Budget blackhole: How Julia and Wayne's adventure went horribly off course WE now expect a surplus in three years, three years ahead of schedule. That was Wayne Swan in May 2010. With those bold words the Treasurer painted a bright picture of the country's finances and of Labor's chances of retaining government. He was backed up by his boss, Julia Gillard, a few months later when she boasted: "The budget is coming back to surplus, no ifs, no buts it will happen." If a week's a long time in politics, three years is an eternity in economics. Yesterday, in the wake of news the 2013 budget faces a $12 billion shortfall, a grim Ms Gillard was telling us: "We need to have every reasonable option on the table to meet the needs of the times, even options previously taken off the table." The budget, it seems, is hurtling toward a blackhole. Since Swan and Gillard's bright assurances of 2010, they continued to talk up a surplus, even as recently as last year. And then the tune changed dramatically, as the fiscal reality gets sucked toward oblivion. Check out our interactive for a bumpy space ride to the unknown ...