The Labor government’s 2025 Federal Budget was handed down on Tuesday night, reaffirming key policy priorities but scant on new measures.
With the election now called for May 3rd, one of the big questions is whether Labor will consider making key concessions to form a minority government with Teal Independents and others if needed.
Individuals like Wentworth’s representative Allegra Spender has, for instance, repeatedly called for greater focus on tax reform. While robust climate action is the linchpin of all the Climate 200 Independents such as Warringah’s Zali Steggall, Kooyong’s Dr Monique Ryan and Mackellar’s Dr Sophie Scamps.
When asked about this, Women’s Minister Katy Gallagher reiterated that while Labor’s focus would be on securing a majority, the reality of negotiating is all part of politics– pointing to that reality currently within the Senate.
“We negotiate on the floor of the Senate all the time. It’s a minority chamber. And you know, I certainly have a lot of experience in doing that. “Politics is sometimes the art of compromise,” she said. “We don’t have the numbers there, so you are required to negotiate with the crossbench.”
When it comes to tax reform, Gallagher is honest about the complexity, referencing that even proposals like raising taxes on high-balance superannuation accounts, which would raise about $3 billion, have faced difficulty in getting through the Senate. “Tax reform is hard. There isn’t universal agreement about the best way to proceed,” she said. Despite these challenges, Gallagher emphasised that every budget is an opportunity to balance revenue with expenditure.
“Every budget we have a look at how we balance up revenue with expenditure. Part of it’s also about making sure that what we’re doing now with the money we’ve got is right. And so, reforming the NDIS was really important because that was growing at 22 per cent. We had to bring that down, otherwise it would consume the whole Budget. Same with aged care, putting in some means tested element of co-payments that helps take the pressure off as well”.
Of course, one policy area that inarguably requires greater buy-in from all sides of politics is domestic and family violence. The Budget seemed a missed opportunity for Labor to go deeper into measures to combat what it knows to be a mounting crisis with domestic and family violence homicide rates are up sequentially over the past three years.
Gallagher acknowledged that while the issue remains a priority, the crisis is challenging, and investments take time.
“We have set up a lot of advisory groups that have provided us with information, and we’ve provided a lot of resources, like billions and billions of dollars” she said. “If you look at the national agreement, the National Partnership, which I think is about $4 billion, and then there’s the legal assistance, one which is over and above that, which is about $3.7 billion. And then there’s a whole range of other investments”, she said.
In this Budget however, there was only a meagre amount of funding for First Nations women’s safety and a small package supporting victim survivors of sexual violence through the justice system.
Advocates and experts were left flummoxed, with Phillip Ripper, the CEO of Australia’s peak body for organisations working with men to end family violence ‘No to Violence’ claiming that if the Commonwealth Government was “serious about addressing (gendered violence), it should have shown it tonight – but what we saw was previously announced commitments.”
“This was called the ‘cost of living’ budget. But the budget ignored the cost of men’s family violence and the cost of women and children living in fear. That’s what tens of thousands of women and children are doing tonight.”
There’s also a recognition that women’s financial security remains a key issue that needs further attention. Gallagher reflected on the budget’s support for younger women—through measures like investments in superannuation and paid parental leave—but noted that older women, particularly those over 50, still face significant financial insecurity.
“There’s still a lot of financial insecurity for women who are over 50,” the Minister explained, highlighting that many haven’t had access to the same financial supports over the course of their careers. Addressing these gaps, especially for older women and single women, is something Gallagher sees as crucial in the years to come.
And while this was repeatedly touted as “a responsible Budget” I asked Gallagher what she would put on the table for women if the government indeed had unlimited resources.
“There are so many things I would do,” she said, listing areas such as financial security and housing. In particular, she pointed to the need to address the financial security of older women and the importance of secure, affordable housing for women, especially those escaping domestic violence.
“Financial insecurity and lack of housing are two big contributors to women’s safety or lack of safety,” she said, explaining how important it is for women to have access to both secure housing and financial independence.
As Gallagher pointed out, the government’s strategy is one of gradual change, aiming to build on past investments and continually refine the approaches that are already in place. While there is a clear commitment to addressing women’s issues, particularly around financial security and safety, bold structural reform remains a hot potato.
The challenge lies in balancing immediate needs with long-term goals—and yes, bold, structural reform remains a frustratingly hot potato. While more could undoubtedly be done, the government remains focused on implementing solutions that will benefit women and families. As for partnering with the Teals? That might just speed things up.