The budget prioritizes care over productivity, with 20 mentions of “care” and only four of “productivity”. However, increasing productivity is essential to lifting the country out of economic difficulties. While Treasurer Jim Chalmers attempts to link himself to former treasurer Paul Keating, true leadership requires more than a working-class background. Policy design seems to be influenced by focus groups rather than the urgent needs of the moment. The budget focuses on measures that are, at best, productivity-neutral or productivity-destroying, such as spending on childcare, parental leave, medicines, housing and wages. Additionally, policies like fee-free TAFE and university places and the Powering Australia Plan do nothing to enhance productivity. Decarbonisation, which is part of the Powering Australia Plan, will increase power costs and make us all poorer. Similarly, the policy of encouraging corporate “build-to-rent” operations and discouraging private landlords will divert resources from efficient private landlords to less-efficient corporate ones without producing more housing or flexibility. Ultimately, a more productive society is a richer one that can provide more for everyone. The future is bleak if we don’t focus on productivity and growth.