A round-up of public finance news stories from Asia Pacific you might have missed this week (June 3–7).

Kazakhstan trims 2013 budget as lower metal prices dent revenues

Kazakhstan's Parliament has voted to trim spending and widen the fiscal gap of the 2013 state budget after lower prices for Kazakh metals and other mining exports dented revenues (Reuters).

Treasurer Tim Nicholls's Queensland budget framed by falling revenue

The Queensland government has delivered an austere budget promising growth, rebuilding and resilience, but framed by multibillion-dollar hits from falling revenue and natural disasters (ABC News, Australia).

Philippines politician wants public consultation on budget process

Time may have run out in the 15th Congress for a bill institutionalising public participation in the budget process, but for Senator Teofisto Guingona III, there's still a chance to see it enacted into law (ABS-CBNnews.com, Philippines).

French president applauds anti-austerity Abe in Japan

The success of Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe's big-spending, austerity-busting economic policies in recent times is ‘good news’ for Europe, French President François Hollande has said on an official visit to the country (The Local, France).

Imprudent spending ‘more serious than corruption' in Malaysian public sector

Corruption in the public sector is critical but not as worrying as inefficiency and imprudent spending by government departments, according to government watchdog the Institut Integriti Malaysia (Borneo Post, Malaysia).