Today I invite Australian families, individuals, businesses and community groups to submit their ideas and priorities for the 2013-14 Budget.
Unlike other developed economies, the Australian economy has remained resilient in the face of global headwinds, with solid growth, low unemployment, contained inflation and low interest rates, a huge investment pipeline, strong public finances and a budget returning to surplus in 2012-13.
We will maintain our focus on finding responsible and enduring savings to fund new priorities that strengthen our community and our economy.We will continue to build on our record of budget discipline, including identifying $16 billion in savings in the mid-year budget update to help fund priority areas like dental reform and keep the Budget on track to return to surplus in 2012-13.
For the 2012-13 Budget, I received over 270 submissions which gave me a really valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities facing individuals, businesses and other groups from right across our community.
I encourage Australians to have their say by submitting their ideas for the 2013-14 Budget because the views contained in these submissions are a vital part of the development of Government policies.
In order to allow views to flow into the Budget process at an early stage, I ask that interested parties lodge submissions as soon as possible, and no later than Thursday, 31 January 2013.
Submissions should consider the Government's strong commitment to responsible budget management and the need to offset any proposed spending with equivalent savings.
Lengthier submissions should ideally include an executive summary of no more than two pages, and be accompanied by an electronic version, either on disk or CD, or emailed in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat format.
Submissions should be forwarded to the address below:
Budget Policy Division
Department of the Treasury
Langton Crescent
PARKES ACT 2600
Or email to: prebudgetsubs@treasury.gov.au
Contact officer: Mr Bill Brummitt
Telephone: (02) 6263 3011