I assume “Other purposes” is govt kickbacks to mining and gas companies 😬

207 points

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.

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33 points

Indeed, especially since I am quite unconcerned about the Aged. They had their chance!

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70 points

That’s a newer addition, when it first came out under a conservative Goverment, all welfare was grouped together.

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63 points

Classic Conservative tactic.

“Evil, stupid, greedy-” stuffs pockets “-jobless, welfare scroungers!” stuffs pockets “Pensioners, vote for me to bring down our welfare spending!”

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22 points

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

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9 points

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.

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42 points

This is pretty great. This should be happening everywhere.

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6 points

That’s what I thought. I bet that would raise understanding of federal purposes

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19 points

I get one from the US gov. It looks like:

Military spending ======================== Other =

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8 points

My favorite thing about budget breakdowns in the US is how often pundits list defense spending as a percentage of GNP (gross national product) rather than as a percentage of the annual budget. Nothing else in the budget ever gets this kind of favorable treatment (which makes it appear smaller than it actually is) except sometimes debt service.

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0 points

I don’t think that’s favorable treatment. Defense is 3%. Social Security is 5%. Medicaid and Medicare is also 5%.

We can afford our defense budget and make the country better for the common person by utilizing our funds more efficiently and/or moving to universal healthcare.

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10 points
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1 point

Makes me want to calculate what goes where in my taxes based off these percentages, even if it’s not the most accurate

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5 points

Makes me want to calculate what goes where in my taxes based off these percentages, even if it’s not the most accurate

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8 points

I love that tiny wee slice of corporate income tax compared to personal

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1 point

Interesting that the Medicare has a note that the amount includes offsetting receipts like premiums.

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8 points

We get this in the UK too 👍.

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4 points

do we?? i don’t think i’ve ever had one of these. do you have to apply for one or can you access it online?

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4 points
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You will get one with your council tax bill that will cover your local constituency. But I’ve never seen one for my tax as a whole.

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5 points
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I’ve seen it on the council tax statement but not otherwise.

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98 points

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

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23 points
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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.

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9 points

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…

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1 point

Do you know where I could look for the actual breakdown - I’m not sure what to search for - would it be in the budget documents?

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2 points

Transparency

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