What an economist expects from tonight’s federal budget

Tonight is federal budget night.

While many details of the 2021-2022 budget have already been leaked to the public, economist at the University of Melbourne, Associate Professor Neville Norman, says there will be some surprises.

“There’s, first of all, a whole batch of economic numbers that remain confidential until 7.30pm tonight that us econo watchers will be looking at,” he told Ross and Russel.

“We’ll be looking specifically at some of the details of broad brush health measures and industry support that’s been there.

“We’ll be looking to see in specifics about the tax details — they haven’t announced the specifics of that.

“I think that they will not do the most radical tax relief that they’ve been promising because … everything that they spend just piles to deficit and the debt.”

Press PLAY below to hear Professor Norman’s analysis of the state of the economy + what to expect tonight