http://www.smh.com.au/specials/budge...30/speech.html

http://www.smh.com.au/specials/budget2004/

A further link from this....interesting

I make 43.75 from July in so far as I have to pay less tax at 42% and 47%! Flip me I am happy - apparently I am a high earner! No seriously I am pleased they moved the limits on the percentage brackets they were a bit of a joke and if we keep the current government in they are going up again! Pity I cannot vote before I become a citizen which is over a year off, even if I have had to pay taxes at these rates for two!

Husband gains bugger all from the budget, so if we both had incomes at a 'middle' income I would not be that pleased cause there would be no break elsewhere which is what this budget try to sell to those that are 'lower' income earners in the form of benefits to families - they count both incomes before you claim any child benefit - bit of a gap?

One of the difficulties I see with discussing this budget on this forum is - is that it will depend on where you live and the corresponding incomes and house prices. Plus most of the readers are not living here yet so will not feel the impact of paying taxes here at 42 and 47% (with health levy on top of course) - which of course I hope you all come out now and get jobs at over 70K so you can pay 47% - if this government stay in it will be 80K next yr........yeah the baldy bloke! wasishname......howard!

But I will now bugger off, I am a payroll person so this interests me greatly and I play around with the figures to my hearts content

But for one who lives in Sydney because it is where my skill is best 'sold' this is a welcome break from the 'pay' and 'pay' again that I usually live under - long live election yrs even if I cannot vote!

Cheers Sandra

Ps..Interested in ABCDiamond and Bondi 's responses to this budget

On first glance this is just electioneering rather than a type of tax reform. All the tax brackets need looking at, not just the top brackets. The minor gain I will receive now probably only just about makes up forthe extra tax paid due to inflation and bracket creep over the last 2 years.

This budget is best for those earning 60,000 or more and mothers earning less than $25,000 . Seems like Mr Howards still does not like full time working Mums with middle income fathers.

Electioneering ? What makes you think that ?
Surely it is just a co-incedence that millions of people who get FTB will get a $600 cheque in the next few weeks, then there will be an election, followed by another $600, IF they get re-elected !

I must read up on the budget today. This must be the first time that I haven't been on top of it for years.

That i can never make head nor tale of it, like most people i would just look silly

Thanks for asking for my response mate

I'm laughing, a $1200 bribe and a tax cut.

I've just had a quick look, and seen this snippet:
a dual-income family with three children on an annual income of $55,000 will get $104 more a week.
There will be a lot of families in that position, and $104 is a LOT of money to them !

ok.How about one income and two kids.

Having looked at the figures properly, it does depend very much on income.

eg: Single income $50k, two child, could be $49pw extra, but that includes about $8pw of Super top up.

However, it appears that anyone getting FTB will be getting a $600 payment before too long, subject to Labour agreeing in the House of Representatives. (They blocked something to do with tax relief last year) and maybe another $600 later ?

Give birth after July 1st and you get $3,000 per baby
But you do have to keep the baby and look after it for many years