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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Sarah Martin and Katharine Murphy

Labor defends $7.4bn increase in deficit to fund election promises

Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers releases Labor’s  election costings ahead of Saturday’s poll.
Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers releases Labor’s election policy costings ahead of Saturday’s poll. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Labor says the party’s decision to post $7.4bn in higher deficits than forecast over the next four years was not “made lightly”, but the spending is necessary to grow the economy.

The opposition’s election costings were released on Thursday after new labour force figures showed Australia’s unemployment rate had fallen to 3.9% – the lowest since 1974.

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