Wayne Swan is vowing that there will be ‘no surprises’ for voters on the true state of the federal budget. Swan declared
There will be no fiscal surprises after the election
This from a Treasurer who said in his most recent budget:
The four years of surpluses I announce tonight are a powerful endorsement of the strength of our economy, resilience of our people, and success of our policies.
In an uncertain and fast‑changing world, we walk tall — as a nation confidently living within its means.
This Budget delivers a surplus this coming year, on time, as promised, and surpluses each year after that, strengthening over time.
It funds new cost of living relief for Australian families.
It helps businesses invest, compete and adapt to an economy in transition.
And it finances bold new policies to help Australians with a disability, the aged, and those who can’t afford dental care.
It does these things for a core Labor purpose:
To share the tremendous benefits of the mining boom with more Australians.
To create more wealth, prosperity, and jobs; spread more opportunity; and advance the living standards of millions of families and pensioners on modest incomes.
Tonight we make a forceful statement that ours is one of the world’s strongest economies and fairest communities.
Not even a sovereign debt crisis in Europe or unprecedented natural disasters here at home could deny Australia this substantial achievement.
The deficit years of the global recession are behind us. The surplus years are here.
Surpluses built on some difficult savings, which avoid vulnerable Australians and frontline services, and don’t compromise our investments in productivity.
Surpluses that provide a buffer against global uncertainty, and continue to give the Reserve Bank room to cut interest rates for families like it did just last week.
This Budget is about discipline and restraint but also about priorities; ensuring precious funds are re‑directed to the purposes and people that need them most.
Across the budget, by saving and redirecting $33.6 billion, we’re balancing the books.
Making room for $5 billion in new payments to households.
Finding an extra $714 million to help companies compete, on top of the $3.7 billion in small business tax breaks.
Funding the historic first stage of a National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Investing in dental services for those who can least afford them.
Strengthening the aged care system.
Investing in productivity and competitiveness by building on key improvements in health, education, infrastructure and clean energy.
Staying true to our Labor ideals and to the promise of a fair go, converting economic success into real benefits for the majority of Australians.
…
A surplus provides our best defence against dramatic changes in the global economy.
…
Delivering surpluses when we have less tax revenue means we need to make substantial savings to pay for new initiatives.
It is these responsible decisions which return the Budget to a $1.5 billion surplus in 2012‑13, and growing every year after that.
This delivers on our commitment to the Australian people on time, as promised, and ahead of every major advanced economy.
…
So tonight, from the firm foundations of a surplus budget, we announce new policies to spread the benefits of this boom.
…
Madam Deputy Speaker, as well as spreading the benefits of the boom, this Budget makes targeted savings to get back to surplus and make room for our priorities.
…
Not just for the strengthening surpluses we will build years ahead of our peers.
Not just for growth rates outpacing the major advanced economies over coming years.
But for the resilience of our people, and the value we attach to the fair go.
Swan has zero credibility.
Woo hoo! The surplus years are here? Who knew?
Thanks Maxwell Swan.
We know what tiresome meme M0nty and the other lefties will be banging on about in the coming monts.
The only fiscal surprise I want to see after Sept 14th is the paltry size of the electoral reimbursement (if it’s anything at all) to the Labor Party because of its poor vote.
The problem with the Labor party is that it does not make use of available talent.
The resource rent tax was largely used to pay for administration of the tax itself.
By contrast Eddie Obeid has benn able to raise more money with very little paper work.
A big improvement could be made in terms of budget outcomes and public standing by replacing Swan, as treasurer with Eddie.
And MAXWELL SWAN will wear all the points you raised as a badge of honour.
He will strut the world stage telling everyone who will listen that he’s so much better than Costello.
He will also be compared by many of us as the “Al Capone of white collar fraud on taxpayers”.
Mike
At least Comical Ali had the sense to turn off the microphone when the sounds of advancing American tank tracks could be heard in the background.
That much?
He’s just put target crosshairs on the PBO. Another fine place to look for savings. Abolish the whole biassed unit. If there was any chance it would be bipartisan that has now completely gone out the door with Swan’s words.
I’m starting to think a surplus IS possible, seeing how there’s obviously so much politicized waste in the public service. Clean the place out!
