Amid shocking rates of violence against women, Australians have been begging for support. Fortunately, in its 2024-25 Federal Budget, the government has delivered a modicum of hope.
The Federal Budget, handed down on May 15, announced a number of changes for issues relevant to women, with domestic violence aid being just one.
Labelled by the government as a budget that “works for women”, key features include changes to superannuation payments on Paid Parental Leave, endometriosis funding, as well as support for domestic violence services.
Here are the key things you need to know about the 2024-25 budget, explained.
Federal Budget Measures For Women: A Summary
Key features you need to know.
Domestic Violence Measures In The 2024-25 Budget
The government has committed $925.2 million over five years to its Leaving Violence Program to help support those fleeing domestic violence by offering up to $5000 in payments to those who find themselves in need.
The payments include up to $1500 in emergency cash, plus $3,500 in vouchers for relevant needs.
The Leaving Violence Program will commence from July 2025.
Here are further measures:
- $1.3 million for a rapid review of targeted prevention approaches to violence against women, with a panel of experts to provide advice to Government on preventing gender-based violence, including a focus on homicides.
- Further funding ($6.1million) will also be given to refugee and migrant women, to enhance the domestic and family violence visa support service, plus $2.2 million will go to Speak Now, a resource assisting those who have experienced forced marriage.
- $109.9 million over two years will be provided to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission to help foster information sharing between law enforcement agencies. This is relevant in the case of domestic violence protection orders.
- $11.7 million over two years to extend the First Nations Family Dispute Resolution pilot to deliver culturally-safe family dispute resolution services.
- $4.3 million has been provided to research body, the National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS), to investigate the perpetration of violence.
- The budget also accounts for $44.1 million that is able to accessed by legal centres to “ensure more Australians have access to justice and equality before the law,” per the Finance Minister’s statement.
- $3.9 million over four years for resourcing of the Office for Women, which hopes to coordinate and complement work done by the Department of Social Services.
- $6 million over two years for the provision of local outreach trauma-informed healthcare support to women and children experiencing domestic and family violence or homelessness, provided through Primary Health Networks on the Central Coast.
A Program To Address Sexual Violence At Universities
The budget promises $18.7 million over four years to establish a National Higher Education Code To Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence. This is aimed at universities improving rates of sexual violence.
Superannuation Added To Paid Parental Leave
To address a key aspect of the gender pay gap that sees women retire with around 25 per cent less super than men, the government has announced it will offer super payments on Paid Parental Leave (PPL).
The changes will be made available to both men and women, but the majority of people who take the government’s paid parental leave offering are women. This is to come into effect for new parents after July 1, 2025.
The superannuation changes to PPL come on top of extending the time frame from 20 weeks to 26 weeks over several years.
Read our full article explaining the changes to the government’s paid parental leave scheme.
Funding For Women’s Health Issues, Including Endometriosis
The budget offers funding for several areas of women’s health. However, one key feature will offer a little financial relief to sufferers of endometriosis.
Women will now be able to access longer medical consultations for complex gynaecological conditions, such as endometriosis, thanks to Medicare changes.
There is also a $56.1 million Women’s Health Package which includes:
- $12.5 million over four years for National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations to provide free menstrual products.
- $7 million over four years for women and their families who have suffered miscarriage and pregnancy loss.
- $6.7 million over two years for strategies in participating maternity services and First Nations communities to prevent preterm and early term birth, plus monitoring the National Stillbirth Action and Implementation Plan 2020-2030.
- $5.5 million over three years for the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to develop a dataset on sexual and reproductive health.
- $5.2 million over three years to support health professionals to undertake training and help women access long-acting reversible contraceptives.
- $5 million over two years to continue delivery of the Every Moment Matters awareness campaign, to reduce the incidence of babies born with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
- $3.5 million over four years to expand indemnity insurance for privately practicing midwives.
- $1.5 million over two years for a national audit of early pregnancy assessment service clinics.
- $1.2 million over two years to support placements for health practitioners to enrol in the Professional Development accredited course, Managing Menopause.
- $1.1 million over four years to develop an interactive contraception decision tree.
- $1 million over two years for a miscarriage data scoping study.
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