"Other than that they should have to compete on commercial terms. This could save the taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars per year." The Abbott government's budget cuts to the ABC and SBS – combined savings of $43.5 million over four years – were much gentler than the expected $250 million in cuts that would have resulted from an efficiency dividend. More cuts are expected, however, when Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull releases the findings of an "efficiency study" into the ABC and SBS.

Senator Bernardi says he has "no idea" why the Abbott government is contributing as much as $90 million towards the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. And he remains unhappy about the debt tax, saying he would prefer a reduction in taxes and in the size of government.

"But for better or worse, this is what the government decided," he writes.

Dismissing the budget reaction of "socialist university students" and "Labor activists", Senator Bernardi has defended the Abbott government's tightening of unemployment benefits and $8 billion in cuts to foreign aid. He supports lifting the retirement age to 70, adding that "if we do not make these changes Australia will be setting itself up to have an unsustainable welfare system."

But Senator Bernardi questions why Treasurer Joe Hockey is putting money saved from the $7 GP fee into a medical research fund rather than reducing Labor's debt.