Aussies: How do you want the Treasurer to spend our money??

Question

He is preparing the federal budget at present. How would you like him to allocate our taxes?

Would you be subsidising oil companies like the previous govt or would you put more money into renewable energy sources?

Do you want another $1,100 million to go to company car tax concessions, or would you put it towards public transport infrastructure?

This may give you some food for thought: http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/AustraliasBiscuitBudget&id=322

Answer 1

Health,education ,housing and long term solutions to the water shortage in Australia.

Answer 2

My first thought was wisely. I do feel we need to spend money on our public hospitals, they are in need of a good makeover. I also think that they need to look at the public transport issue and perhaps encourageing more people to use it, as well as updating some areas that lack in public transport, for the country areas especially. I also beleive money should be spent on the lack of water and ways to improve the water supply, and of course renewable energy needs to be looked into also. Education is also another issue that needs to be looked into about funding. Really my list could go on.

In the long run, It doesnt really matter what they do cause your always going to have someone who wont be happy.

Answer 3

I'd like a huge injection into the health care system.

Answer 4

As long as he does it wisely, unlike every other labour government we've ever had.

The Labour Party has always treated the Australian economy like a kid with a credit card. Run up the bills until they can't pay it and then had to be bailed out.

Answer 5

The Treasurer does not spend our money. The Australian Government spends our money and the Treasurer facilitates that process. A voter who does not like the process can vote for an alternative Government at the next election.

I agree, however, with the assertion that radical but innovative environmental spending is required over and above spending on the burning of fossils....the burning of old fossils like Howard being the exception of course.

Answer 6

More beer....!!!!!

Um, lets just say the new government will allocate more moey to the areas which were neglected by the previous governent Lets expect there to inrceases in health ageing, seniors benefits especially, and of course some tax cuts for me!

And beer...lol

Answer 7

Oh god!

Great question zucchini... but I just don't know where to start! :)

However they decide to spend it, hopefully it will on the currently desperate  public good - good luck to them with pleasing everybody - with regard to our collective long term interests. We are in an awfully tight spot after 11 years of economic hoodwinking and public services downgrading.

A few bob wouldn't go astray on some genius global financial consultants with no conflicts of interest (*clearing throat - hhh-hhm*) ... to make some brave long term decisions. With the US economy going down the tube we need to evaluate whether our dollar should still be tied to the US dollar.

Keating was brave in floating our dollar - it gave us the "recession we had to have" but opened our economy to the apparent prosperity we have enjoyed under his predecessors (yeah - Howard and Costello were not the heroes).

Will Rudd, Swan and Tanner be as brave as Keating? Will they risk another term in government to be so brave? Are Australians too short-memoried and self-absorbed to give the current government the confidence in making the good hard long term decisions that will hurt a little at first?

It's not all about the next budget and how our money will be spent now. Hopefully, for immediate economic reasons, they will spend as little as possible on anything which is not desperately necessary. That's all short term, yet how the government spends right now could put additional stress on inflation. yadda yadda...

But anyone who is buckling under the inflationary stress now just doesn't stand a chance anyway faced with what's to come. (good luck to Howard's devout aspirationals).

WE ARE FACING A GLOBAL DEPRESSION. The US is trying to keep the investors optimistic by just calling it a recession. Our dollar is tied to the US dollar and we are going DOWN with them.

Budget aside, we need to find out where else our dollar should be tied when the US goes down. I dunno. Japanese Yen? It's a good question in itself. I can't wait for this pesky budget to be out of the way so we can hear what they intend to do for us long term.

Answer 8

Like the others I would like him to spend it wisely. Health, Education etc   My other main thought was more Public Housing for those who weren't or won't be lucky enough to own their own home. I feel for those out there that can't even afford a decent roof over their heads.  One thing that we should all be entitled too.  We are still supposed to be the "lucky country" aren't we.