The Budget

[1965]

A budget that seems to be well received by the experts.

What do you think?

[WilliamPowell]

Most significant item in the budget is the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme).

This is one of the most important programs of the last 20 odd years. Finally a program to look after those who are so often forgotten but need but more importantly deserve to be looked after

It is the sort of program the mining tax was bought into cover

The Govt should get massive kudos for having the guts to implement it. Should have happened years ago.

Any person who criticises the Govt over the NDIS should hang their heads in shame.

Hate them, bag them about anything else you like but this is IMHO the single most important thing this government will ever do. 

And seeing the likes of dopey Clive Plamer & Gina Reinhert are threatening to challenge the mining tax in court I would suggest they do so at their own peril. Are the really so selfish that they plan to take away from the disabled....

And the other thing is probably the single biggest reform of the income tax legislation ever was confirmed and that's the lifting of the tax free threshold to $18k. That beneifts all tax payers which has to be a good thing.

But enjoy it while it last because any change in government based on Mr Abbott's "promise" regarding the Carbon Tax means that it will go ... because he has guaranteed that when the carbon tax goes so does everything that goes with it... so see ya tax cuts 

And can I add that personally apart from the changes to the tax free threshold and roll on effect in tax cuts I get absolutely nothing, no family beneifts, no school kids bonus, nothing.

[tiger101]

Most significant item in the budget is the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme).

This is one of the most important programs of the last 20 odd years. Finally a program to look after those who are so often forgotten but need but more importantly deserve to be looked after

It is the sort of program the mining tax was bought into cover

The Govt should get massive kudos for having the guts to implement it. Should have happened years ago.

I agree it should of happened a while ago but it is a bi-partisn policy so it will pass no matter who is in govt which is a good thing.

Any person who criticises the Govt over the NDIS should hang their heads in shame.

Hate them, bag them about anything else you like but this is IMHO the single most important thing this government will ever do. 

And seeing the likes of dopey Clive Plamer & Gina Reinhert are threatening to challenge the mining tax in court I would suggest they do so at their own peril. Are the really so selfish that they plan to take away from the disabled....

The mining tax money was for a cut in company taxes now used in hand outs. NDIS was always going to be funded mining tax or no mining tax. Remember the miners have said this tax won't raise as much as treasury is predicting but we'll just have to wait and see next sept to see how the books end up.

And can I add that personally apart from the changes to the tax free threshold and roll on effect in tax cuts I get absolutely nothing, no family beneifts, no school kids bonus, nothing.

Don't forget other tax brackets have rose to lift the tax free threshold. $18,800 has rised to 19% it was 15% and $37,000 to $80,000 the tax take rises from 30% to 32.5%.


Last point. This years deficit is at 44Billion which makes this forecast of 1.5 surplus(I doubt it will even happen) not much. Swan is doing alot of book trickery with putting the spendings into this years budget to get his small surplus next.

[WilliamPowell]

Most significant item in the budget is the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme).

This is one of the most important programs of the last 20 odd years. Finally a program to look after those who are so often forgotten but need but more importantly deserve to be looked after

It is the sort of program the mining tax was bought into cover

The Govt should get massive kudos for having the guts to implement it. Should have happened years ago.

I agree it should of happened a while ago but it is a bi-partisn policy so it will pass no matter who is in govt which is a good thing.

Yes it will get passed

But how bi-partisn is bi-partisn? Coalition had stated previously that although they support it in principle if elected they had no plans to introduce it in their 1st term or possibler their 2nd term so they although they may support it now they had no intention of introducing it ....

The mining tax money was for a cut in company taxes now used in hand outs. NDIS was always going to be funded mining tax or no mining tax.

Not in this budget it wasn't. Has been bought forward 12 months thanks indirectly to the opposition opposing the business tax cut (thanks Tony & Joe  )

As I said IMHO opinion this is the most significant and important program of the last 20 years and it doesn't matter how it's come into being I am just glad a govt has finally had the guts to do it. They all been saying it's needed but none of them would or had the guts to do it. Kudos to those who are going to do it

Don't forget other tax brackets have rose to lift the tax free threshold. $18,800 has rised to 19% it was 15% and $37,000 to $80,000 the tax take rises from 30% to 32.5%.

true but you still end up paying less tax. Granted the less you earn you bigger the break but up to $80k you still end up with a tax cut no matter how small. Also, pensioners can now earn slightly more without it effecting their pensions - another good thing I would think

So for lower income earners it is a significant benefit and that's the target group isn't it

Last point. This years deficit is at 44Billion which makes this forecast of 1.5 surplus(I doubt it will even happen) not much. Swan is doing alot of book trickery with putting the spendings into this years budget to get his small surplus next.

Any surplus is better than no surplus  As for book trickery remember a certain former treasurer who in election years did the same thing  ...what was his name again 

[tiger101]

WP. Both party's are just as bad as each other especially in election year budgets. Look at all the middle class welfare Howard/Costello created.

[WilliamPowell]

WP. Both party's are just as bad as each other especially in election year budgets. Look at all the middle class welfare Howard/Costello created.

So true so true

Highlighted today by Mr Abbott's embarassing gaffs when asked what's the differene between the cash payments for school kids bonus and the Howard's baby bonus. Tony's response "because they just are" 

And then the opposition say they oppose the Schoool Kids bonus because that's likely to be used at the pokies (Tony's on tape saying it) but they support the increase in the family benefit payment why? Because that won't be used at the pokies 

I am just really happy about the NDIS ...did I mention that 

[1965]

I am just really happy about the NDIS ...did I mention that 

Sounds like this is close to home for you (as it is for me)

A good first step by the Government.

