Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tonight the Treasurer will hand down the 2024 budget—a budget focused on supporting Australians and laying the future of economic growth. A Commonwealth budget is the culmination of many months of hard work by many people. I know that the Treasurer will thank and acknowledge the incredible work of the public servants who have worked to deliver the budget. But, as one of the local members who represents many of them, I also want to personally acknowledge and thank them.

The budget is an enormous task which began many months ago, as the departments support the decision-making processes of cabinet, right through to finalising the budget papers and other documents and delivering them to the printers—probably in the small hours of a recent morning. The task involves all departments, but particularly those in Treasury and Finance.

As a former Treasury official, I'm well accustomed to the late nights and weekends; the development, costing and consideration of many options; and the seemingly endless drafting and proofreading and sometimes last-minute tweaking and changing that is involved in delivering a budget. It is a task requiring extreme rigour, patience, attention to detail, collaboration across teams and endurance. From my time at Treasury, I remember some of the most inspiring examples of expertise and professionalism I've ever witnessed.

Tonight is the culmination of your efforts. Tonight, as the Treasurer gives his speech, you should know that you have made a difference to the lives of millions of Australians, and we thank the public servants for your contribution to our country.