Treasurer Jim Chalmers is set to hand down his fourth Budget on Tuesday.
The Albanese government will provide several cost-of-living relief measures including electricity rebates and cost cuts for prescription medication and student debt.
The budget will be released weeks ahead of the federal election, which is due to be held by May 17.
Follow Daily Mail Australia’s live coverage here.
Social media influencers invited to budget lock-up
Several social media influencers have been invited to attend the budget lock-up.
Hannah Ferguson is among the people who revealed they would be in Canberra on Tuesday.
‘I need to be in parliament by 2.30pm to go through security and get ready for the federal budget lock up,’ she wrote in an Instagram post.
Ms Ferguson runs ‘Cheek media’ and openly shares her dislike for Peter Dutton.
Her company sells partisan merchandise which includes the slogan: ‘Good morning to everyone except Peter Dutton.’
Aussies were quick to express their outrage following the revelation.
‘Albanese turning the budget lockup into a political process by picking and choosing who attends the lockup,’ one wrote.
Another added: ‘The inclusion of these fools will result in dis/mis information surely. Something the Labor party wanted to create laws for.’
‘My experience of most so called influencers is that they are vacuous and unqualified to provide commentary.’
A third added: ‘Albo has zero integrity and this is a classic example of it. He doesn’t care about taxpayers, he cares about likes.’
Liberals weigh in on WFH debate
Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume told the ABC the Liberals won’t ‘dishonour any arrangements’ that are currently in place.
‘We want to make sure they are productive at home,’ she said.
‘We won’t dishonour any arrangements that are in place but if you take a job with the public sector, there is an expectation that it is a job that involves working from the office.
‘Arrangements can be made but it has to work for the individual, the team and department. That is an effective way to deliver an efficient public service.’
It comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed to keep WFH in place if he was re-elected.
Budget labelled a ‘work in progress’
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher told the ABC she would not give too much away ahead of the release of the budget on Tuesday night.
‘It is a work in progress where we’re chipping away, making investments, repairing the budget where we can, lowering debt and making sure we can provide that cost-of-living relief to people while they are doing it tough,’ she said.
‘Budgets are hundreds, if not thousands of decisions, that all interrelate to each other.’
Woman living off $50 a week from Centrelink reveals the harsh reality of getting a job
In Monday night’s episode of the program, which focused on the Federal Budget, Charlotte – who described herself as ‘a lady in her 50s’ – exposed the ageism that prevails in the job market.
‘I am finding it very difficult to get employment. No-one wants to employ me, unfortunately, at my age,’ she said.
David ‘Kochie’ Koch blasts Anthony Albanese’s $1.8billion budget move
David Koch has slammed Labor’s plan to extend its energy bill rebates for all Australian households, arguing the handouts should only go to those most in need.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his decision to extend a $150 energy bill rebate to even the richest households – plus an estimated one million small businesses – rather than apply a means test.
What to expect in the Budget tonight
Treasurer Jim Chalmers‘ fourth Budget is being handed down tonight, with an election due to be held by May 17 and Labor the underdog in opinion polls.
Australians are getting electricity rebates for another six months as part of Labor’s cash splash which also includes reducing prescription costs, cutting student debt, subsidising steel and aluminium manufacturers, and rebuilding the treasurer’s cyclone-hit home state of Queensland.
