Albanese's budget allocates $1.52 billion for elections

The recent budget from the Albanese government reveals a surprisingly low amount set aside for election spending. Only $1.52 billion is available in the "decisions taken but not yet announced" line, indicating a strategic shift in how the government plans to approach the upcoming federal election. In previous years, treasurers often held back much larger sums for election promises. For example, Peter Costello reserved $4 billion before the 2007 election, and Jim Chalmers had more than $5.5 billion set aside in December. Veteran economist Saul Eslake noted that $11.5 billion was once held back in 2021-22. Albanese believes that flooding voters with announcements may not be effective anymore. Instead, his government chose to reveal many of its policies in advance, such as those related to Medicare and affordable housing. This decision was also prompted by unexpected challenges, like Cyclone Alfred, which affected election timing. Experts expected the "decisions taken" figure to be low, given the early announcements. With only $1.5 billion available, it is unlikely there will be major new spending promises from the ALP as the election approaches. Instead, any future announcements will likely be smaller, targeting local needs such as community upgrades and facilities in key electoral areas.