As students we’re rather familiar with the concept of protesting. Don’t agree with a carbon tax? Protest about it! Don’t agree with the government sending our troops to Afghanistan? Protest about it! That suss food from Meeting Point? PROTEST ABOUT IT OR THEY’LL KEEP CALLING IT FOOD.

The greatest piece of unintentional journalism advice I ever received was from a tutor in my journalism course three years ago. After class I sought out information about privacy laws, and whether journalists in the industry took them seriously. My tutor wearily answered that in all honesty, most journalists, when faced with a deadline, would take all measures necessary to get the story, even if this meant breaking the law or causing emotional distress to members of the public.

With the latest flood of carbon tax media coverage, most of you will be scratching your heads over references to carbon pricing, tax compensations, and predicted price rises. In all honesty, this writer woke up on the morning of the carbon-pricing announcement and hoped Julia Gillard would whip out a whiteboard and colourful markers for the press conference. This government grossly underestimates the power of stick figures and Venn diagrams on its citizens. But I digress.

The Gillard government sits on a $22.6 billion deficit for the 2011-2012 period, but expects a $3.5 billion cash surplus in 2012-2013. How is that money being distributed?

What the 2011 Federal Budget Says:

Education: