Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Australia's peak business group laments a budget of lost opportunities saying businesses would fare well from the budget, but tax reform did not go far enough.

Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) says the Budget shows the Federal Government does not care about working Australians.They said the tax cuts favour the wealthy while struggling families are facing rising costs in health, education and child care as well record levels of household debt.

Australian Industry Group endorsed the Government's strategy in delivering a Budget that reduces business costs; improves incentives; encourages saving and further supports the vital area of skills formation within a framework of continuing fiscal responsibility.

National Farmers Federation (NFF) says it's a good Budget with a positive surplus and tax cuts which benefit all Australians, so their view is that a strong economy is good for Australian farmers. They said the implementation of the Government's election commitments, particularly the national water initiative is something that they welcome very much.

National Council of Single Mothers and their Children says the Federal Budget will punish them and create more hardship and stress for families.

Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) says the Budget means many less well-off Australians will slip further into poverty. While welcoming some of the investments in more childcare places and wage subsidies for some long-term unemployed, it said the budget puts many jobless Australians into a dangerous game of snakes and ladders.

Australian Medical Association (AMA) says the Federal Government is failing to respond to the health needs of indigenous Australians or the growing problems surrounding mental illness. They say the the $40 million allocated in the budget to expand the access of primary health care services to indigenous people was not nearly enough.

Australian Nursing Federation says the Budget fails to address the shortage of health workers. They said some of the initiatives for nursing are welcome but they are literally a spit in the ocean when you consider the magnitude of the crisis we are facing with the health work force.

Australian Federation of Disability Organisations says the Federal Budget fails to address the need for a national strategy to improve access to employment for people with a disability. They said young people with a disability will be worse off. For many of our young Australians, who are going to be eligible for the Disability Support Pension, they've learnt tonight that they're going to be $40 a week or $80 a fortnight worse off

National Employment Services Association (NESA) said more people will be able to find work thanks to the Government's Budget. They said the Budget provides the support that the industry needs so that it may provide improved assistance particularly to those facing barriers and difficulties in finding employment.

CPA Australia said the 2005 Federal Budget was a good one that has delivered strong tax cuts, but there was scope for even further tax cuts in coming years. They said the strength of the tax cuts are quite significant, but with the revenue strength this is a first step as we can see scope for more tax cuts in the future.

Greenpeace says the Budget fails to protect Australians from the problem of climate change. They said embedded in the national Budget continues to be $8.5 billion worth of subsidies to fossil fuels. These are the very things driving climate change and this Government continues to underwrite them and support them.

National Union of Students (NUS) says university students will be punished under reforms announced in the government's budget. They say students who failed to fill in Centrelink welfare forms correctly would have their payments suspended.

Australian Catholic Healthcare Association said the budget is fine for those who were well and wealthy but not for others. They say it clearly undermines your earning capacity whether you are a pensioner or a working person, the tax cuts wear out, your bad health continues and the cost of looking after yourself gets higher.