Federal budget 2013

THE NEWS WRAP: Treasury warns budget figures are based on “unsustainable” commodity prices

5:14AM | Thursday, 23 May 2013 |  New reports from the Parliamentary Budget Office and the Treasury have called into question key figures in the federal budget, with the reports raising the prospect of a blowout in the 2016/17 budget.

THE NEWS WRAP: Abbott emphasises cutting red tape in budget reply speech

5:14AM | Friday, 17 May 2013 |  Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has emphasised cutting red tape for small business, maintaining the carbon tax compensation and providing a modest company tax rate cut “when affordable” in his budget reply speech.

Govt throws extra $7.8m at business names register – but will it fix the problems?

5:41PM | Thursday, 16 May 2013 |  A small business group is confident the additional $7.8 million allocated to the National Business Names Register in the 2013 federal budget will fix the problems businesses face with the regime, after the opposition voiced its concern.

Labor under fire over modest innovation funding

5:55PM | Thursday, 16 May 2013 |  The federal government is facing criticism from innovation-focused businesses for the modest increase in venture capital investment announced in the budget this week.

What start-ups can expect from Abbott’s budget response

5:49PM | Thursday, 16 May 2013 |  Tony Abbott will tonight deliver the Coalition’s response to the budget released earlier this week, with the Coalition leader expected to focus on the paperwork burden faced by small businesses.

A $19.4 billion business lesson: Don’t budget like Wayne Swan

5:14PM | Thursday, 16 May 2013 |  From Wayne Swan underestimating company tax receipts to Stephen Conroy overestimating bids at the recent TV spectrum auction, the federal government has come up short. Make sure your business doesn't do the same.

THE NEWS WRAP: Abbott to leave savings options open in budget reply speech

5:16AM | Thursday, 16 May 2013 |  Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will reportedly leave his options open in his official budget reply speech tonight, with shadow treasurer Joe Hockey to detail the Coalition’s positions on saving measures in a speech to the National Press Club next week.

A budget that does little to end business uncertainty

5:37PM | Wednesday, 15 May 2013 |  The government claims a lack of business confidence is responsible for weaker tax receipts. Despite this, the federal budget does little to give business confidence.

Federal budget 2013: The start-up winners and losers

5:24AM | Wednesday, 15 May 2013 |  In a budget where there was very little to excite businesses of any size, let alone start-ups, it’s hard to see how any entrepreneur will be in tears of either joy or despair this morning.