The 2020 Budget delivered for women in STEM, high tech space projects, young people looking for apprenticeships and everyone who catches the train between Hornsby and Wyong. For everyone else it was a bit of a bust, with tax cuts offered only for big earners, and essential issues like social housing not getting much of a look-in. With so many areas of the economy left unaddressed, there was always bound to be some losers in the latest Budget. Luckily, many of those losers love memes as much as we do here at Gizmodo Australia — so to mask the pain, we’re bringing you the best Aussie memes from the 2020 Budget.
The memes on Twitter came in hot, with the always fabulous Chaser coming out with this Budget-shattering zinger:
The government has today unveiled that they will ban sending waste overseas, in terrible news for Morrison’s next holiday plans #Budget2020
— The Chaser (@chaser) October 6, 2020
The Betoota Advocate was also quick in with a sledge, calling the auspicious timing of the next generation of consoles into question:
Meanwhile, The AMWU and Australian Unions rammed home the ineffectiveness of providing “more” apprenticeships (less than the original number) without jobs to back them up:
Cool, 100 000 new apprentices leaves us only 40 000 short of how many apprentices we had when the Coalition took office! #Budget2020 #auspol
— The AMWU (@theamwu) October 6, 2020
100,000 new apprenticeship when they lost 140,000 apprenticeships.
I ain’t a mathematician but pretty sure that’s a loss of 40,000 apprentices #Budget2020— Dee Madigan (@deemadigan) October 6, 2020
The lack of support for childcare and university workers was also noted bitterly:
https://twitter.com/JoshBBornstein/status/1313428947745468416
But luckily the Australian Government does have a plan to work their way out of the record deficit, according to The Shovel:
Frydenberg announces that the Government will fund the deficit by selling 3.7 billion ‘Back in Black’ mugs#Budget2020 https://t.co/fb9P33bI6M
— The Shovel (@TheShovel) October 6, 2020
While Josh Frydenberg delivered the bad news, he wasn’t the only one on struggle street according to Gail Suares:
The camera guy trying to find some women in the house while Joshy talks about female workforce. #Budget2020
— Gail Suares (@Gail_Suares) October 6, 2020
(That’s a big yikes! from us.)
Scott Morrison’s infamous chook house also warranted a mention in the post-Budget meme party:
PM struggling to stay awake. Is it Josh’s soporific voice, or has he stayed up all night putting finishing touches to the chook house?#Budget2020 pic.twitter.com/WZJWYv3kGM
— 🕊 Miss Congealed Reality 🍋 (@spacebar_music) October 6, 2020
We’re all waiting for updates on the chickens, Mr. Morrison. It’s guaranteed to be more entertaining than watching this year’s Budget.
To get real for one moment: the future of Australian jobs is looking bleak.
While the Budget attempted to counteract some of the harm caused by coronavirus, an overall deficit and lack of resources was inevitable. Women, young people and low-income earners will face mounting challenges in the years ahead. But sometimes, you just have to look at the world and laugh.
Above all else, always remember… him:
Everything is fine. Bring on the memes. They’re making 2020 just a little bit more bearable.