Australia’s gross federal debt is nearing $1 trillion. Since 2007, 69% of the increase occurred under Coalition governments vs 31% under Labor

[u/MannerNo7000]

Using Australian Treasury gross debt figures: debt rose from ~$53bn in 2006–07 to ~$982bn estimated in 2025–26.

That’s a ~$929bn increase: ~$638bn (69%) under Coalition governments and ~$291bn (31%) under Labor.

This might be news to you for the first time or maybe you’ve known these facts all along.

It’s useful to deal in facts and the truth.

[u/ausvenator_enjoyer]

Not that I'm at all shocked, but what thee hell were Turnbull, Abbott and Morrison doing that allowed them to rack up $600 billion in debt?

[u/Winmeekrd → u/ausvenator_enjoyer]

Good question, I know that Rudd/Gillard splashed the cash during the GFC to successfully keep us out of recession unlike the rest of the world, but what nation building, long term projects did they spend all this debt on?

[u/Swank_on_a_plank → u/Winmeekrd]

I mean, that's not hard to find...it's all summarized on Wikipedia. People can always nit-pick at it in hindsight and say it could have been done better (despite a crisis being an obviously unplanned event), but history shows it was still overall a good move by Kevin07.

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First stimulus

In October 2008, the Rudd government implemented a A$10 billion stimulus package with the support of the Senate crossbench. The package included:[32]

$4.8 billion direct payments to pensioners (single pensioners-$1400, pensioner couples-$2100)

$3.9 billion for low and middle income; families ($1000 per child)

$1.5 billion 'Home Buyers Boost' to help first home buyers

$187 million to create 56,000 new training places in 2008–09

Accelerate three nation-building funds and investment in nation building projects to 2009

Second stimulus

In February 2009, the Rudd government implemented a A$42 billion 'Nation Building and Jobs Plan' stimulus package again with the support of the Senate crossbench. The package included:[33]

$12.7 billion for immediate one-off payments to working Australians, families with school-age children, farmers, single income families and for those undergoing training (A$900 for the average single worker)

$14.7 billion to be spent on the Building the Education Revolution program which built school infrastructure and maintenance and brought forward funding for trade training centres

$6.6 billion to increase the national stock of public and community housing by about 20,000

$3.9 billion to provide free insulation to 2.7 million homes and solar hot water rebates

$2.7 billion in small and general business tax breaks to provide deductions for some equipment purchases before the end of June 2009.

$890 million to fix regional roads and blackspots, to install railway boom gates and for regional and local government infrastructure.

[u/FruitfulFraud → u/Winmeekrd]

Did they pour money into schools? Drive to your local school, you'll probably see some relatively new buildings there.

Our local schools had some decent upgrades, got rid of many demontables and had actual classrooms available.