The hijacking of federal Treasurers by the Treasury department officials is as age old as Canberra itself. Politicians who are made Treasurer then promptly fall into line with any plan put forward by their department. This idea that a minister MUST support his department even when they are wrong, is a perverse form of loyalty. The first loyalty of any federal politician must have is that of a loyalty to the people of Australia. Budgetary policy must benefit the majority of Australians not some minority group. If the ALP government and its appointed treasurer fails to bring down a budget that benefits the majority of Australians, then they become just another government (and treasurer) that has fallen for the Canberra trap of looking only for a quick fix.
Best thing I've read on this topic
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The hijacking of federal Treasurers by the Treasury department officials is as age old as Canberra itself. Politicians who are made Treasurer then promptly fall into line with any plan put forward by their department. This idea that a minister MUST support his department even when they are wrong, is a perverse form of loyalty. The first loyalty of any federal politician must have is that of a loyalty to the people of Australia. Budgetary policy must benefit the majority of Australians not some minority group. If the ALP government and its appointed treasurer fails to bring down a budget that benefits the majority of Australians, then they become just another government (and treasurer) that has fallen for the Canberra trap of looking only for a quick fix.