I assume “Other purposes” is govt kickbacks to mining and gas companies 😬
I love that it helps you see how little of the welfare payments are going to the unemployed, since that’s the part that concerns people the most.
That’s a newer addition, when it first came out under a conservative Goverment, all welfare was grouped together.
Uk government tried this a few yrs ago trying to spin the welfare part as work shy bambots then it came out that the lions share was pension pots that took up most of it with the teachers pensions being the one the media focused on
The US has a similar breakdown by % as this Australian one, except that what’s called “welfare” in Australia is called “entitlements” in the US and makes up about 50% of the budget. Welfare in terms of the dole aka money given to “work shy bambots” makes up only about half of one percent.
Always liked this because it helps people see to some extent where money is going.
I know the UK and Portugal do this as well. It was especially interesting in the UK during the Brexit years because you could see a tiny piece of that pie chart with EU contributions, almost saying “this is how little of our money is going to Europe”, didn’t do any good in the end but hey, still great info to have that all detailed
the UK do this as well
They do?
Well shit, they do! Shame they don’t actually tell you about it actively - as you said, they probably don’t want most people to realise.
That welfare budget is a load of of shit, too. If you have a look at the actual breakdown, most goes on housing (read: private landlords) and(!) pensions.
Some crafty fucker in the dwp had the genius idea of splitting up state and civil service pensions, placing civil service pensions under the welfare group to make the welfare bill higher. Out of the welfare budget I think only 5% of that goes on the unemployed. Out of that 5% only 1% of that 5% figure goes to the long term unemployed. (Being on the dole >6months). Yet they only bang on shit the feckless and workshy…
I strongly believe that this should be the standard everywhere. Unfortunately most governments won’t tell you this, because a few of them are busy building golden temples for their authoritarian leaders, and blowing half of it on cocaine while pretending it’s the immigrants’ faults
I agree with you 100% that this should be standard everywhere, but here’s the thing… this information is readily available already.
At least in the US. But just like with most thing, it takes citizens a willingness to show the tiniest bit of effort to find that information.
https://www.cbo.gov/publication/58888
This is but one of many sites which show a breakdown of where our money in the US goes. Having one that breaks down each person’s personal contribution would be especially interesting, but a percent is a percent so if 20% of our money collectively goes to X, then 20% of what your paid as an individual will also go to X.
sometimes accessibility and user experience is more important than "its available if you look for it.: 99% of people don’t really have time, they have families, jobs, some leisure, cooking, paying bills, visiting family. etc. etc. So it should be easy and the FACT that it isn’t easy is purposeful whereas the Australian system is purposefully easy.
I don’t disagree with your sentiment, but again, it IS easy. It took me less than 10 seconds to find the link I provided. Sure, make it even easier still by including it with every tax return, but let’s not kid ourselves - this shit is incredibly easy but average taxpayers just don’t want to bother.
Not only this, I think this should be selectable by taxpayers before they pay taxes so they can customize the amount that goes to each category. This would be the true democratic way of doing it. So, for example, based on your salary you need to pay 20k in taxes. You’d then select how much you want to go into Transportation, Healthcare, defense, education, etc.
This would quickly force the government agencies to work for their money.
This wouldn’t be truely democratic. It would rather be just like donations. Government spending works, because it’s all out into the same basket. If it weren’t, then rich taxpayers would move the movey to projects they want - and as would have very little old-age welfare, because they don’t pay much taxes anymk6and every group in society would put the money into their projects.
Then everyone would just fund things 100% and 0% for everything else they deem not important, like education or roads.
I also think people should not be allowed to vote unless they pay a flat poll tax. Otherwise it’s a conflict of interest.
That would just reduce representation for low income people. That’s an absolutely abhorrent idea.
This is a poor take, a few to vote is not the easy to go about this. Even owing taxes shouldn’t bar someone from voting as voting is about being represented and everyone deserves representation. Even hardened criminals.
It must be so nice to see such a small bar for your defense spending.
This is just federal spending. Most educational spending is at the state level.
I don’t know much but I don’t think Australia works that way? Do they have “states” or some equivalent? Curiously asking.
Except we kinda do need our military, especially with how cunty some point Australia’s neighbours can be.
Yeah because that shit is totally not needed. AU and EU need to step up their shit. Iran and China sure are.
You people live in a fantasy world where physical threats do not exist. The US is leading the way protecting Asia and Europe. The entire balkins would be under RU is it wasn’t for that spending.
The spending it’s needed and it’s EU/Asia doesn’t step up it’s game they’ll ultimately be a second tier power to the United States perpetually. Their call I guess 🤷♂️.
In the US that would be a list of Congressmen and the Billionaires who own them.
I think US would have a slightly smaller problem of NOT KNOWING WHERE THE FUCKING CASH IS
