Treasurer Joe Hockey’s first federal budget looks set to hurt women from all walks of life, according to analysis by the National Foundation for Australian Women.
Whether you’re a single parent, in the workforce, studying or a homemaker, the advocacy group — which describes itself as non-partisan – believes you’re likely to be doing an unfair portion of the heavy lifting under measures outlined by the Coalition two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, the group claims the measures will contribute to a decline in workforce productivity and contribute to the crisis concerning women’s retirement savings.
“Women in the 21st century are a major contributor to the broader economy and these facts simply cannot be overlooked,” NFAW Social Policy Committee chair Marie Coleman said in a statement with the release of the report.
“Which brings me to child care costs which should be deferred until after the release of Productivity Commission’s report on child care and early childhood development later this year.
“In addition, proposed measures on women with a disability and the repeal of the Low Income Superannuation Contribution (LISC) and increases in the superannuation guarantee rate must be revisited.”
The report, Budget 2014-15 – A Gender lens, prepared by a team of volunteer analysts, concludes there is no ‘Budget crisis’ and that the distribution of spending cuts could be more equitably shared.
It presents a number of scenarios to outline how and where women are disproportionately affected – especially those on low-income and benefits.
Overall, the group recommends the Coalition reconsider its savings and revenue strategies – specifically measures affecting sole parents, the cost of childcare, the repeal of the Low Income Superannuation Contribution and Medicare co-payment for GPS, which is says will disproportionally burden low-income women.
In outlining how different women are expected to be affected by the budget, the paper concludes the following:
- An unemployed single mother with one eight-year-old child loses $54 per week or 12 per cent their disposable income.
- Single mothers earning around two-thirds of the average wage lose between 5.6 per cent and 7 per cent of their disposable income.
- A single-income couple with two school-age children and average earnings loses $82 a week or 6 per cent of their disposable income.
- An unemployed 23-year-old female loses $47 a week or 18 per cent of her disposable income.
- For employed women using Family Day Care an immediate price rise in the order of $30+ per week per child is likely.
- The increase in child care fees for parents on JET (Jobs, Education & Training) Child Care Fee Assistance and reduction in hours of JET subsidised care available will discourage participation in work and training.
- Changes to university funding and housing security are likely to impact on women disproportionately.
Read the full report here.