Australian budget

By Leith van Onselen The managers of Australia’s $22 billion National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) have been slammed by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) for being “slow”, lacking transparency and being “bloody-minded”.

By Leith van Onselen Rail transport should be in my DNA.

By Leith van Onselen One of the great contradictions that has developed across Australian public finances has been the production of state government Budget surpluses at the same time as public debt levels have soared.

Neat little post from Westpac: The discount of 58%fe has widened and this matters when you think about the average export price for Australian iron ore..

Stocks!

By Leith van Onselen Back in May, TAFE Directors Australia CEO, Craig Robertson, accused the federal government of acting like a “pay-day lender” when it comes to the loan fee it imposes on TAFE students.

By Leith van Onselen “Every state will be better-off”.

By Leith van Onselen Labor leader Bill Shorten has appealed to Sydney’s Western heartland, promising to spend big on infrastructure projects if Labor is elected.

Via Domainfax: Shadow cabinet had planned on announcing its position on the $10 million to $50 million repeal at the same time as confirming it would not take away the reduction for companies earning $2 million to $10 million.

Sounds a bit more final: Pauline Hanson has ruled out supporting Malcolm Turnbull’s big business tax cuts.

Paul Kelly says so: Bill Shorten has launched a political war against private enterprise in what will become a test of his leadership, the values of Labor in a globalised world and his gamble that the Australian public will keep voting for even more populist anti-enterprise, higher-tax policies.

Lol, the old goat is back from holidays: For the last four weeks I have been holidaying in Scotland and Norway, where I encountered a lot of Australians who self fund their retirement.

Lordy, another backflip: One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has talked down any prospect of a deal with the government on company tax cuts this week, insisting she won’t support the bill unless multinational corporations are “reined in”, including their use of overseas call centres.

Nice work from Adam Creighton today: One of the world’s biggest ratings agencies has questioned the NSW government’s finances, as new analysis reveals the nationwide ­infrastructure boom is pushing combined federal and state government debts towards the $1 trillion mark for the first time.

Yes, it’s Futureboom!

Via The Australian: Bill Shorten has announced a future Labor government would repeal the government’s $144 billion income tax plan if it passes the parliament as he confirms the party’s opposition the bulk of the package.