Research Paper no. 31 2007–08
Budget Review 2008–09
26 May 2008
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version
Economic issues
Budget 2008–09: key
features
Communications, broadband and the digital economy
Personal income tax and personal capital gains tax
Tax reform
Innovation funding
Infrastructure
Accounting standards
Workplace relations
Social issues
Health
Education
Public housing and rental assistance
Early childhood services
Welfare
Disability and caring support
Carers
Employment services
Indigenous affairs
Immigration
Media and communications
Arts
Sport
Environmental and
scientific issues
Climate Change
Caring for our Country
Water for the Future
Agriculture
Science Funding
Health and Food Security Issues
Legal issues
Attorney General’s Portfolio
Consumer Protection Laws and Corporations Laws
Defence and security issues
Defence
Security and policing
Foreign affairs
Official Development Assistance
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) budget
Public Service issues
Australian Public
Service
Introduction
For the first time in twelve years we have, not only a new
parliament, but a new government. This year s Budget is a central
document for establishing the policy directions of the recently
elected Rudd Labor Government. The purpose of the Budget Review
2008 09 is to assist Senators and Members by considering a
selection of measures contained in the Budget. It is not the
intention of this document to make value judgements about the
relative importance of different measures. Rather, it provides an
overall examination of the Budget and some detailed analysis in
selected areas.
The briefs are organised according to the subject matter
discussed and the perspective adopted in the analysis. The opening
feature article in the Economic Issues section provides a
macroeconomic analysis and commentary of the Budget including the
key assumptions underpinning the Government s fiscal policy and the
main spending and taxing features contained in the Budget. The
article also provides a discussion on a range of economic
indicators and forecasts and an overview on a range of
international issues impacting on this year s Budget. The remaining
articles are more tightly focussed and examine the impact of the
Budget across a broad range of specific issues and initiatives.
The Budget Review 2008 09 has necessarily been prepared
under time pressure with a view to making it available to
parliamentarians as soon as possible after the handing down of the
Budget on 13 May. Great care has been taken to ensure that this
paper is accurate and balanced. It is written using information
publicly available at the time of production.
Clients of the Library are invited to raise any points requiring
amplification or clarification directly with the research
specialist concerned. Authors will also welcome general comments on
papers. Any other feedback should be forwarded to me.
I hope, as with all our publications, that you find this a
useful contribution from the Library.
Roxanne Missingham
Parliamentary Librarian
May 2008