 

[WilliamPowell]

Sounds like this is close to home for you (as it is for me)

It certainly is 

[tiger101]

Just to get the information out. I thought I'd post the break down of the numbers.

The Australian, state and territory governments have committed to working towards a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and agreed their shared responsibility for this important reform.

The Australian Government will provide $1.0 billion over four years for the first stage of an NDIS. This will deliver personalised care and support for up to 10,000 people with significant and permanent disability from 2013‑14 and expand to support up to 20,000 people from 2014‑15. Eligible individuals will be entitled to reasonable and necessary care and support that reflects their individual circumstances. The Government will provide funding of $342.5 million over three years from 2013‑14 for this purpose.

This first stage of an NDIS will occur in up to four launch locations, to be announced following negotiations with state and territory governments. The Government will be seeking to share the costs with state and territory governments of individual care and support for people with a significant and permanent disability, and will bear the full remaining costs of this initiative.

The Government will provide funding of:

$240.3 million over four years from 2012‑13 to build and operate the information technology system required to collect and analyse data to monitor client outcomes and measure the performance of the new arrangements;
$154.8 million over three years from 2013‑14 to employ Local Area Coordinators to provide a more individually focused approach to delivering assistance to people with a disability;
$122.6 million over four years from 2012‑13 to prepare the disability sector for the new way of delivering disability services with a focus on launch locations;
$58.6 million over three years from 2013‑14 to conduct assessments of people with a disability in launch locations to determine their eligibility and the appropriate level of individual care and support;
$53.0 million over four years from 2012‑13 to establish a new National Disability Transition Agency to coordinate the implementation and manage the delivery of care and support to people with a disability in the launch locations from 2013‑14;
$18.3 million over four years from 2012‑13 to continue the Commonwealth Taskforce responsible for providing policy advice to the government on the design, governance and funding of an NDIS;
$11.7 million over four years from 2012‑13 to undertake research into early interventions to improve support for people with a disability and to support the implementation of an NDIS, and provide training of Local Area Coordinators; and
$5.2 million over three years from 2013‑14 to evaluate the outcomes being achieved in launch locations to inform further decision making.
This builds on the $19.5 million announced by the Government in December 2011 to design the launch of an NDIS.

Lessons learned in proceeding with the launch and negotiations with the states and territories will inform when and how the Government proceeds to a full scheme.

http://www.budget.gov.au/2012-13/content/bp2/html/bp2_expense-09.htm

[tiger101]

Any surplus is better than no surplus

True but don't forget Swan is running alot of spending off the books. I don't understand how they are allowed to do that given the money is still tax payers money. Everything should be on the books.

Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has suggested that the 2012-13 Budget would actually blow out to a $12 billion deficit, if the National Broadband Network (NBN) was on the books.

Despite making a number of cuts, the government is still pumping billions of dollars into NBN Co, as the project ramps up and rolls out fibre, fixed-wireless and — eventually — satellite broadband services across the country.

The government plans to invest $20.1 billion into the NBN over the next four years, but this funding is not included in the Budget's "bottom line". If the government was to include the NBN funding for next year on the Budget, it would end the government's hope of achieving a surplus, Turnbull said.

"The Budget would show an actual deficit of at least $12 billion," Turnbull said during question time today.

http://www.zdnet.com.au/nbn-sinks-surplus-to-12b-deficit-turnbull-339337531.htm

[Penelope]

There have been plenty of people come out and say that a surpluss is not the be all and end all, that striving single mindedly fo a surplass may slow down what little growth there is and cause more harm than good.

But due to politics ruling decision making, the govt did not have much choice but deliver on it.

Hows the form of that fat prick hockey slagging off about the govt not delivering on the business tax rate cut, something that was never going to get through because both the greens and the libs said they'd vote against it. Not a lot of point of putting someting in the budget that you know wont happen.

I pay money to see that fat sabotaging eff flogged, and even more to join in.

[one-eyed]

The schoolkids bonus has passed through both houses.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-10/schoolkids-bonus-passes-senate/4003794

[Tigeritis™©®]

There have been plenty of people come out and say that a surpluss is not the be all and end all, that striving single mindedly fo a surplass may slow down what little growth there is and cause more harm than good.

But due to politics ruling decision making, the govt did not have much choice but deliver on it.

Hows the form of that fat prick hockey slagging off about the govt not delivering on the business tax rate cut, something that was never going to get through because both the greens and the libs said they'd vote against it. Not a lot of point of putting someting in the budget that you know wont happen.

I pay money to see that fat sabotaging eff flogged, and even more to join in.

ease up Al Joe has got to be the "nice guy of politics" in my opinion.
 
I didn't know it was open season on politicians by their appearence.
Well then let's get stuck into the prime minister then and let's not leave out the fact that she's a woman and she's got red hair and that she's not the prettiest flower in the garden.
What a load of bullcrap!!!

[Penelope]

he's a prick and he's fat.
it is not being fat that makes him a prick though.

even if he was fit as a fiddle, I would still find him detestable , because he would still be a prick.

LMAO @ Hockey being a nice guy. Never heard him say anything nice, complementary or remotely positive, even when in government.

The fat prick is nothing but an attack dog, who is incapable of doing anything but bring others down.

As for that whiney voiced, pig ugly, lying, ranga hag, go to town. IDGAF.

[Penelope]

...and then there is the prime minister in waiting.
How doers he use his official response to the budget?

To tell us what he would differently?
To give us even a hint of what policies he may have hidden in that dark smelly orifice he makes most of his noise from?

No. he tells the government they should change leaders

In 18 months or so he will probably be prime mnister. God (or whatever name you want to call her) help us all. Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Thank eff the territory government has secured a multi billion dollar gas project that should keep the territory economy rolling for a few years at least.