Democracy sausage taken to new frontier
From school playgrounds to an Antarctic research station, Aussies are preparing to sink their teeth into a national treasure.
The humble democracy sausage will be back on the menu at more than 1700 polling booths on Saturday, helping voters pump an estimated $4 million into community groups.
Former opposition leader Bill Shorten became a divisive figure in the democracy sausage world.
During the 2016 election, outrage erupted when he turned his sausage roll on its side, and bit into it like a sandwich.
"It was a crusty roll," he told AAP this week.
"To eat it at the front, you needed the teeth of Jaws, so I made a relatively pragmatic decision to eat it from the side.
"Apparently, that caused a scandal around the country."
Antarctic researcher Andy Warton and fellow expeditioners are planning one of Saturday's first democracy sausage sizzles on Casey Station.
After voting by telephone, the crew of 29 will indulge in a post-voting brunch, away from the outdoor sub-zero temperatures.
"Voting from Antarctica is a reminder that our voice matters, even if we're at the end of the earth," the station leader told AAP.
"The sausage sizzle is about raising morale because it brings us together for something different, and reminds us there's a bigger picture out there."
In Bass Strait, councillor Rowan Cooke will fire up the barbecue for King Island's first democracy sausage sizzle.
Profits will go to the local social club.
He's hoping the sausage sizzle brings the community together after primary employer King Island Dairy cut the number of workers on the island.
"People don't particularly like talking about politics because it does bring up strong emotions," the councillor said.
"But having a democracy sausage helps break down those barriers and allows people to loosen up around these topics.
"All those donations will go to the club to help with the maintenance of their facilities, but I also just want to bring awareness that it is also a place where people can socialise and hang out."
About 7000 polling booths will open on Saturday with about a quarter linked to a sausage sizzle or bake sale on the official Democracy Sausage website.
The website began in 2013 after a group of West Australians realised there was no place to look up where polling place food stalls were located.
Twelve years on, it helps direct thousands of voters to snags, sweets and espressos.
The website's operators estimate stalls raised between $1200 and $1600 on average at the last federal election, rising above $3000 in some instances.
Across the 2200 polling places in 2022, an estimated $4.1 million was raised after costs.
But, despite its benefits, the traditional snack can trip up hungry voters.
Mr Shorten has stared down the backlash he received and says he still eats sausages the same way.
"On Saturday, I'm going to eat the sausage the way I did in 2016 just to commemorate," the former PM candidate told AAP.
Early voters are also not expected to dampen the mood.
Despite more than 5.5 million people voting before Saturday, organisers expect there won't be a downturn in sales.
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The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Future focus as inflation blare dims but change needed
The man who writes the cheques for Australia's largest state budget can finally focus on the future. Inflation was "blaring" in NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey's ears when he was compiling his first two budgets after Labor returned to government in 2023 for the first time in 12 years. "But the challenge in front of the state and the nation is making sure that we are growing our economy fast enough to support a rise in living standards," he tells AAP as he prepares to hand down his third. Mr Mookhey says Tuesday's state budget is about the future of the state's essential services and economic growth. "There's a lot of opportunity and a lot of ambition in NSW and the changes we're making are designed to hold on to what we love ... but also ensure that our kids and our grandkids have the same level of opportunity that we had," he says. 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"It's right and fair that we respond to community concerns about it ... we're going to have to work through what is the right solution." The tax issues are part of what economic researchers at the e61 Institute call a "vertical fiscal imbalance" that characterises the nation. "The states carry many of the spending responsibilities but lack equivalent revenue-raising capacity," chief executive Michael Brennan says, warning state finances are drifting onto an unsustainable path. But NSW will at least bank a cash surplus in Tuesday's budget for the first time since 2021. "Which means we're no longer borrowing money to pay our day-to-day bills as a government," Mr Mookhey says. "That gives us a platform for further progress." Australian Public Policy Institute chief executive Libby Hackett expects the budget will be a step forward, building on previous years. 