Richard Arnold

But should they be focused on developing some policy or something?

Wouldn't that be a novel idea?

Does any of that bother you as we head towards the election?

Well, it doesn't bother me because I'm focused on things that matter, like getting this budget sorted and making sure we take the country forward.

So I think they should spend some time developing policy rather than policy.

Are we a tax haven, and do you think that Albanese and what he's done in Australia puts us in a better position than we previously were?

Well, I couldn't possibly comment on the domestic affairs of some other prime minister in some other country, but I think you're saying that the disciplined fiscal responsible sort of approach that we're taking, given what we inherit, is actually the right one?

and I think you've seen different commentary over the weekend.

I was at the Tech Awards the night before last, a couple of nights ago, and 1,300 people, tech entrepreneurs, all starting up their businesses, doing an incredible job, and we want to make it easy for them to do so.

So, yeah, we'll keep working on that.

Budget Thursday, $2.1 billion.

Given the pre-announcements that have been made, including your sojourn south to talk about wilding pines, is there anything left?

I'm taking you to meet a wilding pine.

You're going to love it.

Is there anything left to surprise us with on Thursday?

Because 2.1 is next to nothing to play with.

Yeah, look, I mean, we've been tight on the operating allowance, as it's called.

It's been very deliberate because we actually have to grip up the spending and make sure it's appropriate.

And we've done that each and every year now for our third year in a row.

And that's what we have to have is good fiscal financial discipline year in, year out in order to get the books back in order again.