A short while ago, our federal political reporters emerged from the budget lock-up at Parliament House.
For six hours they'd pored over hundreds of pages of budget papers and between them written several thousand words of new reports and analysis.
At 7.30pm, as the Treasurer stood to speak, their connection with the outside was returned and back here at the newsroom we cracked on with producing the stories you're now seeing on the website or will read in print tomorrow.
So what do you need to know?
Well, as had been expected, it was a big-spending budget. Very big.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg reflected on Australia's mighty, and mighty fortunate, performance through the pandemic in economic and health terms, before announcing a $161 billion deficit for next year. Deficits will be the norm for years to come.
The big-spending pandemic stimulus plan will pipe money into aged care, childcare, infrastructure and support for women in a budget the Treasurer says shows "Australia is coming back".
A $1.9 billion boost to the beleaguered vaccine rollout will be needed to help Australia reopen its international border in mid-2022.
How the budget will really land with voters will take a few days to tell.
To help you make up your mind, there's no better time than now to launch into the stories and analysis from our team up on the hill.
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THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- The winners and losers in this year's budget
- Federal budget 2021: Your 5-minute breakdown
- Australia is coming back in big spend budget: Frydenberg
- $17.7b plan to fix aged care system
- Vaccines for all by year's end: Frydenberg
- Treasury sees 4.25pct growth in 2021/22
- Low, middle income earner tax offset stays
- Free, cheap courses to target skills gaps
