☕️ Dutton's budget reply, explained

Well, today is the day. No, I’m not talking about Respect Your Cat Day. Although it is that, too.

It’s the day Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to officially announce the date of the Federal Election.

Get ready for a whole bunch of campaign advertising, politicians kissing babies (or a cat they respect), and the smell of a sausage sizzle - it’s time for an election!

P.S. On a related note, we want to know what you thought of this week's Budget. You can share your thoughts via our quick survey here.

“I want to give a shout-out to my wife tonight, who has just had surgery on her wrist and is at home watching with [my kids], unless MAFS clashes with this broadcast.”
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton at the end of his budget reply speech last night. Scroll to the 2-minute section to read more about Dutton’s budget reply. Also, based on the ratings, we presume this doesn’t need explaining, but just in case: MAFS refers to Channel Nine’s reality series Married At First Sight.

$US5.8 million ($A9.2 million)
The prize money won by former Australian Survivor winner David Genat on U.S. series Deal or No Deal Island. It’s the second biggest prize in primetime TV history.

1949
The term “Big Bang” was first coined to describe how the universe was created. UK physicist and astronomer Fred Hoyle was the first one to use the term during a radio interview with the BBC.

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Residents in the European Union (EU) have been encouraged to stockpile 72 hours’ worth of emergency and disaster response supplies.

The recommendation comes from a new “preparedness strategy” announced by governing body the European Commission.

The Commission said the new strategy was designed to face challenges including natural disasters “exacerbated by climate change,” the possibility of armed conflicts, and cyberattacks.

The Commission said it needed a “whole-of-society approach” to prepare Europe for an “increasingly complex and volatile security landscape”.

Its strategy includes 30 key actions that can be taken by governments, industry, hospitals, schools, the military, and residents.

For example, residents are encouraged to have three days’ worth of emergency supplies.

Military forces have been asked to hold exercises across the continent with police and healthcare workers.

Reporting by Achol Arok.

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has delivered his Budget Reply — the Coalition’s formal response to the Government’s 2025/26 Budget.

The Budget Reply is an opportunity for the Opposition to lay out its criticisms of the Government’s Budget measures and outline alternative spending plans.

It’s widely expected the Federal Election will be called tomorrow, with Dutton’s speech containing specific election promises, such as halving the fuel tax and reducing migration levels.

The Federal Budget is the Government’s main economic document. It details two things: where the government will allocate its money (spending), and how it will pay for it (revenue).

The Government released the 2025/26 Budget on Tuesday. Based on the narrow time frame between the budget and the upcoming election, it contained the government’s pre-election commitments.

After the Government hands down its Budget, the Opposition prepares a formal response, known as the ‘budget-in-reply’.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has pledged to halve the fuel excise for a year if he wins the election, and then review it.

The excise is effectively a tax on petrol, which has been around since federation in 1901.

The fuel tax accounts for roughly 50.8 cents per litre of petrol.

Dutton estimates the year-long cut would save $1,500 a year for an average household with two cars filling up once a week.

Gas reserves will be introduced under the Coalition’s “domestic gas plan”.

The plan will require gas companies to save gas for Australia’s east coast instead of being exported offshore.

“This is all about ensuring Australian gas is for Australians,” Dutton said.

Dutton also promised to fast-track approvals to extend the life of an offshore gas project off Western Australia’s coast, known as the North-West Shelf project.

The Coalition has matched some of Labor’s healthcare commitments in recent weeks, including $8.5 billion to boost bulk-billing rates at GPs.

The Opposition will also cap the maximum cost of medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from $31.60 to $25 if it wins the election.

Dutton announced he would lock in a permanent doubling of subsidised mental health sessions from 10 to 20.

Dutton has pledged to “reverse” the government’s “increase of 41,000 Canberra public servants”.

He claimed the cut to public service, across federal departments like education, health, and defence, would save $7 billion a year.

The Coalition will also defund the Environmental Defenders Office. The partially publicly-funded lawyers can prosecute claims on behalf of communities for environmental destruction and climate-related claims.

Dutton repeated his pledge to cut annual migration if he wins the next election.

His plan would reduce the number of permanent migrants arriving in Australia from 185,000 to 140,000.

He also repeated his plans to open up seven nuclear reactors across Australia and allow first home buyers to use $50,000 of their superannuation for a home deposit.

The Prime Minister is widely tipped to announce the election tomorrow morning, likely to be held on 3 May.

Dutton called the upcoming election a “sliding doors moment” for Australia.

“At this election, the choice could not be clearer,” Dutton said.

“We have a positive plan to deliver: a stronger economy with lower inflation, cheaper energy, affordable homes, quality healthcare and safer communities.”

Reporting by Harry Sekulich.

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🍊 Gout Gout is racing again tomorrow. More details here.
🍊 The biggest tennis upset we’ve seen in a while. Read more.
🍊 TDA Sport is giving away $1000. Here’s how to win.
🗞️ Also in today’s Sport Newsletter: cricket, AFL, and more…

The Fram2 mission is expected to launch on a SpaceX craft next month. The four-day journey will be the first human spaceflight over Earth’s polar regions. Its crew, which includes Australian Eric Philips, will attempt to grow oyster mushrooms in microgravity. The experiment, coined “Mission MushVroom” will be led by FOODiQ Global, an Australian-based company. In a statement, Fram2 said, it will be the first study of its kind. It called oyster mushrooms “the perfect space crop, helping astronauts meet their nutritional needs on long-duration space missions like those to Mars, while closing the loop in plant agriculture and helping to minimise inputs and waste.”

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Reporting by Emma Gillespie.

We’ve all heard of the time warp. It’s just a jump to the left, then a step to the ri-i-i-i-ight.

But it turns out there’s a real time warp that can be felt when doing intense exercise.

According to research, people who push themselves when working out can experience a form of time warp, where they feel they have been exercising for longer than reality.

Researchers suggest this may be because during high intensity exercise the body becomes aware of pain it is enduring much quicker, heightening the feeling of discomfort and making the understanding of time passing appear slower.

Reporting by Rosa Bowden.

A new TV series has reignited conversations around incel culture, social media, and gender-based violence. Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’ follows the fictional story of a 13-year-old boy, Jamie, who’s arrested following the murder of his 14-year-old schoolmate Katie. To understand more about the world Adolescence portrays, TDA spoke to academic and social sciences expert Dr Anthony Collins, who works on issues of violence, gender and cultural studies.