The Wire

As the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader face-off at their second people’s forum, the Australian people are scrambling to keep up with budget promises, but budget cuts, who has costed their policies and who’s promises are full of holes. Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey this morning announced $31 billion cuts designed to quell reports of a hole in the Coalition’s costings, but the would-be Treasurer refused to release source documents from the independent Parliamentary Budget Office.

In the meantime Tony Abbott was in Tasmania announcing $16 million to help the Cadbury chocolate factory open to the public again. The move seems at odds with the Coalition’s claims that Australia is in a budget crisis.