As the fifth Parliament draws to a close, the Budget Justice Coalition (BJC) has opted to develop a submission that provides an overview of the key budgeting trends of the past five years, as well as the impact of these on two elements of the social wage: health and education. The submission also focuses on Parliament’s oversight role in relation to the budget, looks at how budget decisions have been made and provides recommendations to support greater and wider participation by the public in the budget process.

This submission focuses on the in-year adjustments to expenditure. It provides a concise analysis of why government finances are so constrained. It shows that they needn’t be and provides clear and well-researched alternatives to the continued cuts and squeezes to social spending that are resulting in regression in the enjoyment of Constitutional rights.