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Editor's note
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As you read this, a team of The Conversation’s journalists and academic authors is on its way to Canberra.
Led by our business + economy editor Jenni Henderson, four staff will join chief political correspondent Michelle Grattan, economist Richard Holden, and veteran political commentator Tony Walker to make sense of the federal budget for you.
Our promise is to look beyond the sweeteners to the policy fallout of the budget, and what this means for Australia’s future. Yesterday we explained the repercussions of years of tinkering on tax reform. Today, Frank Bongiorno argues federal budgets are important moments in the life of governments – especially those that are a little wobbly. And Helen Dickinson explains where the money to pay
for the NDIS is coming from.
Later tonight we’ll bring you a special budget newsletter with political and economic analysis from the lockup team, along with insights from academic experts across the education and health sectors. We’ll also be breaking down budget measures state by state, with academic experts from your home state or territory weighing in.
This year we’ll also be policy checking Treasurer Scott Morrison’s budget speech, in a similar vein to our pre-budget policy checks. We’ll be live tweeting during the speech from 7.30pm.
And also watch The Conversation on Facebook and Twitter for one-minute video takes from economist Richard Holden (@ProfHolden) and political commentator Tony Walker (@tonywalker1).
We’re thankful to both the university sector and our reader supporters for helping us fund quality journalism.
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Charis Palmer
Deputy Editor/Chief of Staff
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Top story
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Emil Jeyaratnam/AAP/Shutterstock.com
Frank Bongiorno, Australian National University
Some have set the course for electoral victory, others have tanked. In any case, federal budgets are important moments in the life of governments – especially those that are a little wobbly.
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Health + Medicine
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Helen Dickinson, UNSW
Treasurer Scott Morrison abandoned the proposed increase to the Medicare levy to pay for the NDIS. Here's what you need to know about how the NDIS is funded, and how cost predictions have changed.
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Jeroen Douwes, Massey University; Geoffrey H. Donovan, United States Forest Service
New research shows that children who live in greener neighbourhoods are less likely to develop asthma, and that the more diverse the plant life is, the more they are protected.
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Philip Clarke, University of Melbourne; An Tran-Duy, University of Melbourne; David Smerdon, The University of Queensland
Deaths of chess players led to alarm the game could cause fatal stress. Some researchers have tested that theory.
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Business + Economy
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Jenni Henderson, The Conversation; Rosanna Hunt, The Conversation
The 2018-19 federal budget will be handed down to parliament on May 8. But before that, take our quiz to test out your memories of the previous budgets.
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Danielle Wood, Grattan Institute; Brendan Coates, Grattan Institute
Here are five ways the Treasurer could boost revenue to make the numbers work.
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Environment + Energy
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Dr Arunima Malik, University of Sydney; Dr Ya-Yen Sun, The University of Queensland
For the first time research has quantified the global carbon footprint of tourists. It's big – and getting bigger.
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Monique Retamal, University of Technology Sydney; Elsa Dominish, University of Technology Sydney; Jenni Downes, University of Technology Sydney; Nick Florin, University of Technology Sydney
Both short- and long-term solutions are needed to solve Australia's recycling crisis. State and federal ministers are pursuing some promising avenues, but they need to cast the net much wider.
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Arts + Culture
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Peter McNeil, University of Technology Sydney
For centuries, men’s fashion has been part of dynamic social change. Hairstyles, fabrics and suit styles have carried a political charge.
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Science + Technology
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Arthur Kary, UNSW; Ben Newell, UNSW; Brett Hayes, UNSW
To give the best chance for science to have an impact, we need to present our arguments to the public in the most convincing ways we have available. Applied psychology can help.
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Andrew Quodling, Queensland University of Technology
Facebook has expressed interest in regulation, but its submission to the ACCC could be a disappointing early indication of how it will downplay its magnitude in future regulatory debates.
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Education
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Rebecca J Collie, UNSW; Andrew Martin, UNSW; Helena Granziera, UNSW
When teachers are more adaptable, they're better able to respond to the changing nature of teaching, and navigate a complex workplace.
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Cities
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Kwan Hui Lim, University of Melbourne; Dave Kendal, University of Tasmania; Kate Lee, University of Melbourne
The positive mood of tweets varies with time of day and season, but it's consistently higher in parks than in built-up areas, where people are more likely to express anger and fears.
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Politics + Society
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
The submission recommends an increase in the space allocation for each animal of at least 30% for sheep weighing 40-60 kilograms – the weight range of the typical sheep sent to the Middle East.
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Anne Graham, Southern Cross University; Judy Cashmore, University of Sydney
In the Family Court, respecting what matters to children can help determine how sustainable and workable the arrangements are. Research shows
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FactCheck
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Rosanna Scutella, RMIT University
On Q&A, social researcher and author Rebecca Huntley said "about 30%" of homeless people have a job. Is that right?
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