The Morrison Government is continuing to deliver a strong economy and secure future for Australian women. The 2019-20 Budget includes more measures to keep Australian women safe, give them greater choices about their lives and build financial security for them and their families.
Record investment in women’s safety
The Government is investing $328.0 million to combat violence against women and children to create real and lasting change as part of our plan to keep Australians safe. The Government is proud to be making the single largest ever Commonwealth investment in prevention measures and frontline services to support the Fourth Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022.
This package includes:
- $68.3 million for prevention strategies to help eradicate domestic and family violence in our homes, workplaces, communities and clubs;
- $78.4 million to provide safe places for people impacted by domestic and family violence;
- $82.2 million to improve and build on frontline services to keep women and children safe;
- $64.0 million for 1800RESPECT, the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service; and
- $35.0 million in support and prevention strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The Government’s funding to support the Fourth Action Plan brings the Coalition Government’s investment for women and children’s safety to more than $840 million since 2013.
Securing women’s economic security
The 2019-20 Budget continues to deliver practical measures to help give Australian women greater choices about their lives, build financial security for themselves and their families and grow the Australian economy.
These measures build on the $119.2 million of measures announced in November 2018’s Women’s Economic Security Statement.
Today, there are more women in full-time work than ever before, female employment is at a record high of more than 6 million Australian women and the gender pay gap is at a record low of 14.2 per cent. The
2019-20 Budget includes a number of important, practical measures to support women to increase their participation in paid work and improve their financial security.+
The Government will continue to enhance gender equality in STEM by providing $3.4 million to extend funding for the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) initiative and to fund a National Awareness Raising Initiative, maximising Australia’s productivity and prosperity in this important sector.
Almost 90 per cent of women who have experienced another form of domestic and family violence have also experienced financial abuse. Two million dollars in funding provided as part of the Fourth Action Plan package will support the development of strategies for the prevention of financial abuse, improving women’s economic independence.
Women’s economic security is a key component of the Coalition’s plan for a strong economy.
Enhancing women’s health and wellbeing
The 2019-20 Budget continues to guarantee the essential services Australian women rely on, with additional investment in the health and wellbeing of Australian women.
Specific women’s health measures include:
- listing new diagnostic imaging services on the Medicare Benefits Schedule used in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer at a cost of $32.6 million over four years, saving patients up to $1,500 per scan;
- indexing x-ray and ultrasound services on the Medicare Benefits Schedule from 1 July 2020 at a cost of $198.6 million, which will cover ultrasounds for pregnancy;
- prioritising perinatal mental health with $26.3 million over five years from 2018-19 for a new Perinatal Mental Health and Wellbeing Program; and
- improving health system responses to family and domestic violence with a total of $9.6 million included in the Fourth Action Plan package.
The Coalition’s focus on women’s prosperity, safety and wellbeing will continue to support them and their families in the years to come. When women do well, their families do well and our economy and nation prospers.