The Abbott government is facing an early budget shortfall because it has no hope of passing many of its key measures through the existing Senate and members of the new Senate, starting on July 1, have said they will not support retrospective or backdated legislation.
If the government attempts to legislate retrospectively it is likely to create a fight with the Palmer United Party, whose leader Clive Palmer slammed that method for increasing taxes and charges and promised to block such measures in the new Senate.
The Coalition will need six of the eight crossbenchers to vote with it, assuming Labor and the Greens oppose a specific measure.
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/budget-hole-opens-up-20140525-38wx3.html
