Red tape, tax reform and skilled labour: what mid-market Australia needs from the Federal Budget

Budget unlikely to reform but may unsettle markets, analyst says

The looming Federal Budget is unlikely to deliver structural reform but could still unsettle investors through targeted adjustments to capital gains tax, negative gearing and superannuation, HLB Mann Judd’s wealth partner Andrew Buchan says. Buchan said the dominant theme emerging for investors this year is policy uncertainty rather than policy shock, warning that even modest adjustments can influence how and where they allocate the capital. “Wh…

Red tape, tax reform and skilled labour: what mid-market Australia needs from the Federal Budget

Cutting red tape, keeping the instant asset write-off, and tackling tax reform. KPMG surveys over 150 mid-market CEOs on what they need ahead of the Federal Budget. What’s happening: KPMG’s 2026 Mid-Market Pre-Budget Pulse Check, surveying more than 150 mid-market businesses, finds that nearly half of business leaders forecast no real growth for their organisations for the remainder of 2026. The numbers coming out of KPMG’s latest mid-market sur…