⚙️ Political Gadgets News | Wednesday, 13 May 2026

Bluesky says Labor’s budget tackles property investment tax concessions as dominant story fractures political consensus.

BlueSky #auspol  ·  13 May 2026, 05:29 AEST  ·  872 posts  ·  AI-generated

The Albanese government deployed its most ambitious budget in years to reshape housing investment through sweeping changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax, drawing sharp lines between support and criticism that exposed deep fissures within both major parties and the political establishment. Treasury modelling projects 75,000 new first home buyers entering the market, though housing supply concerns and NDIS funding cuts dominated substantive debate alongside accusations of “broken promises” over pre-election commitments.

Key Issues: Tax reform dominated discourse as Labor wound back the 27-year-old Howard-era CGT discount and negative gearing settings, a centrepiece praised by economists but grandfathered to protect current investors. The government drew fire from disability advocates over $36 billion in NDIS savings, while climate advocates lamented the absence of a gas export tax and continued fossil fuel subsidies exceeding climate investment sevenfold. Jobseeker and welfare recipients faced disappointment as the government declined to raise payment rates, and gambling advertising reform was tabled during budget lockup to minimise scrutiny.

Sarah Ferguson’s ABC interview with Treasurer Jim Chalmers fixated on “broken promises” rather than policy substance, drawing criticism that media had abandoned analysis for gotcha moments—a pattern that extended to lighter treatment of Opposition shadow treasurer Tim Wilson. Overall, the budget polarised stakeholders: property reformers declared it a political winner; welfare advocates called it cruel austerity; and One Nation’s electoral breakthrough in Farrer suggested public frustration with incremental change across the political mainstream persists regardless.

Top topics: Negative Gearing and Capital Gains Tax  ·  Housing Investment Reform  ·  NDIS Funding Cuts  ·  Jobseeker and Welfare Payments  ·  Fossil Fuel Subsidies

AI-generated from BlueSky #auspol posts.

Donations Data Has Changed — -18 rows in 2024-25 – Interest update

Donations Data Has Changed — -18 rows in 2024-25 [link]

What they’re talking about

Most used words in parliament on 12 May 2026: PEOPLE (158) BUDGET (148) SURVIVORS (148) 2026 (139) … [link]

Buildcorp Wins $10.5 Million Reserve Bank Contract for Heritage Building Works

Buildcorp Group Pty Limited has been awarded a $10.5 million contract by the Reserve Bank of Australia for head contractor services at 33-39 Hunter Street in Sydney's CBD. The six-month project, running from April to September 2026, involves work on the heritage-listed Perpetual Trustee Company Building, a seven-storey sandstone structure built in 1916 and added to the NSW State Heritage Register in 1999.

Buildcorp is a family-owned commercial construction company established in 1990, with offices across Australia's east coast. The company has delivered over $9 billion in projects and employs more than 600 people. Buildcorp specializes in heritage refurbishment, base building construction, and complex projects including hospital expansions and education facilities, and has won 94 Master Builders awards for its work.

Head contractor services in Australian construction typically involve overall project coordination, managing procurement of equipment and services, and overseeing subcontractors across multiple trades. The role includes responsibility for work health and safety compliance, site management, and ensuring delivery on time and budget. The 33-39 Hunter Street building previously underwent a major refurbishment in 2010 that achieved Australia's first 6-star Green Star Heritage Commercial rating.

Sources: buildcorp.com.au; ibisworld.com; buy.nsw.gov.au; zoominfo.com; builtworks.com.au; sprintlaw.com.au [link]

All tenders

Fed govt contracts given today came to $23,495,065. The winner is Buildcorp Group Pty Limited ($10,496,272) [link]

Consultant Tenders

$115,612,246 in Federal contracts to the big consultants in 2026. $0 yesterday. {1192} [link]

What’s Parliament doing

Parliament is sitting today. There are no committees today. {70} [link]

Flights

The VIP fleet flew at least 478 km in the last few days. That’s 1 plane doing 3 flights over 2 hrs and 12 mins and costing around $10,048. [link]

Fed Govt Outsourced labour costs

Government Temporary Staff Tenders in the last day: $1,841,728 [link]

How does the tender money flow…

YTD tenders for Department of Social Services: $5,672,361 {152} [link]

Donations

JJ Richards & Sons declared $2,115,736 in political donations. {11} [link]

Politician Expenses

Matt Smith (Reps, Leichhardt, Lab) claimed $358,464 in expenses over the last 4 reported quarters for major categories such as travel, offices and cars. That is $359,587 less than the average. #auspol [link]

Double Donors

QBE Insurance (Australia) donated $75,199 in 2023-24. That was $37,900 to Labor and $37,299 to the Coalition. {5647} #auspol [link]

Parliamentary attendance

Anne Aly (representatives, Cowan, Australian Labor Party) attended 82.3% of possible votes. [link]

Votes-Like-Taylor-O-Meter

Charlotte Walker (Sen, SA, Lab) is 73.97% Angus Taylor [link]

Political advertising on Google

Political advertising spend with Google in last 24 hours: $11,400. (YTD: $1,942,650) [link]

Political advertising on Facebook

Political advertising on Facebook yesterday: $93,552. (YTD: $642,607) [link]

Votes-Like-Joyce-O-Meter

Ross Cadell (Sen, NSW, Nat) is 82.63% Barnaby Joyce. {420} [link]