Quick Reference Guide

Overview of new initiatives

The Australian Government’s Budget for 2006-07 advances and consolidates initiatives to improve women’s wellbeing. Measures of particular interest to women are:

WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES

A new comprehensive tax plan

Significant and far reaching tax cuts, at a cost of $36.7 billion over 4 years through a new comprehensive tax plan will deliver reduced personal income tax for all tax payers. The significant increase in the Low Income Tax Offset and reduction in Medicare shade out rate will provide substantial benefits to low income earners, particularly those in casual or part-time work the majority of whom are women.

Families

$993.3 million over four years to raise the amount that families can earn to $40,000 before their Family Tax Benefit Part A payments begin to be affected, benefiting almost half a million families.
Extension of the Large Family Supplement to families with three or more children (previously four or more children), at a cost of $496.7 million over four years. This will provide additional assistance to nearly 350,000 Australian families with an extra $248 a year.

Child care

$60.2 million over four years to remove the cap on Outside School Hours Care Places and Family Day Care places to make these sectors more responsive to demand, assisting women’s choices about their work and child care arrangements.
An extra $9.4 million in 2006-07 for Jobs, Education and Training (JET) Child Care, plus continued top up funding of $3.7 million per year to 2009-10 to assist parents on income support with child care costs while they develop skills needed in the workforce.

Carers

To recognise the special, selfless contribution carers make, the Budget will deliver those receiving a Carer Payment a one-off lump sum payment of $1,000 in 2005-06 and for those receiving Carer Allowance there will be a one off lump sum payment of $600 this financial year.

OLDER AUSTRALIANS

An additional one off payment of just over $100 to older Australians, including aged and service pensioners and self funded retirees eligible for a Seniors Concession allowance will be paid by 30 June 2006.
A simplified and streamlined superannuation plan will give greater flexibility as to how and when superannuation can be drawn down, is expected to increase retirement incomes and will improve incentives for older Australians to stay in the workforce. At the core is a proposal to exempt Australians’ aged 60 or over from any tax on their end benefits where these are paid from a taxed superannuation fund. As women have lower average superannuation benefits than men, the proposed plan is expected to result in better retirement incomes for women over time.

WOMEN AND SMALL BUSINESS

Changes to the capital gains tax small business concessions will reduce compliance costs and increase eligibility, particularly benefiting individual women small business owners and partners in small businesses.

HEALTH

Pregnancy Counselling and Support

$35.6 million over four years for a new Medicare item for professional and non-directive pregnancy support counselling by GPs and other health professionals.
$15.5 million over four years for a National Pregnancy Support Telephone Helpline providing professional and non-directive advice.

Respite Carers

More than $224.7 million over the next five years will go towards respite care to assist families and carers (the majority of whom are women) of people with a mental illness.

TRAINING

$10.6 million over four years to extend incentives for employers of higher level New Apprentices in key growth areas such as child care and health.
$30.6 million over four years to expand and improve nurse training and $93.2 million over four years for 1,000 additional higher education nursing places each year from 2007.

WOMEN’S SAFETY

To assist victims of domestic violence who leave a violent relationship remain secure in their own home, the Australian Government will extend the eligibility for Crisis Payments for victims of domestic violence for changing locks and related expenses in existing residences from January 2007.

INDIGENOUS WOMEN

Family Income Management

The government is extending its support for Indigenous families to manage their financial resources. This can provide stability within families and in turn reduce the level of family violence in indigenous communities.

Community Leadership

We will expand the Indigenous Women’s Development Programme introduced in the 2004-05 budget, including providing leadership training to up to 10 organisations with a primary focus on indigenous women’s development.
$10.7 million over four years to continue the Family and Community Networks Initiative to encourage sustainable development of communities.

OVERSEAS AID PROGRAMME

Support for the Vanuatu Women’s Centre committee on violence against women.
Continued funding of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre.
Increasing opportunities for economic and livelihood opportunities for vulnerable Palestinians, especially women.
Promoting awareness of gender issues in Papua New Guinea.
Programmes aimed at reducing people trafficking in South-East Asia.
Supporting women from the Asia-Pacific to undertake post-graduate study in Australia.
Promotion of gender equality, including the United Nations Women’s Fund, United Nations Population Fund and the Pacific Islands Forum.