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"But the challenge in front of the state and the nation is making sure that we are growing our economy fast enough to support a rise in living standards," he tells AAP as he prepares to hand down his third. Mr Mookhey says Tuesday's state budget is about the future of the state's essential services and economic growth. "There's a lot of opportunity and a lot of ambition in NSW and the changes we're making are designed to hold on to what we love ... but also ensure that our kids and our grandkids have the same level of opportunity that we had," he says. While receding inflation and distance from the COVID-19 pandemic's associated spending have allowed the treasurer to cast an eye to the future, issues from the past remain. Framed in Mr Mookhey's parliament office is a newspaper headline relating to the underpayments scandal in the state's workers' compensation scheme he played a role in exposing in opposition. The page is yellowing with age as Mr Mookhey pushes to reform a scheme he is now in charge of, and which he argues is becoming unsustainable due to the rising cost and prevalence of psychological injuries. "It's been a hard case to argue," he says. "This system is failing everybody. It's a system that is fundamentally broken." Changes are simmering on the back burner after a parliamentary inquiry prevented action before the budget. Mr Mookhey hopes reform can create a "prevention culture" that limits psychological injuries from occurring. Outside of the workplace, he has promised some reassurance to people dealing with mental health issues and their loved ones. "They will see more investment in mental health resources in our health system and they will see more investment when it comes to our social interventions," he says. However, public psychiatrists at the pointy end of mental health crises should not expect the budget to deliver a pay rise at the level they have been calling for amid resignations in protest and arbitration in the state's Industrial Relations Commission. The federal distribution of GST to the states also continues to frustrate Mr Mookhey after dashing his hopes of a surplus in 2024. NSW now receives its lowest share of GST since it was introduced - about 85 cents for every dollar raised. "What frustrates me is not so much that we support the other states, it's just the missed opportunities," he says. The distribution needs to change but the tax's bigger proportional hit on the spending power of lower-income Australians means Mr Mookhey does not support raising the rate. "We can do better," he says. "What we need to focus on is just making sure the system is simple, the distribution is fair, the distribution is predictable, but also the distribution is understandable." 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"The states carry many of the spending responsibilities but lack equivalent revenue-raising capacity," chief executive Michael Brennan says, warning state finances are drifting onto an unsustainable path. But NSW will at least bank a cash surplus in Tuesday's budget for the first time since 2021. "Which means we're no longer borrowing money to pay our day-to-day bills as a government," Mr Mookhey says. "That gives us a platform for further progress." Australian Public Policy Institute chief executive Libby Hackett expects the budget will be a step forward, building on previous years. "This will be a structural reform budget: supporting better service delivery, infrastructure alignment and long-term productivity, even in a tight fiscal environment," Professor Hackett tells AAP. "Moreover, this budget presents a real opportunity to advance whole-of-government objectives in cross-cutting areas." Opposition Leader Mark Speakman sees it differently, warning the state is heading for "yet another low-vision, low-value, low-energy budget". "We have had not one visionary pre-budget announcement." The man who writes the cheques for Australia's largest state budget can finally focus on the future. Inflation was "blaring" in NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey's ears when he was compiling his first two budgets after Labor returned to government in 2023 for the first time in 12 years. "But the challenge in front of the state and the nation is making sure that we are growing our economy fast enough to support a rise in living standards," he tells AAP as he prepares to hand down his third. Mr Mookhey says Tuesday's state budget is about the future of the state's essential services and economic growth. "There's a lot of opportunity and a lot of ambition in NSW and the changes we're making are designed to hold on to what we love ... but also ensure that our kids and our grandkids have the same level of opportunity that we had," he says. While receding inflation and distance from the COVID-19 pandemic's associated spending have allowed the treasurer to cast an eye to the future, issues from the past remain. Framed in Mr Mookhey's parliament office is a newspaper headline relating to the underpayments scandal in the state's workers' compensation scheme he played a role in exposing in opposition. The page is yellowing with age as Mr Mookhey pushes to reform a scheme he is now in charge of, and which he argues is becoming unsustainable due to the rising cost and prevalence of psychological injuries. "It's been a hard case to argue," he says. "This system is failing everybody. It's a system that is fundamentally broken." Changes are simmering on the back burner after a parliamentary inquiry prevented action before the budget. Mr Mookhey hopes reform can create a "prevention culture" that limits psychological injuries from occurring. Outside of the workplace, he has promised some reassurance to people dealing with mental health issues and their loved ones. "They will see more investment in mental health resources in our health system and they will see more investment when it comes to our social interventions," he