Anthony Albanese promises to reverse ‘devastating’ funding cuts to Red Nose for grieving families

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reversed a decision to stop federal funding to Red Nose Australia, after the bereavement charity warned it may have had to cut support for grieving families when it initially failed to secure funding beyond June 2025.

The news caused public outrage, and prompted Albanese to call radio station 2GB on Tuesday morning to say he promised to reverse the $2 million a year funding cut for the popular charity, noting it was the wrong decision made by a “bureaucratic competitive process”. 

Red Nose had been receiving funds through the Department of Health for perinatal mental health support. However, when that funding stream collapsed into a broader grant scheme focused on digital mental health, Red Nose applied for a grant through the new funding stream and was unsuccessful. 

“I knew nothing about this,” Albanese told 2GB. 

“I very quickly tried to get to the bottom of it and it’s been some bureaucratic competitive process based upon guidelines. These are things that are set up to ensure integrity in the system and occasionally, frankly, they just get it completely wrong.

“And on this, they’ve got it completely wrong. It’s a unique charity that’s deserving of support and on my watch, it certainly will have that.”

Chief Executive of Red Nose, Amy Cooper rang the station to thank the prime minister for the “incredible news” that the funding is safe. 

“We try and make a difference for families at the very toughest time,” she said. 

The end of federal funding to Red Nose could have had a devastating impact on grieving families, as the organisation is currently the only one of its kind providing specialised bereavement services in Australia for stillbirth, SIDS, SUDI or the death of an infant or child. 

Every year in Australia, 3,000 lives are lost unexpectedly, and a further 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, according to Red Nose, whose services support 13,300 families.

Responding to earlier news of the funding cut, Nick Xerakias, Chair of the Board at Red Nose and a bereaved father called it a “devastating blow” to families who’ve been able to access the organisation’s support for close to 50 years. 

“When we unexpectedly lost our son Angelo at just two weeks old, the specialised bereavement support we received was absolutely critical,” he said, adding that “these very specialised services are a lifeline in the face of unimaginable grief”.