Hi steviek I agree too much emphasis is placed on getting the budget back to a surplus
It actually does not have much to do with showing the economic reality of the country
BUT it is very important as a cash flow figure to show that we can afford to pay our debts and that we are not spending more than we make
Although our level of debt is not enormous and is manageable it has risen faster than anywhere else in the western world in the last 8 years so the trend has to be reversed
What is unbelievable is that Australia with assets and income that many countries twice our size would die for that we have such a high level of debt and up to now absolutely no system in place to pay it back.
I agree there is nothing wrong with debt but it has to be managed if not even half our debt is dangerous
