How the federal budget became unlocked – and allowed the digital world in

As Treasurer Jim Chalmers prepares to hand down another federal budget, attention is once again turning to one of Canberra’s most tightly controlled democratic traditions: the budget lock-up.

For decades, journalists from legacy media organisations have gathered in a secure room, phones confiscated, to scrutinise the government’s fiscal blueprint before its public release.

Last year, this norm was disrupted. The 2025 budget lock-up was unprecedented because the Albanese government invited digital creators (so-called “influencers”) into the room alongside legacy media mastheads.

Some saw inviting digital creators into the budget lock-up as a political strategy in the lead-up to the 2025 federal election. For others, it was an acknowledgement that communicating fiscal policy to young Australians requires a shift towards the platforms, formats and voices they already trust.

The shift was not without controversy. Some outlets falsely suggested creators were paid or sponsored, portraying them as “self-obsessed and self-promoting Gen Z and Millennial influencers” who had merely “scored an invite”, diminishing their journalistic rigour and independence.

Despite attempts by creators such as Milly Rose Bannister to push back on these criticisms with wit and substance, the episode points to a deeper tension between legacy media and raises a key question: who deserves a seat in the room where it happens?

Institutional gatekeeping and the budget lock-up

In this year’s budget, content creators can again attend the lock-up. However, while last year featured 13 creators, the number attending this week remains unclear. This time, though, there are stricter access requirements, highlighting persistent gatekeeping and unequal treatment compared with traditional outlets.

This year’s expression-of-interest process for creator lock-up access signals that new media is here to stay. What remains unresolved is how to balance inclusivity with accountability – particularly as social-first news brings genuine risks around misinformation circulating without appropriate safeguards.

Our research examines the inclusion of social media content creators who attended the federal budget lock-up last year. Our interviews with these creators reveal a more complex picture than headlines suggest.

In defence of ‘influencers’ in a room with no wi-fi

Many of the creators attending the budget lock-up are trained journalists or have academic backgrounds in law, media and communications. Outlets such as The Daily Aus and Missing Perspectives exemplify this hybrid newsroom model, combining traditional reporting practices and ethics with digital-first storytelling.

Importantly, these creators operate with editorial independence. Their inclusion is not about promotional access but about expanding the diversity of voices interpreting the budget.

As highlighted in the 2025 Digital News Report, these new media content creators wield significant influence, particularly among younger people who are increasingly disengaged from traditional media.

Australians are increasingly turning to social media as their primary source of news. One in four say social media is their main source of news, with Instagram (40%) and TikTok (36%) the top two platforms for news among 18–24-year-olds.

The rise of digital creators must also be understood in the context of changing media consumption habits. Younger audience habits mean platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and podcasts are not optional extras – they are essential channels for democratic engagement.

Creators bring three key strengths to budget coverage: trust, transparency and relevance. Their established relationships with audiences enable them to communicate complex information in a way that feels accessible and credible.

For many Australians, the federal budget process has long been seen as complex, opaque and difficult to digest. In our interview with Bannister, she explained:

the economy feels like this abstract thing and it’s difficult for young people to see how the economy is working for them, they are more sceptical of the political framing. It needs to be broken down in a way that is closer to their lived reality.

Rather than lengthy analysis, creators produce concise, platform-specific content. The Daily Aus, for example, breaks the budget into digestible segments such as tax cuts, HECS, housing and rent, highlighting real-world impacts.

As cofounder Sam Koslowski explains:

We’re doing more “how the sausage is made” content to demystify journalism. By explaining what to expect from the budget beforehand, audiences better understand our reporting when it lands – and that builds trust.

Their newsletter pulled back the curtain on the budget, explaining what it is, why young people should care about economic policy that can often seem distant from their lives, and how it reflects government priorities and election promises.

Digital creators also play a key role in highlighting issues often underrepresented in mainstream coverage. Platforms such as @womensagenda, @cheekmedia.co and @missingperspectives use their access to foreground topics affecting marginalised communities, from First Nations issues to climate, mental health and the cost-of-living crisis.

As the 2026–27 budget is unveiled, the lock-up is no longer just a closed-off room limited to elites. It is being unlocked across digital platforms where young Australians engage with policy in everyday terms.