Posted
| UpdatedThe Australian Local Government Association wants the Commonwealth to commit $2 billion to improve indigenous communities when it hands down the Federal Budget in May.
The association believes at least $400 million is urgently needed for upgrades and maintenance to community housing in remote areas across the country.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-parliament, federal---state-issues, budget, nt
Posted
| UpdatedAbbott and Hockey appear to have mastered the alchemy of public opinion transformation, but will face their biggest test when they release their first budget, writes Paula Matthewson.
Topics: manufacturing, business-economics-and-finance, budget, government-and-politics, abbott-tony, hockey-joe
Posted
| UpdatedThe Federal Government has left open the option of privatising Australia Post amid predictions that a wave of asset sales could reap up to $130 billion.
Topics: privatisation-and-deregulation, business-economics-and-finance, federal-government, budget, australia
Posted
| UpdatedTreasurer Joe Hockey says the latest jobs figures illustrate the challenge ahead for the Coalition government and has stressed that the May budget will be "focused on growth".
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, federal-government, budget, australia
Posted
| UpdatedThe International Monetary Fund has endorsed the Treasurer's anticipated budget cuts, but has warned that fiscal buffers are needed to deal with any financial shock.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, economic-trends, money-and-monetary-policy, budget, australia
Posted
| UpdatedThe latest ACT budget review has put the deficit at $100 million more than expected and it will take an extra year before the budget is back into the black.
Topics: budget, government-and-politics, canberra-2600, act
Posted
Kempsey Council appeals for ratepayer help with its finances
Topics: local-government, budget, kempsey-2440, port-macquarie-2444, coffs-harbour-2450
Posted
| UpdatedThe ACT Government has projected the deficit for the current financial year will increase by over $100 million.
Topics: states-and-territories, budget, canberra-2600, act
Posted
| UpdatedAboriginal teaching assistants whose jobs have been axed, have appealed directly to the Education Minister for their jobs to be reinstated.
Topics: education, budget, wa, albany-6330, denmark-6333, katanning-6317, bunbury-6230, geraldton-6530, esperance-6450, kalgoorlie-6430, broome-6725, karratha-6714
Posted
| UpdatedAny "age of entitlement" Treasurer Joe Hockey thinks existed was over years ago, but that hasn't stopped him from using the line to foreshadow deep budget cuts.
The December economic forecast verged on being overly pessimistic and could be setting the Abbott government up for positive news if the budget deficit comes out less than predicted.
But we have to wonder if any turnaround is due to an "age of personal responsibility" or simply negative numbers laying the foundation for gains.
Topics: budget
Posted
| UpdatedThe Premier has indicated Tasmania's budget position has deteriorated by tens of millions of dollars since it was handed down last May.
Premier and Treasurer Lara Giddings is due to release a budget update within the fortnight.
Ms Giddings is not saying whether the projected $267 million deficit has blown out.
But Ms Giddings has confirmed Hydro Tasmania's expected dividends will be significantly cut to reflect the Coalition's proposal to abolish the carbon tax.
The Premier has previously estimated scrapping the tax would wipe more than $100 million from the state's revenues.
Topics: state-parliament, budget, elections, tas
Posted
| UpdatedThe fiscal policy measures to be announced by Treasurer Joe Hockey need not be as extreme as foreshadowed in recent media debate.
While the economy appears to in the early stages of a growth pick-up, with housing and consumer spending growth accelerating, it remains vulnerable to global economic and market events, including the winding back of monetary policy stimulus in the US and the overhang of banking excess in China.
It would be poor policy if the budget in May delivered cuts that over-reached on the need to move to budget surplus and caused the economy to weaken.
Topics: budget, money-and-monetary-policy, federal-government
Posted
While Geelong holds its breath over the future of large manufacturers Alcoa and Shell in the city, unions are warning of more uncertainly for local workers.
Topics: unions, unemployment, federal-government, budget, geelong-3220, vic
Posted
The Cairns Mayor says the council will remain prudent when considering its budget in June, despite a forecast $2.4 million budget surplus.
Topics: local-government, budget, cairns-4870, kuranda-4872, mareeba-4880
Posted
| UpdatedPremier Jay Weatherill is not sure who leaked updated state budget figures revealing a $376 million blow-out, but says he is confident it was no-one in his own Cabinet.
The figures show the state's deficit is expected to reach $1.1 billion this financial year, $60 million more than was estimated last month.
Topics: states-and-territories, budget, sa, adelaide-5000
Posted
| UpdatedSA's budget position has plummeted by $376 million since the Government handed down its mid-year budget review last month, with the Premier blaming GST writedowns and Holden's exit announcement.
Weeks out from the state election, revised figures show the current financial year's deficit is expected to reach $1.1 billion, $60 million worse off than in last month's forecast.
The biggest hit will be the loss of $303 million after revised GST forecasts, with Holden's exit to cost $14 million in lost revenue in the 2016/17 financial year.
Topics: states-and-territories, budget, sa, adelaide-5000
Posted
| UpdatedThe Government has warned the welfare system is 'unsustainable' and commissioned an audit.
Posted
| UpdatedThe Commonwealth is set to extend a multi-million-dollar contract to keep a specialist asylum seeker police force in Darwin, NT Government sources have said.
The ABC understands the NT Government has been advised of the extension and is awaiting an official letter of confirmation.
Topics: refugees, police, federal-government, budget, darwin-0800
Posted
Territory teachers say they've been kept waiting for a Freedom of Information application over suspected education cuts, but the NT Government says it has already published all the required figures.
Topics: education, budget, government-and-politics, nt
Posted
| UpdatedNorthern Territory Treasurer Dave Tollner has confirmed that he has asked all government department heads to find more savings in their budgets.
The Labor Opposition says the Treasurer is pressing for 10 per cent cost cuts across the board.
Mr Tollner would not comment on the amount of savings being sought but says it is up to chief executives in all government departments to decide whether or not to cut jobs, or trim budgets in other ways.
Topics: government-and-politics, public-sector, budget, nt, darwin-0800
Posted
| UpdatedThe man in charge of finding federal budget savings has refused to rule out the privatisation of key assets.
Topics: federal-government, privatisation-and-deregulation, government-and-politics, budget, australia
Posted
| UpdatedFederal Treasurer Joe Hockey has described a Senate committee hearing into the Government's Commission of Audit as a show trial.
Topics: federal-government, government-and-politics, budget, australia
Posted
| UpdatedThe perception that the Country Liberals sacked a lot of people when the party won office is wrong, the Territory's out-going Public Employment Commissioner has said.
Topics: public-sector, budget, government-and-politics, unions, education, nt
Posted
| UpdatedSome of Australia's biggest and best known aid groups are preparing to be stripped of millions of dollars in funding from the Federal Government.
Topics: government-and-politics, foreign-affairs, budget, international-aid-and-trade, australia
Posted
The mayor of one of Queensland's newly de-amalgamated councils has foreshadowed changes to the shire's budget.
Topics: local-government, budget, cairns-4870, maroochydore-4558, noosa-heads-4567, rockhampton-4700