For the fifth time, the Albanese Government published a Women’s Budget Statement, offering a gendered lens on some Budget measures and an overview of how Australia is faring on gender gaps.
The lengthy document is more than 20,000 words and 79 pages, and was published alongside Treasurer Jim Chalmer’s fifth Budget on Tuesday night, jointly with Minister for Women Senator Katy Gallagher.
It provides four boxed areas outlining “Gender analysis in practice”, which this year covers:
* Technology-facilitated gender-based violence (eSafety reforms, deepfakes, doxxing)
* The Children and Family Support Program (worth $171.7 million)
* Banning non-compete clauses for low/middle-income workers
* Making Medicare Urgent Care Clinics permanent
It also provides a number of key headline stats, including that the gender pay gap is at a record low of 11.5 per cent and Australia now ranks 13th globally on gender equality, up from 43rd in 2022.
The Statement then details several existing funding commitments, including the $4.4 billion allocated (since 2022) to ending violence against women and children.
As for new funding, here’s what we spotted:
- $182.6 million over four years to make the Child Support Scheme safer against weaponisation. This includes a new Registrar with powers to stop vexatious behaviour, easier movement from Private to Agency Collect, departure prohibition orders for debts over $10,000, and stronger employer withholding. This Child Support Scheme is positioned as the centrepiece of addressing systems abuse.
- $61.2 millon additional funding for the 500 Workers Initiative (taking total allocated for this program to $291.7 million)
- $16.6 million for an independent inquiry into military sexual violence in the Australian Defence Force
- $59.4 million for community housing for young people aged 16–24 at risk, with 66 per cent of clients in this cohort being girls and young women.
- $11.7 million to sustain the Family Violence and Cross-Examination of Parties Scheme
- $218.3 million already-announced funding for Our Ways – Strong Ways – Our Voices, supporting the First National FDSV plan, which was launched in February.
The Statement also highlights the following spending measures:
- Expanding Paid Parental leave to 26 weeks from 1 July 2026, with super payments also starting at this time (a measure already in place)
- $1 billion committed to making personal care free in their Support at Home (for showering, dressing and continence). This is not a gender-specific measure, but it is new spending.
- $171.7 million for a new Children and Family Support program
On economic equality, the statement lists:
- The new Working Australians Tax Offset offering a permanent offset of up to $250 a year from 2027-28. This is not a gender specific measure, but the government estimates it will benefit 6.3 million women.
- $450 million increase to Medicare leve low-income thresholds, with 58 per cent of beneficiaries women
- $27 million to extend Protecting Migrant Workers grants
- Non-complete clause ban for low and middle-income workers — framed as a gender measure.
The Budget Statement also outlines health spending, including additional funding for public hospitals. Health spending and initiatives that more specifically address women include:
- $2.7m to extend LARC incentives to midwives
- Endometiosis and pelvic pain clinics to get the menopause and perimenopause scope from July 2026.