says. However, public psychiatrists at the pointy end of mental health crises should not expect the budget to deliver a pay rise at the level they have been calling for amid resignations in protest and arbitration in the state's Industrial Relations Commission. The federal distribution of GST to the states also continues to frustrate Mr Mookhey after dashing his hopes of a surplus in 2024. NSW now receives its lowest share of GST since it was introduced - about 85 cents for every dollar raised. "What frustrates me is not so much that we support the other states, it's just the missed opportunities," he says. The distribution needs to change but the tax's bigger proportional hit on the spending power of lower-income Australians means Mr Mookhey does not support raising the rate. "We can do better," he says. "What we need to focus on is just making sure the system is simple, the distribution is fair, the distribution is predictable, but also the distribution is understandable." Another federal issue with implications for state budgets is the rise of the black market for illicit tobacco fuelled by rising excise on dinky-di durries. The market shift is robbing the Commonwealth of expected revenue and creating criminal complications for states. It has already led to increased funding for enforcement within the health budget, but Premier Chris Minns indicated earlier in June a decision would have to be made about the resources devoted to combating illicit tobacco sales. While smoke clouds what the budget might do to address the issue, Mr Mookhey notes it is a source of public anxiety. "It's right and fair that we respond to community concerns about it ... we're going to have to work through what is the right solution." The tax issues are part of what economic researchers at the e61 Institute call a "vertical fiscal imbalance" that characterises the nation. "The states carry many of the spending responsibilities but lack equivalent revenue-raising capacity," chief executive Michael Brennan says, warning state finances are drifting onto an unsustainable path. But NSW will at least bank a cash surplus in Tuesday's budget for the first time since 2021. "Which means we're no longer borrowing money to pay our day-to-day bills as a government," Mr Mookhey says. "That gives us a platform for further progress." Australian Public Policy Institute chief executive Libby Hackett expects the budget will be a step forward, building on previous years. "This will be a structural reform budget: supporting better service delivery, infrastructure alignment and long-term productivity, even in a tight fiscal environment," Professor Hackett tells AAP. "Moreover, this budget presents a real opportunity to advance whole-of-government objectives in cross-cutting areas." Opposition Leader Mark Speakman sees it differently, warning the state is heading for "yet another low-vision, low-value, low-energy budget". "We have had not one visionary pre-budget announcement." The man who writes the cheques for Australia's largest state budget can finally focus on the future. Inflation was "blaring" in NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey's ears when he was compiling his first two budgets after Labor returned to government in 2023 for the first time in 12 years. "But the challenge in front of the state and the nation is making sure that we are growing our economy fast enough to support a rise in living standards," he tells AAP as he prepares to hand down his third. Mr Mookhey says Tuesday's state budget is about the future of the state's essential services and economic growth. "There's a lot of opportunity and a lot of ambition in NSW and the changes we're making are designed to hold on to what we love ... but also ensure that our kids and our grandkids have the same level of opportunity that we had," he says. While receding inflation and distance from the COVID-19 pandemic's associated spending have allowed the treasurer to cast an eye to the future, issues from the past remain. Framed in Mr Mookhey's parliament office is a newspaper headline relating to the underpayments scandal in the state's workers' compensation scheme he played a role in exposing in opposition. The page is yellowing with age as Mr Mookhey pushes to reform a scheme he is now in charge of, and which he argues is becoming unsustainable due to the rising cost and prevalence of psychological injuries. "It's been a hard case to argue," he says. "This system is failing everybody. It's a system that is fundamentally broken." Changes are simmering on the back burner after a parliamentary inquiry prevented action before the budget. Mr Mookhey hopes reform can create a "prevention culture" that limits psychological injuries from occurring. Outside of the workplace, he has promised some reassurance to people dealing with mental health issues and their loved ones. "They will see more investment in mental health resources in our health system and they will see more investment when it comes to our social interventions," he says. However, public psychiatrists at the pointy end of mental health crises should not expect the budget to deliver a pay rise at the level they have been calling for amid resignations in protest and arbitration in the state's Industrial Relations Commission. The federal distribution of GST to the states also continues to frustrate Mr Mookhey after dashing his hopes of a surplus in 2024. NSW now receives its lowest share of GST since it was introduced - about 85 cents for every dollar raised. "What