But really. It’s embarrassing. I’ve voted Liberal for 35 years but am surrounded in inner Sydney by people I know who vote Labor or Green. The last election was a tragedy but it will happen again. Can we start restricting voting rights? Perhaps a return to the 1860′s? Anything, please.
He has zero shame as well, confirmed by the fact that he’s still showing his stupid, ugly mug in public.
Which means there will be. Very nasty ones too, I’m certain.
What a goose.
Labor’s first instincts when in power are to grow the government and bureaucracy, reward their union backers, reward their favoured constituencies – few (or none) of whom are on the productive side of the economy, increase the burden of regulation and compliance and generally advance their ideology through the institutions and the media.
Little of this has anything to do with growing the economy. Hence, the motive can hardly ever be to keep a budget in surplus. Or, if it is, they are seriously sick in the head.
They can’t help themselves and they know nothing else.
“The deficit years of the global recession are behind us. The surplus years are here.”
One can only surmise that Swan knew the game was up and was predicting a Coalition victory in the upcoming election.
I agree with Rodney’s point at 8.15 AM.
As “Honest Eddie” Obeid is obviously the only person in this A.L.P. conga-line of incompetents who knows how to make any money, give HIM Wayne Swan’s job, and replace Juliar with Craig Thomson – the only member of the A.L.P. who demonstrably CAN organize a “root in a brothel” (despite what his lawyer says to the contrary).
Eddie Obied a better Treasurer than the Goose. Brilliant. I wish I had thought of that!
Are you saying that a department should be held to account for being wrong by the odd $40 Billion?
That is such a credible bunch, how could we live without them?
So we are not getting a surplus budget if he is re-elected as Treasurer?
Given that Swan is an economic imbecile who can’t count to 21 without his shoes and socks off and his fly undone I find it impossible to believe a word he says.
The Goose and Piggy are certainly trying to steal the limelight away from Leg-over Man’s daily routines aren’t they?
Popular Front
22 Feb 13 at 10:30 am
No doubt in the joy of discovery he would forget to count past ‘one’.
Entropy
22 Feb 13 at 2:29 pm
Swan would be very good with higher numbers …
“98, 99, change hands, 101, 102, …”
He started with zero…
A bit OT, but Gillard has announced big cuts are coming to fund gonski
This from the SMH:
“Ms Gillard insisted the education reforms – which have been costed at about $6.5 billion a year – were affordable.
”Our nation spends twice that amount each year on tobacco. We spend twice that amount again on alcohol,” she said.
”We can’t afford not to reform our schools.””
Obviously those “cuts” will be tax increases if she’s got the guts to do it. But the funny thing is her comparisons, pretty much all of the spending on smokes, and quite a bit of the booze bill is already tax! So TLS is saying that we can afford more tax based on the amount of tax being paid for booze and smokes.
Swan is part of the government that introduced a carbon dioxide tax after promising not to. That was a significant fiscal surprise.
He wants to ensure the Liberal Party does not behave like the ALP.
Hypocrit.
Ms Gillard insisted the education reforms – which have been costed at about $6.5 billion a year – were affordable.
”Our nation spends twice that amount each year on tobacco. We spend twice that amount again on alcohol,” she said.
So the logic of our commie PM is that when the people can’t afford luxuries like tobacco or alcohol, when they can only survive to go to work and she’s taxed away all of the disposable income, then she’ll think about steadying government spending. Until that point it’s just tax and spend, tax and spend, and it’s justified because the people will only be spending their hard-earned on stuff they enjoy and won’t die if they go without.
Two glorious HAHAHAHAHAHA moments just now:
‘If Labor goes, Gonski goes with us: Gillard’
‘Carr abandons Assange undertaking’
Then they’ll both be gonski. marvelous.
Oh touche, Gab. PS So nice to meet another lady with an interest in handguns.
Love ‘em. One day maybe I’ll even get my butt into gear and join a club and do that competition thingy.
If Wayne Swan has Zero credibility today, but twice as much tomorrow? How much credibility will Wayne have then?…. Wayne??
I knew Swan was a fraud when he announced in his first budget that we was going to make the tax system simpler and fairer… Oh Swanny, you can’t have both. It’s one or the other.