The Albanese government is leaving the door wide open for an early election. That’s the main way economists are explaining the surprisingly high level of spending in last week’s federal budget to Capital Brief.
The next federal election must be held by May 2025, and the next budget has long been flagged for March. On this basis, Committee for Economic Development of Australia chief economist Cassandra Winzar says this wasn’t a pre-election budget … “technically”.
Complicating matters on whether the government will pull the pin early is that last week “looks very much like a pre-election budget given the broad-based cost-of-living measures — in particular the energy bill subsidies for all households and small businesses”.
In last year’s budget, the subsidies were specifically targeted to those doing it toughest. “Now, everyone gets one".
