It’s budget day, which means registered journalists and unknown “stakeholders” will be given early embargoes access to pick through the budget.
Today from 1:30pm most of the members of the media as recognised by the Canberra Press Gallery will file into Parliament House for the annual budget-lock up, where they will be given early access to the budget documents before it is released publicly at 7:30pm.
A kilometre away, a room full of known and little known ‘‘stakeholders’’ will also be given embargoed access to the documents before being taxied at taxpayer express to the big flagpole holder for Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s speech to the House of Representatives.
For anyone attempting to get into either lock-up, Treasury has the final say, having already declined some media outlets for registering. According to the Treasury, the stakeholder lock-up is a “secure event [which] will be strictly limited. Treasury will arrange with stakeholders directly”. No luck for the average Joe.
Enjoy budget day (and the wonderful media silence between 1:30 and 7:30).
Callum Foote was a reporter for Michael West Media for four years.