“Debt and deficit disaster”. “A strong, safe and prosperous future for all Australians”. “Have a go”.

You could be forgiven for switching off amid the torrent of 2015 Federal Budget buzz words.

And if your attention lapsed, you’re not alone.

• The most brutal post-budget interviews
• BONGIORNO: A budget to save Joe’s bacon
• Budget analysis: ‘Promising fairness, delivering incompetence’

For the past week, social media has been awash with memes of Joe Hockey and Tony Abbott, photos of a tree in Canberra and the surprise appearance of “selfie girl”.

If you’re tired of hearing about the debt disaster, then read on for some of the lighter commentary.

#askCormann

Ahead of Finance Minister Mathias Cormann’s brutal post-budget interview on Lateline, the ABC put a call out on Twitter for users to send in questions with the hashtag #askCormann.

You can guess what happened next.

Some made the most of the opportunity to ask questions about foreign aid cuts, but most people just wanted to know where their spare house keys were or if they should buy a Chrysler.

Are we allowed to double dip crackers at the Treasury after party? #askCormann pic.twitter.com/kvF3kvNbsd

— Patrick Gorman (@PatrickPG) May 12, 2015

Do you know who has my spare house keys? #askCormann https://t.co/bsnsFWsV4S

— Comrade M (@mm_ssssshh) May 12, 2015

Have you seen the Muffin Man? #askCormann #lateline https://t.co/bsnsFWsV4S — Comrade M (@mm_ssssshh) May 12, 2015

Red or white with fish? https://t.co/xc8PEhnUaW — Geoff Young (@gsyoung) May 12, 2015

Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? https://t.co/YiqsfWpZ1F — Operational Cult (@PollHereford) May 12, 2015

Should I buy a Chrysler? https://t.co/XqKBdHHDI1 — Steve Baker (@SteveBakewood) May 12, 2015

Hockey’s easel gets hijacked

Multinational tax avoidance is tricky business. There’s overseas tax havens and even a technique called the “Double Irish Dutch Sandwich”.

Naturally, Mr Hockey was going to need a nifty graphic for his press conference on the government’s new tax avoidance measures.

It wasn’t long before cunning and cruel Twitter users began making their own mock ups of the Treasurer’s easel.

Even Greens co-deputy leader Scott Ludlam got in on the act.

The Treasurer with Budget artwork on an easel pic.twitter.com/6bO6WOnXn3

— andrew meares (@mearesy) May 11, 2015

.@mearesy appears to have gone viral pic.twitter.com/0Qe0cLNv71

— Scott Ludlam (@SenatorLudlam) May 11, 2015

“It’s gone on for too long. We’re taxing onions” (pic via @mearesy) pic.twitter.com/pAQdyCYC4m — Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) May 11, 2015

THANKS JOE! pic.twitter.com/AmjT38qp1y (source image @mearesy) — Chris Neugebauer (@chrisjrn) May 11, 2015

pic.twitter.com/RlQskEOIa6 — Guy Boyd (@resync) May 11, 2015

#Budget2015 (@Mikey_Nicholson @Rob_Stott) pic.twitter.com/vX8cOXqqXo — Re:scott (@scottsues) May 11, 2015

Budget tree

Like clockwork at Federal Budget time, the ‘budget tree’ in Parliament House turns a symbolic flaming red before shedding its leaves soon after.

This year, press gallery journalists flooded Twitter with photos of the tree and speculated about what kind of tree it was, whether it “metaphorically” shed its leaves after the budget and if it felt “budget-tree” pressure.

Well played, guys.

Evolution of The Budget Tree 2015 #BringIt pic.twitter.com/95Ft7yPIbo — David Lipson (@lipporocks) May 7, 2015

Budget tree has commenced peak budget tree ahead of Tuesday’s budget. On. Cue. pic.twitter.com/tbs3PPTE2W — Samantha Maiden (@samanthamaiden) May 9, 2015

Gearing up for budget-tree analysis … #dadjokes pic.twitter.com/6Ac1ZwLonO — mat_dunckley (@mat_dunckley) May 12, 2015

Anyone know what kind of tree the budget tree is? I’m guessing a Japanese maple but it’s not an educated guess. #askingforafriend — Stephanie Peatling (@srpeatling) May 11, 2015

“Selfie girl”

Poor Joe Hockey.

The Treasurer has been besieged by rumours Social Services Minister Scott Morrison is angling for his job, while punters speculated how much of a stuff-up the budget would be.

It was hard not to grin along with the Treasurer then when Year 11 student Anika Buining crashed his pre-budget address outside Parliament House for a selfie.

Mr Hockey insisted the photo-op with Anika (dubbed “selfie girl” by the Treasurer’s office) wasn’t a set up, and that he didn’t want to be “like Kevin Rudd”, but clearly relished the attention.

Never one to be left out, independent Senator Jacqui Lambie got her own selfie wiht Mr Hockey on Wednesday morning.

That girl who just interrupted @JoeHockey‘s #Budget2015 presser to take a selfie with him, GOLD. — Harrison Jay (@rangison) May 11, 2015

Joe Hockey starts a budget-selling selfie-spree: http://t.co/hNxnJv0r7Z @abcnews #auspol #budget2015 pic.twitter.com/7cmIsiFzq5 — tom (@tomwoodau) May 12, 2015

Joe Hockey looked chuffed to get hit up for a #selfie by a fan. #Budget2015 #auspol — Sylvia Varnham (@SylviaVarnham) May 11, 2015

I guess it’s official… Treasurer’s office include “Selfie Girl” in transcript @9NewsAUS pic.twitter.com/gk2ld328vc

— Charles Croucher (@ccroucher9) May 12, 2015

Young girl chases treasurer for a selfie! Offers plan to protect Australia’s AAA credit rating! pic.twitter.com/U10iwXWmoO

— Jacqui Lambie (@JacquiLambie) May 12, 2015