The treasurer said the rise of populism in Australia, demonstrated by developments like One Nation’s win in Farrer on Saturday, is a response to the pressures and anxieties faced by everyday Australians.
“I think the housing market and the tax system is not working for a lot of Australians, and tonight, we seek to address that … I don’t dismiss or deny the very real concerns that a lot of Australians have about their ability to get a toehold in the housing market,” he said.
“More broadly, this is one of the main issues playing out in our society … Tonight’s budget is not a political document or a political strategy. It’s an economic plan to deal with some of these economic issues, but at the same time, it will respond to a lot of the pressures and anxieties that people are feeling, which is driving them to consider some of the parties outside of the mainstream.”
Chalmers said the Australian Labor Party is “the last one standing in the sensible centre of Australian politics”.
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