Treasurer Jim Chalmers will hand down the Albanese Government’s fifth Federal Budget tonight, and Australia’s broadcasters are once again gearing up for hours of live coverage, expert analysis and political theatre straight from Canberra.
With cost of living pressures, housing affordability and global instability dominating the conversation ahead of Budget night, here’s how the major networks are planning to cover Budget 2026 this evening.
Budget Night 2026:
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ABC
ABC’s coverage begins from 7pm AEST on ABC TV and ABC iview, with Jeremy Fernandez previewing the night live from Parliament House during the eastern states edition of the 7pm News.
At 7.30pm, the network will carry Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ Budget speech live, before Sarah Ferguson hosts Budget 2026: 7.30 Budget Special at 8pm featuring interviews with Chalmers and Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson.
Jeremy Fernandez, Sarah Ferguson and David Speers will lead ABC’s live coverage and analysis of tonight’s 2026 Federal Budget image – ABC)
David Speers then leads a primetime Insiders Budget Special at 8.30pm alongside Chris Richardson, Aruna Sathanapally, Patricia Karvelas, Melissa Clarke and Jacob Greber, while The Business rounds out the night from 9.30pm with analysis focused on households, business and the economy.
ABC Radio and the ABC News website will also provide rolling coverage, while the network will broadcast Angus Taylor’s Budget Reply speech on Thursday night.
Nine
9News begins its coverage from 6pm during the network’s flagship bulletin, with Finance Editor Chris Kohler, Money Editor Effie Zahos, Political Editor Charles Croucher and National Affairs Editor Andrew Probyn leading analysis throughout the night.
From 7.30pm, Nine will stream Budget Revealed live on 9Now alongside the network’s TikTok, YouTube and Facebook accounts, offering real time reactions and explainer coverage as the Treasurer delivers the Budget.
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Peter Overton will then host a 9News Budget Special at 8.30pm, with viewers encouraged to submit questions through social media and on screen QR codes.
Seven
Seven’s Budget coverage begins during 7NEWS from 6pm, with analysis of the major measures expected to impact Australians before Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivers the Budget from Canberra.
The network will continue rolling updates across Seven and 7plus throughout the evening, before 7NEWS Special: Federal Budget 2026 airs at 9pm.
Michael Usher and Mark Riley will lead Seven’s primetime coverage of the 2026 Federal Budget tonight (image – Seven)
Michael Usher and Mark Riley will lead the special alongside economists and political insiders, with Seven promising a strong focus on housing, taxation and cost of living pressures.
Sunrise will return Wednesday morning with further breakdowns of the Budget’s winners and losers.
10
Network 10 will cover Budget 2026 during a special edition of 10’s Late News at 9.40pm following The Cheap Seats.
While the network has released limited details, the bulletin is expected to include the key announcements from Canberra alongside analysis of the measures impacting Australian households.
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Sky News Australia
Sky News Australia’s Budget coverage stretches across several days, beginning with Ross Greenwood’s Budget Battleground special on Sunday night ahead of Tuesday’s main event.
Coverage officially kicks off from 5pm Tuesday with The Kenny Report, followed by a 90 minute Budget edition of Credlin hosted by Peta Credlin from 6pm.
Ross Greenwood is among the key faces leading Sky News Australia’s extensive coverage of Budget 2026 tonight (image – Sky)
Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ speech airs live at 7.30pm before Kieran Gilbert leads Budget 2026 LIVE from 8pm alongside Andrew Clennell, Ross Greenwood, Chris Uhlmann and Laura Jayes.
Paul Murray Live follows at 9.30pm with a 90 minute Budget special, before The Late Debate wraps up the evening from 11pm with analysis of the next morning’s newspaper coverage.
Sky News will also carry Jim Chalmers’ National Press Club address on Wednesday and Angus Taylor’s Budget Reply on Thursday night.
SBS
At the time of publication, SBS had not announced any dedicated Budget 2026 television programming beyond its regular news coverage, though SBS News has published extensive online explainers, podcasts, finance analysis and rolling political coverage ahead of Budget night.
For viewers planning a full Budget night marathon, there will be no shortage of panels, projections and political sparring across Australian television tomorrow night.
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