Plenty of us have pitched in with commentary on the federal budget this week, as happens every year. But this time around, it's different. Extradordinary times call for extraordinary measures and an extraordinary level of interest in a government function that is normally yawn-inducing.
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The thing with this budget that's most astonishing is how it has thrown the normal political rules right out the window. Here, we see a conservative government delivering an essentially socialist budget which brings with it eye-watering debt. We see an essentially socialist opposition supporting tax cuts on the one hand, but finding fault in wage subsidies it fears will disadvantage older workers.
And while women were the ones who suffered the most when the economy was shut down to slow the spread of COVID, they appear to be the ones left behind by what's now being labelled "the blokes budget".
Now, I'm not known for being sympathetic towards politicians. We pay them a tonne of money and expect the very best from them, which we rarely see. But I have to say I would hate to be in their shoes right now, especially trying to frame a budget around so many unknowns to meet a mountain of challenges.
The numbers are built on some wobbly assumptions. The biggest is that people in jobs who will benefit from the tax cuts will actually spend the extra cash and boost the economy. The other is the faith a vaccine will be available by mid 2021. I'm no gambler but I wouldn't be putting my money on either of those two hopes coming to pass.
Economics is known as the dismal science for good reason. It operates on a bunch of assumptions that can easily be toppled by a curve ball from left field such as coronavirus.
In this time of complete uncretainty, it is more dismal than ever, a place where old notions go to die.
In this time of pandemic you wouldn't want to be Treasuer for quids.