Budget 2018: what to expect

Here’s what we know about the 2018 Budget so far and how it may impact upon consumers.

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Morrison is just Turnbull’s somnambulist … the ‘Cabinet’ of Dr Turnbull you might say (apologies to Janowitz and Mayer)…

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Not much as per usual . All Canberra pollie hot air .:tired_face:

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Summary: Promises, promises, promises…

The carrot: It is almost all posited on the assumption they will be re-elected. Then at some point in the future some largess may eventuate. But will they say the situation has changed and change direction once again?

The stick: Robodebt. Beating a dead horse even harder won’t make it go further. Why don’t they give that money to those that need it instead? Relying on chop-chop? There’s the smoke. Where are the mirrors?

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I’m trying to fathom the whole ‘promising something in the next term’ - when what they are promising isn’t worth their re-election … I know it’s not that simple, but really…

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If you have an outstanding warrant for an indictable criminal offence,
your payments will be suspended for four weeks or until the warrant is
cleared – after the four weeks the payment will be cancelled.

Interesting article, thanks CHOICE, but this line made me pause.

The criminal system is not famous for being super-quick. Is a ‘mere’ four weeks (minus one for the person just getting the letter/finding out about it) enough time to get a warrant cleared? Is it as simple as fronting up to a police station and booking a hearing and there’s your lot? Or is it essentially mandating an immediate cessation of payments that will shortly become a full cancellation?

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Interesting - given it specifically says an indictable offence (one where a person should be tried by a judge and jury if they plead not guilty) vs a summary offence, I’d believe an outstanding warrant means plod hasn’t found the person to whom the warrant relates to execute the warrant. Once they have found said person, or if that person becomes aware and presents to a police station to have the warrant executed, the warrant is no longer outstanding. Of course they may be arrested at that point, but so be it.

Anecdotally I believe there exists at any one time a lot of outstanding warrants. In certain parts of the country, tracking these people down and/or getting others to inform of whereabouts is essentially impossible - and they know they are wanted - cutting off their money supply seems like it would get their attention.

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