NAB’s May 2025 Monthly Business Survey found that business conditions continued to ease, but confidence improved.
11.06.2025
Published on 26.03.2025
In his last Federal Budget as NAB Group Chief Economist Alan Oster sat down with journalist Deborah Knight, and incoming NAB Chief Economist Sally Auld to unpack the key announcements of the cost-of-living budget, what it means for consumers and the economy.
Mr Oster said that this was an election-related Budget with a strong focus on cost of living, some big health initiatives and a surprise extra tax cut.
“This is a pre-election Budget that they probably didn’t think they were going to give. A lot of the big issues were already out there,” he said.
Key measures of this pre-election Federal Budget unveiled by Treasurer Jim Chalmers include:
Speaking to the economic outlook and implications, Mr Oster said that the global economy is still weak and geopolitical uncertainty is very high.
“Globally the big risks are geopolitical – Trump, tariffs. What we’re really seeing here is we don’t know. A lot in terms of Australia will depend on how the consumer and business reacts to the scary environment we’re in.”
Incoming NAB Chief Economist Sally Auld said that the Budget addressed domestic cost of living pressures and will support efforts to bring down inflation.
“We’re only six weeks or so away from election, a very domestically focused budget. And so, you know, the initiatives all centered around those things that are very familiar to Labor. So health, education, cost of living,” Dr Auld said.
With wage growth slowing to 3.2 per cent and inflation “coming down quite quickly”, Mr Oster said the critical variables in determining future cuts to the cash rate will be core inflation and the impact of geopolitical concerns on consumer and business behaviour.
“To me, I look at this and I say to, it’s not helping the Reserve Bank in rate cuts, but it’s not probably going to stop them either. But they’re in no hurry.”
Reflecting on his 32 years at NAB as Chief Economist, Mr Oster said he thinks the state of the country is “overall, pretty good.”
“It’s been a pleasure to work in NAB. We’ve got some really good customers…and in Sally I think we have a great replacement. I’m leaving on a good note, I think the Australian economy in the medium term is actually going to be pretty good but we’re still going through some tough times,” he said.
Speaking previously about the rewarding nature of a lifelong career in economics, Mr Oster said the reasons he did it were a lot closer to home.
“The reason I did it is, as an economist, I want my kids to have a job. And if as economists we can help keep people employed, I think that’s a really good job,” Alan said.
Want more detailed budget insights? Read in-depth NAB Economics Federal Budget commentary on the NAB Business Research & Insights website, opens in new window.
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