Submitted | 12 May 2015 |
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Submitted by | Abbott Government |
Submitted to | House of Representatives |
Parliament | 44th |
Party | Liberal/National Coalition |
Treasurer | Joe Hockey |
Deficit | $29.8 billion |
Website | budget |
‹ 2014–15
2016–17 ›
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The 2015 Australian federal budget was the federal budget to fund government services and operations for the 2015/16 financial year. The 2015 budget is the second and last submitted by the Abbott Government, since the Coalition's victory in the 2013 Australian federal election. Treasurer Joe Hockey presented the budget to the House of Representatives on 12 May 2015.
The budget featured a $4.4 billion Families Package to reform child care in Australia and a $5.5 billion Jobs and Small Business Package to assist small business. The budget was passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate and took effect at the start of the 2015/16 financial year, which began on 1 July 2015.
The budget is the eighth in a row to contain a deficit. In May 2015, the deficit for FY 2015/16 was forecast to be $35.1 billion (2.1% of GDP). In December 2015, this increased to $37.4 billion.
The falling price of iron ore cut billions of dollars from forecast budget revenue. New laws were announced which sought to stop multinational corporations from using tax minimisation schemes.
The budget included funding for the 2016 Australian Census as well as money for the updating of information technology at the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Funding for a 'Digital Transformation Agenda' was included in the budget. $254.7 million is to be spent on a small team who will work "across government to develop and coordinate the delivery of digital services". Money was also allocated in relation to the new data retention scheme to provide technical assistance to the telecommunications industry as well as for the Ombudsman to monitor the scheme.