Federal Budget Recap

The School of Economics and Public Policy (SEPP) recently hosted its annual Budget Breakfast, providing expert analysis of the 2025-26 Federal Budget just hours after its release.

With the federal election fast approaching, this year’s discussion focused on the government’s fiscal priorities, spending measures, and their broader economic implications.

The event opened with welcome remarks from Professor Fiona Yap, Head of School of Economics and Public Policy, followed by a panel of leading academic experts who examined the key budget themes, including:

• Economic Conditions & Outlook – Presented by Dr Qazi Haque
• Cost of Living – Presented by Dr Jacob Wong
• Trade & Tariffs – Presented by Professor Susan Stone
• Women’s Budget – Presented by Associate Professor Alexandra Peralta

Following their presentations, the speakers engaged in a moderated Q&A led Professor Patrick O'Connor AM, Deputy Head of School of Economics and Public Policy, followed by an interactive audience discussion, where attendees from government, industry, and academia contributed thoughtful questions and reflections on the budget’s implications across sectors.

The event saw strong engagement from a broad range of organizations across finance, energy, government, trade, education, and business sectors. Registered participants included representatives from the Reserve Bank of Australia, SA Treasury, Local Government Association of SA, the South Australian Business Chamber, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department for Energy and Mining, the Office of the South Australian Productivity Commission, ESCOSA, industry associations, consulting firms, universities, and corporate leaders.