Merry Budget Eve, everyone! It’s the day before the government reveals its economic plans for Australia, which means it’s time to take a look at all the great and terrible things we can expect tomorrow night. Take for example this stunning policy: Treasurer Scott Morrison wants to put a “speed limit” on tax, and experts are saying it’s a really bad idea.

The “speed limit”, so to speak, is a cap on how high the government will raise taxes relative to the size of the economy. Basically, ScoMo is drawing the line once taxes hit 23.9% of gross domestic product (GDP), saying that “if you go above that tax speed limit you are putting jobs and the economy and essential services at risk”.

That sounds real scary, except that it’s not necessarily true. As experts from The Australia Institute pointed out in a report this morning, 23.9% doesn’t mean anything — it’s “entirely arbitrary”. They also warned that a strict limit of 23.9% could actually create some serious problems given that the government is also aiming to return the budget to surplus very soon.

Basically, the government wants to cap the amount of money it brings in through tax, while also bringing in more money than it spends. That extra money has to come from somewhere, and there’s a good chance that “somewhere” will be spending cuts. Seems like the kind of thing you need a bit more than an arbitrary reason for, no?

Oh, and before you get excited about paying less tax, think again — it’s looking like the only income tax cuts in this budget will be very small, amounting to around $5-10 per week in extra money for people on incomes of less than $87,000.

company tax cuts
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￣￣┗┓ gov services & infrastructure
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— Anna Chang ? (@annachang) May 4, 2018

What Else Do We Know About Tomorrow’s Budget So Far?

Every year, the government leaks a few of its budget plans ahead of the big day. In addition to the “speed limit” for tax and the fact that the government’s referring to this as a “baby boomer budget”, here’s what we know.

On Anzac Day a few weeks ago, the government tried to quietly announce that it will scrap the planned increase to the Medicare Levy, which was meant to raise $8 billion a year to fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The government claims they’ve found another way to fund the NDIS, but disability advocates are worried. We’ll find out tomorrow what the plan is there.

Some other health services, meanwhile, will get a boost — the Royal Flying Doctor Service will get an extra $84 million to fund mental health nurses for the first time, $39.5 million will be allocated to offer a free whooping cough vaccine to all pregnant women, and a drug used to treat spinal muscular atrophy will be placed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for children under 18 years, at a cost of over $240 million.

There’ll also be a heap of money for infrastructure projects, including $5 billion for Melbourne to finally get with the times and build an airport rail link, $1.75 billion for Melbourne’s North East rail link, and another $475 million for another (you guessed it) Melbourne rail link to Monash University’s Clayton campus. There’s also some money for infrastructure projects in other states, lol.

Oh, and the budget will also include $50 million to redevelop a memorial and erect a fuckoff big statue of Captain Cook that we could truly do without.

What About Things That Are Not Health And Infrastructure?

In some good news, the government will commit half a billion dollars to help protect the Great Barrier Reef, which would be nicer if the government wasn’t also supporting coal mines, but is also a decent start.

There’ll also be $100 million for something fairly mysterious to do with women’s economic security (details of which will be announced in September), a tax cut for craft beers, $140 million to encourage filmmakers to film in Australia, and $245 million to keep the controversial school chaplain program kicking on. If that last one sounds tp you like a dubious use of funds, you’re not alone — the Australian Education Union has slammed the announcement, saying the funds should be used to support students with disabilities instead.

As for how the government plans to raise some money, the budget will apparently include plans for a crackdown on illegal tobacco that will raise an estimated $3.6 billion dollars. Sounds like a health budget.

Most Importantly, Is The Budget Tree Ready?

Sadly, no. The Budget Tree is a tree outside Parliament in Canberra which is usually nice and red by the time the budget is released, just in time for the Treasurer to stand in front of it and talk about money.

This year, it’s looking like the picture on the left:

C’mon budget tree. You can do it. pic.twitter.com/sS7vCZWuEY

— Brihony Speed (@brihonyspeed) May 4, 2018

Is this an omen suggesting an underwhelming budget? We’ll find out tomorrow.