"Unemployment tends to go up the elevators and come down the stairs," he told the ABC this week.

"In the 1980s [recession], it took six years to get unemployment back below six per cent from where they started.

"And in the 1990s, it took 10 years to get it below 6 per cent from where they started. We're hoping to move faster than that, and that's why in this budget, you'll see more economic activity as a result of our initiatives, creating more jobs."

The escalator/staircase analogy is probably one which can be used more broadly economically for this budget and our immediate future. As much we might like this budget to be an escalator for the economy, the grim reality is the economic recovery from the pandemic will be a long and hard road.

Many of the initiatives of this budget, the income tax cuts being the most obvious example, will be a step in the right direction. Just as we have called on governments to provide the relief valve for our community at the height of the pandemic, we will need them to continue this support into the longer term.

This is the first budget the Morrison government released since Scott Morrison's unlikely victory back in July 2019. It's doubtful conditions would have changed enough to have a new budget with seven months when the budget usually is due.

As referenced by Mr Frydenberg in his budget opening, it's been a tumultuous year. Australians have faced floods, fires, droughts and global pandemic.

While a transformative budget was expected, it has been seen as more restorative. You also don't recover from the hit we've taken overnight. This will take time, but recovery can also be revolutionary. Hopefully, businesses can take advantage of the offerings and make the most out of a dreadful situation.