Thread by @stilgherrian

THIS IS THE START OF MY THREAD ON THE FEDERAL BUDGET. #Budget2023

I’ll be looking specifically for things related to the cybers or digital life or adjacent issues.

The documents will be at budget.gov.au from 1930 AEST. To begin, some hints for understanding them...

The one I always hit first is Budget Paper No. 2. This lists and explains all the individual “budget measures”, which are the changes to every line item since the previous Budget or now-usual Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO). #Budget2023

Programmers, think of Budget Paper No. 2 as a set of diffs, with copious comments. #Budget2023

This means the Budget papers can be hard to read. A line item of $50 million means that that the new figure is $50 million, plus whatever was listed last time. And that in turn is in addition to whatever happened the time before that. #Budget2023

In today’s case that’s since the Budget October 2022–2023. archive.budget.gov.au/2022-23-octobe…

However if you want to see the consolidated resourcing and expenditure totals, there’s a separate document for every government agency on the individual agency websites. #Budget2023

Another trap for young players is the phrase “over forward estimates”, which means “spread over the next three financial years”. That, of course, means three full Budgets from now and well into the next election cycle, so it might all change anyway. #Budget2023

So now we wait for the Treasurer to get up on his hinds legs and bleat the words. Ignore him. That will be on the website too, and it’s just the spin anyway. #Budget2023

As we go along, I won’t be able to look at your replies until I’ve finished. But you can always pop over to stilgherrian.com/tip and do the needful. #Budget2023

Here we go. “Stronger foundations for a better future”! #Budget2023

Budget Paper No. 2 is here: budget.gov.au/content/bp2/in…

The Passenger Movement Charge increases from 1 July 2024 by $10 from $60 to $70 per passenger. #Budget2023

“The Government will encourage smokers to quit by increasing tobacco excise and excise-equivalent customs duty by 5 per cent per year for 3 years from 1 September 2023, in addition to ordinary indexation,”plus other changes. #Budget2023 #CigsUp

An extra two years of post-study work rights to international higher education graduates of Australian institutions with eligible qualifications to strengthen the pipeline of skilled labour. This measure will apply from 1 July 2023. #Budget2023

$5.6 million over two years from 2022–23 to establish a panel to undertake an independent assessment and consultation process to inform the phase out of live sheep exports by sea. #Budget2023

$25.8 million over 4 years from 2023–24 (and $8.1 million per year ongoing) to bolster oversight of National Intelligence Community agencies... The cost of this measure will be met from within the existing resourcing of the National Intelligence Community agencies. #Budget2023

A variety of extra oversight capabilities, including an Inspector of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, presumably to watch the Commissioner. #Budget2023

$129.4 million over two years from 2023–24 to continue the work of the Office of the Special Investigator (OSI), the war crimes thing. #Budget2023

Going back to the “traps for young players” thing, something the Morrison government did to make the forward estimates look good was to just stop funding a whole pile of stuff after 30 June 2023. The Albanese government has had to explicitly turn the tap back on. #Budget2023

We’re getting a standalone Privacy Commissioner again, and some funding to catch up the backlog — although it fades out. #Budget2023

New computering for the Dept of Veterans’ Affairs. #Budget2023

New computering for the Australian Electoral Commission. #Budget2023

$26.9 million in 2023–24 to sustain and develop the next stage of the Digital ID program... The cost of this measure will be partially met from within the existing resourcing of the Digital Transformation Authority. #Budget2023

Snerk! “Ensuring Ongoing Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety for All Australians.” #Budget2023

MOAR CYBERZ! (Mostly just rearranging things we already knew about. But also CYBER WARDENS! #Budget2023

MOAR ONLINE SAFETY! (Although mostly just shuffling existing money.) #Budget2023

MOAR DISINFORMATION. No wait. LESS DISINFORMATION, because ACMA will “combat online misinformation and disinformation on global digital platforms”. #Budget2023

MOAR AUDITZ. Well, a handful more audits. God bless the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO). #Budget2023

myGov funded for 2023–20923 but = we’ll see what happens after that because the “Critical National Infrastructure – myGov User Audit” had a few — cough! — Modest Suggestions. #Budget2023

OMFG! “Big Data, Timely Insights Phase 2 – securing Australia’s critical economic data and supporting better informed macroeconomic policy”! NURSE! GET ME THE ETHER! #Budget2023

I think I’m starting to lose it, sorry. #Budget2023

MOAR SCAMZ! No, less of them. Fighting the scams and spams coming through the portal!* #Budget2023

* Historical reference. IYKYK.

And that, Dear Reader, is my run-through of Budget Paper No. 2 and the various cyberish and digitalish items therein, plus some other things. I’ll grab some food now and then come back to deal with your replies. Or not. #Budget2023

Oh yeah, and if you find this summary useful, please consider throwing a few dollars into the tip jar at stilgherrian.com/tip. #Budget2023

Right. I will now consider your replies. Bear in mind that Twitter isa buggier than ever and I may nor even see your replies. I will also let comments and jokes be comments and jokes, and mostly just answer questions. #Budget2023

Hmmm. It’s certainly moving the bulk of the funding to Finance, yes. And Finance is the senior organisation, so I’d say the oversight will largely be there too. My guess only. #Budget2023