Chalmers says Labor’s budget will be neither ‘scorched-earth austerity’ nor ‘free-for-all of spending’

Ministers promise ‘responsible middle path’ and hint at second consecutive surplus but warn some spending deficits will remain

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The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has declared next week’s budget neither the time for “scorched-earth austerity” nor for unrestrained spending as he hints again at a possible second consecutive surplus.

“The budget is in much better nick than the budget that we inherited almost precisely two years ago,” Chalmers said on Monday.

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