2012 Australian federal budget

 () Australian federal budget 2012–13

Submitted	8 May 2012
Submitted to	Parliament of Australia
Parliament	43rd
Party	Australian Labor Party
Treasurer	Wayne Swan
Total revenue	$376.1 billion
Total expenditures	$376.3 billion
Surplus	$1.5 billion (Forecast)
Website	http://www.budget.gov.au/2012-13/ 2012–13 Commonwealth Budget
‡Numbers in italics are projections. ‹ 2011–12 2013–14›

The 2012 Australian federal budget for the Australian financial year ended 30 June 2013 was presented on 8 May 2012 by the Treasurer of Australia, Wayne Swan, the fifth federal budget presented by Swan, and the second budget of the Gillard government. The budget was described as a "battlers" budget with benefits geared towards families and low income earners. It forecast a surplus of $1.5 billion in the financial year ended 30 June 2013.

The Gillard government emphasised the importance of returning the budget to a surplus so that the Reserve Bank of Australia may be in a better position to cut interest rates and thereby generate positive consumer sentiment. Swan was at pains to emphasise that the Bank would set rates independently. Swan had also stated it important for the confidence of sovereign debt investors following the 2007–2008 financial crisis.^[1]

The budget set up funding for a new National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Measures to improve public dental health care, one of the conditions of support made by the Australian Greens with the Gillard government were addressed with more than $500 million worth of funding.^[2] Carbon pricing and the Minerals Resource Rent Tax were both introduced in July 2012.