Budget

While the US economy is hitting all the right notes—low unemployment, stable inflation, and strong wage growth—massive deficits and reckless policy proposals could tip the scales.

A closer look at Australia’s budget surplus reveals a mix of fiscal accidents, hidden tax hikes, and misguided government spending that could leave the country facing a decade of deficits.

In an era of rising government debt and structural deficits, Australia’s once-promising Future Fund now resembles a costly financial albatross.

Queensland’s Budget shows why we need fiscal rules; how households have fared since the pandemic; dictators and their hidden wealth; what Bootleggers and Baptists mean for climate targets; and Europe swings to the right (or did it?).

In 2023, the IMF ranked Australia #2 in the G20 for budget management, mostly due to good luck and fortuitous timing. The government’s “responsible approach” claim is overstated and our fiscal position remains vulnerable to economic shocks.