frustrates me is not so much that we support the other states, it's just the missed opportunities," he says. The distribution needs to change but the tax's bigger proportional hit on the spending power of lower-income Australians means Mr Mookhey does not support raising the rate. "We can do better," he says. "What we need to focus on is just making sure the system is simple, the distribution is fair, the distribution is predictable, but also the distribution is understandable." Another federal issue with implications for state budgets is the rise of the black market for illicit tobacco fuelled by rising excise on dinky-di durries. The market shift is robbing the Commonwealth of expected revenue and creating criminal complications for states. It has already led to increased funding for enforcement within the health budget, but Premier Chris Minns indicated earlier in June a decision would have to be made about the resources devoted to combating illicit tobacco sales. While smoke clouds what the budget might do to address the issue, Mr Mookhey notes it is a source of public anxiety. "It's right and fair that we respond to community concerns about it ... we're going to have to work through what is the right solution." The tax issues are part of what economic researchers at the e61 Institute call a "vertical fiscal imbalance" that characterises the nation. "The states carry many of the spending responsibilities but lack equivalent revenue-raising capacity," chief executive Michael Brennan says, warning state finances are drifting onto an unsustainable path. But NSW will at least bank a cash surplus in Tuesday's budget for the first time since 2021. "Which means we're no longer borrowing money to pay our day-to-day bills as a government," Mr Mookhey says. "That gives us a platform for further progress." Australian Public Policy Institute chief executive Libby Hackett expects the budget will be a step forward, building on previous years. "This will be a structural reform budget: supporting better service delivery, infrastructure alignment and long-term productivity, even in a tight fiscal environment," Professor Hackett tells AAP. "Moreover, this budget presents a real opportunity to advance whole-of-government objectives in cross-cutting areas." Opposition Leader Mark Speakman sees it differently, warning the state is heading for "yet another low-vision, low-value, low-energy budget". "We have had not one visionary pre-budget announcement."
Perth Now
6 hours ago
- Perth Now
Future focus as inflation blare dims but change needed
The man who writes the cheques for Australia's largest state budget can finally focus on the future. Inflation was "blaring" in NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey's ears when he was compiling his first two budgets after Labor returned to government in 2023 for the first time in 12 years. "But the challenge in front of the state and the nation is making sure that we are growing our economy fast enough to support a rise in living standards," he tells AAP as he prepares to hand down his third. Mr Mookhey says Tuesday's state budget is about the future of the state's essential services and economic growth. "There's a lot of opportunity and a lot of ambition in NSW and the changes we're making are designed to hold on to what we love ... but also ensure that our kids and our grandkids have the same level of opportunity that we had," he says. While receding inflation and distance from the COVID-19 pandemic's associated spending have allowed the treasurer to cast an eye to the future, issues from the past remain. Framed in Mr Mookhey's parliament office is a newspaper headline relating to the underpayments scandal in the state's workers' compensation scheme he played a role in exposing in opposition. The page is yellowing with age as Mr Mookhey pushes to reform a scheme he is now in charge of, and which he argues is becoming unsustainable due to the rising cost and prevalence of psychological injuries. "It's been a hard case to argue," he says. "This system is failing everybody. It's a system that is fundamentally broken." Changes are simmering on the back burner after a parliamentary inquiry prevented action before the budget. Mr Mookhey hopes reform can create a "prevention culture" that limits psychological injuries from occurring. Outside of the workplace, he has promised some reassurance to people dealing with mental health issues and their loved ones. "They will see more investment in mental health resources in our health system and they will see more investment when it comes to our social interventions," he says. However, public psychiatrists at the pointy end of mental health crises should not expect the budget to deliver a pay rise at the level they have been calling for amid resignations in protest and arbitration in the state's Industrial Relations Commission. The federal distribution of GST to the states also continues to frustrate Mr Mookhey after dashing his hopes of a surplus in 2024. NSW now receives its lowest share of GST since it was introduced - about 85 cents for every dollar raised. "What frustrates me is not so much that we support the other states, it's just the missed opportunities," he says. The distribution needs to change but the tax's bigger proportional hit on the spending power of lower-income Australians means Mr Mookhey does not support raising the rate. "We can do better," he says. "What we need to focus on is just making sure the system is simple, the distribution is fair, the distribution