Labor’s $57 Billion Budget Shortfall, Blowout or Election Spin?

Labor’s alleged $57 billion budget shortfall has ignited a fierce fiscal debate as Australia edges toward the 2026 federal election. Coalition MPs argue the government has quietly embedded major spending commitments into forward estimates, masking the true state of the nation’s finances.

Independent economist Chris Richardson, formerly of Treasury and Deloitte Access Economics, confirmed the figure to The Nightly. He estimates roughly $57 billion in additional outlays have emerged since the May 2025 election. These include hospital funding, state grants, NDIS top ups and defence spending. Crucially, they were not clearly itemised in the December MYEFO. . .