back to court
Patricia Karvelas, Political correspondent FAMILY relationship centres created by the Howard government to keep families out of courtrooms have had their funding slashed by $43.9 million.
PM yields on rebate cut
Adam Cresswell THE Rudd government has deferred a plan to stop social workers and occupational therapists providing mental health treatments.
$661m investment to address skills gap
7:52PM Ewin Hannan THE Rudd Government will bring forward $661 million in funding to create 39,000 new training places and 22,500 apprenticeship start-ups.
Abbott to aim spy planes at boatpeople
8:43PM Joe Kelly TONY Abbott says a Coalition government will acquire three unmanned Global Hawk surveillance planes for earlier detection of illegal boats.
