The recent Federal Budget and the Opposition’s reply to it, led to a lot of frenzied analysis and talk of winners and losers. This is understandable. Those close to The Movement will be disappointed at the lack of pro-family incentives from both sides of the political aisle, among other disappointments.
We are in the midst of a major cost-of-living crisis. Everyone is under tremendous pressure; families, singles, the elderly, schools, medical providers, those in paid work and those in unpaid work.
We are under pressure to pay for the things we need to live, to pay for the things our families need to live, for what our businesses need to survive and what our country needs to function.
So many things now need to be paid for. It seems like everything, except air and sunshine, need to be paid for. This is the context for the great interest in the Federal Budget. Everyone wants to be a winner. No one wants to be a loser.
Underlying Issues
Everyone wants to know which Budget measures impact their hip pocket now, or in the next financial year. But can the Federal Budget actually fix these pressures? Can it resolve these concerns?
People seem to behave like it will, but so much of this Budget and past Budgets is about what is planned and promised and expected. It is not about what will happen.
Some aspects will certainly improve people’s lives. More money in pockets will always help when the problem is access to money.
SUBSCRIBE
to News Weekly
Get 10% off annual subscriptions using the code, READNW
But there are bigger issues at play. There are bigger questions that need solving. Questions like: how do we ensure everyone has a job? How do we ensure that we look after those most in need? How do we restore vital industries? What is the role of government?
Even the way the Budget is reported, with talk of winners and losers, makes it sound like a lottery, or some sort of pagan ritual to appease pagan gods, rather than a dry, planning document to manage resources. After all, that’s all the Budget is: a dry, planning document. That’s all any budget is – a way to manage resources and redirect them to where they may be needed.
The Golden Mean
We have always taken a third way in The Movement. We reject the idea that the Government has all the answers. But at the same time, we reject the idea that blind market forces can solve every problem. The market cannot say what really matters – it can only say what people are prepared to pay for right now.
We acknowledge the many roles the government has and we know there are some things only the government can and should do – like manage foreign trade, or pay for defence. And we know that the government has many more levers than just the giving and taking of money – even if it does not use them very often.
But there are also many things the government cannot do. It cannot make us happy or whole. It cannot save our souls or communities. Ultimately, we are responsible for the lives we live and the decisions we make. We need to be involved with our democracy in an informed way to help make our country better.
Our networks of groups have had many, varied discussions in the last few weeks, from defence and geo-political strategy to women’s sex-based rights – even to Jane Austen’s view on dating – anti-discrimination laws and fairer pro-family tax policies.
Enjoy News Weekly’s analysis on the budget and please support (donate to) our YPAT program as we take a select group of young people through an exploration of politics and society in a way they will not get otherwise.
