All aboard the Budget boat: who gets thrown overboard and who gets a lifeline?
With housing affordability deteriorating and tax reform back on the agenda, the 2026 federal budget will test whether the government reins in inequality or continues to rely on monetary policy to do the heavy lifting.
The 2026 federal budget will determine whether housing reform is tackled at the source — or left to monetary policy to manage the fallout. (Image source: Taras Vyshnya/Shutterstock.com)
“We’re heading into choppy waters! Squeeze the mortgage holders and throw a few employees overboard to steady the ship!”
Those were the words ascribed to a cartoon depiction of Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Michele Bullock as she sails the good ship Australian Economy through choppy waters.
Cartoonist Cathy Wilcox nailed the reality that so much monetary policy decision-making is eschewed by the Federal Government in favour of lettin…
