It can't come soon enough. That's because five days ahead of it actually being handed down, it's a fair bet most Australians have had a gutful of reading and hearing about the federal budget.

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Yes, it's an important document that will have a direct effect on us all. No, it doesn't need to be a drawn out drip-feed of targeted leaks, speculation and commentary spanning months, an excruciating exercise in information and expectation management.

Every year, no matter who's in government, it's the same. Stories designed to soften up voters are fed to the Canberra press gallery, timed for maximum effect. It's a grey ritual of treasurers and their shadows and a conga line of pleading interest groups all competing for airtime.

So much is already known about what's in the budget, one wonders whether there's any point locking up journalists and the odd influencer on the day it's handed down.

No wonder we're often told there'll be no surprises in the budget. There's little left to unwrap thanks to all the pre-budget political manoeuvring.

It's been particularly intense this year with foreshadowed changes to the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing, both of which are cast as villains in the housing crisis, along with that most demonised generation, the Baby Boomers, incentivised by these tax breaks to build wealth through property investment.

It's true Boomers dominate the rental market, with over-60s holding an estimated 27 per cent of investment properties. But that age cohort has also experienced a 62 per cent increase in homelessness over the past 15 years. Older women are particularly vulnerable. Boomers caught in the housing crisis face stiff competition from younger renters. Unlike the youngsters they have little chance of increasing their income to cover rent hikes.

For all the pre-budget talk about restoring generational equity, of making it easier for young people to get into the property market, the housing crisis will not end next week. Tinkering with........

© The Examiner