Jim Chalmers 2022

SARAH ABO:

Relief, restraint and reform, 3 words the Treasurer has used to describe the new Federal Budget.

KARL STEFANOVIC:

MARK RILEY:

Treasurer, thanks for joining us.

JIM CHALMERS:

Thanks, Mark.

RILEY:

The $300 energy bill relief, why won’t people just see that as $300 that they’ve got to spend elsewhere, which would be inflationary?

CHALMERS:

ASHLEIGH RAPER:

Good evening, Treasurer.

JIM CHALMERS:

Thanks very much, Ashleigh.

RAPER:

Do you intend for the energy relief to be a one‑off, one‑time discount? And will it get subtracted before someone gets the bill?

CHALMERS:

SARAH FERGUSON:

Let’s go straight to that question about inflation. You said, framing the Budget, that it was the primary focus. Do you accept that if the RBA does raise rates post‑Budget, you’ll be held to blame?

JIM CHALMERS:

ANNA HENDERSON:

Treasurer, thanks for joining SBS.

JIM CHALMERS:

Thanks Anna.

HENDERSON:

For someone thinking about whether they can pay their bills this week, what’s in this Budget for them?

CHALMERS:

DEBORAH KNIGHT:

Jim Chalmers, good evening to you, is this the tune you now demand is played every time you walk into a room?

JIM CHALMERS:

KIERAN GILBERT:

JIM CHALMERS:

This is a responsible and restrained Budget which eases cost of living pressures and invests in a Future Made in Australia.

It provides a tax cut for every taxpayer and new help with energy bills, rent and the cost of medicines.

It builds more homes for Australians, reforms our universities, strengthens Medicare and the care economy, and broadens opportunity in our society.

The Budget forecasts the first back‑to‑back surpluses in nearly two decades.

The underlying cash balance is forecast to be $9.3 billion for 2023–24, following the $22.1 billion surplus last year.