is predictable, but also the distribution is understandable." Another federal issue with implications for state budgets is the rise of the black market for illicit tobacco fuelled by rising excise on dinky-di durries. The market shift is robbing the Commonwealth of expected revenue and creating criminal complications for states. It has already led to increased funding for enforcement within the health budget, but Premier Chris Minns indicated earlier in June a decision would have to be made about the resources devoted to combating illicit tobacco sales. While smoke clouds what the budget might do to address the issue, Mr Mookhey notes it is a source of public anxiety. "It's right and fair that we respond to community concerns about it ... we're going to have to work through what is the right solution." The tax issues are part of what economic researchers at the e61 Institute call a "vertical fiscal imbalance" that characterises the nation. "The states carry many of the spending responsibilities but lack equivalent revenue-raising capacity," chief executive Michael Brennan says, warning state finances are drifting onto an unsustainable path. But NSW will at least bank a cash surplus in Tuesday's budget for the first time since 2021. "Which means we're no longer borrowing money to pay our day-to-day bills as a government," Mr Mookhey says. "That gives us a platform for further progress." Australian Public Policy Institute chief executive Libby Hackett expects the budget will be a step forward, building on previous years. "This will be a structural reform budget: supporting better service delivery, infrastructure alignment and long-term productivity, even in a tight fiscal environment," Professor Hackett tells AAP. "Moreover, this budget presents a real opportunity to advance whole-of-government objectives in cross-cutting areas." Opposition Leader Mark Speakman sees it differently, warning the state is heading for "yet another low-vision, low-value, low-energy budget". "We have had not one visionary pre-budget announcement."
West Australian
10 hours ago
- West Australian
No easy answers to gas network 'death spiral'
Australians are embracing electrification in the name of decarbonisation, healthier homes and cheaper bills but the shift has policymakers under pressure to insulate a shrinking pool of gas users from price shock. Ron Ben-David, a former regulator who holds a professorial fellowship with the Monash Business School, describes the flight from the gas network as a "death spiral". Like a runaway train, once some households start leaving the gas network, the cost of running and maintaining it increases for those who remain, prompting even more to make the switch. And so on, and so on. While a win for electrification and cutting emissions, the death spiral has consequences, not least for renters and others who might struggle to get off gas. Even middle-income households could be challenged to stump up the hefty sums needed to replace gas heaters, ovens and stoves as gas bills continue to rise. Left unchecked, Dr Ben-David said the problem could undermine community support for the net-zero transition. "If we lose consumer support, then we can kiss the transition away," he told AAP. The stranded gas asset issue has not gone unnoticed, with governments, regulators and industry all looking for solutions Consumer and welfare groups have also been active, with Energy Consumers Australia pushing for a rule change to force developers and new customers to pay the full cost of new connections up front to stop the problem becoming even bigger. Dr Ben-David believes there are no easy solutions to what is ultimately a political decision. The debate boils down to "who pays for what", with consumers, investors and taxpayers all in play. The matter is complicated by the unusual nature of gas distribution regulation. As natural monopolies, gas network companies are not allowed to set their prices. Prices must be approved by the Australian Energy Regulator under what is often described as a "regulatory compact" that ensures investor funds are returned to them during the life of the assets. Forcing investors to cop the risk asset of stranding, therefore, allegedly amounts to a broken compact, Dr Ben-David said, making network stranding more complicated than just writing off a dud investment. For gas network companies, "accelerated depreciation" is the answer. That effectively means asking the regulator to account for the shortened life spans of their assets so they can push up customer prices in the near term to hasten the recovery of their investments. Governments could also help absorb some of the shrinking customer base costs but state and federal budgets are already under strain and bailing out gas networks could be politically contentious. Dr Ben-David has put forward another option. Under his proposed model, electricity distribution networks would underwrite the shrinking gas network. There's more to his thinking, but using income generated by electricity distribution companies - and their customers - to underwrite declining gas networks is a key element. It's based on the rationale that electricity networks would continue to expand and have long life spans in a low-carbon economy. While he concedes it is controversial to be adding to electricity prices to pay off gas networks, he argues the other options are just as unappealing. He also put the call out for better ideas, and fast. "The best time to solve a problem is before the problem takes off," he said.
