FEDERAL Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the Albanese Government’s third budget last night highlighting relief on energy bills, for taxpayers and rental assistance.
The 2024-25 Federal Budget showcases a surplus of $ 9.3 billion for the current financial year.
Here is how it impacts Australian Catholics.
Families
Dr Chalmer’s 2024 Budget headlines energy relief, tax cuts and rental relief among its toolkit addressing rising cost-of-living pressures.
It provides $300 energy rebates for every household, promises to go forward with its reformed Stage 3 tax cuts, as well as freezing the price of medicines for those with substantial medical expenses and increasing relief for about 1 million people already receiving rental assistance.
For parents, the Government would pay superannuation on Commonwealth government-funded paid parental leave for births and adoptions on or after July 1, 2025.
Eligible parents would receive an additional payment based on the Superannuation Guarantee, which is 12 per cent of their paid parental leave payments, as a contribution to their existing superannuation fund.
There was also changes to eligibility for the existing higher rate of JobSeeker payment to single recipients with a partial capacity to work of zero to 14 hours per week from September 20, 2024.
The higher JobSeeker payment rate was provided to single recipients with dependent children and those aged 55 and over who have been on payment for nine continuous months or more.
Catholic Social Services Australia urged the government ahead of last night’s budget to raise the rate of social safety net payments.
“Many might not realise that JobSeeker recipients receive only 69 per cent of what pensioners are entitled to and just 43 per cent of the minimum full-time wage,” outgoing CSSA executive director Monique Earsman said.
“Charities, including CSSA members, are overwhelmed by the demand for assistance from individuals and families struggling to bridge the gap.”
Aged Care
Dr Chalmers earmarked half a billion dollars in the next financial year to release 24,100 more home care packages.
Another $610 million would be given to the states to help long-stay older patients to be discharged from hospital sooner and $190 million provided for the Transition Care Program to provide short-term care of up to 12 weeks for older people after a hospital stay.
Catholic Health Australia said the short-term injection of funding to address waitlists for home care packages was welcome but much more would be needed to ensure older people could continue to live at home.
CHA also criticised the government’s inaction on essential aged care reforms.
The peak body, which represents 350 Catholic not-for-profit aged care facilities, said the government was failing to implement the recommendations of the Aged Care Taskforce.
“It’s been six months since the Aged Care Taskforce delivered its recommendations and the government has not even responded to them,” CHA Aged Care Policy director Laura Haylen said.
“The decision to neglect the Aged Care Taskforce recommendations in this budget is incredibly disappointing and frustrating.
“With most facilities operating at a loss and many at risk of closure, we are running out of time to secure quality and sustainable aged care for our loved ones.
“Every day adds more to the cost of fixing the system, and leaves more older Australians languishing in our hospitals for lack of quality care options in their community.
“There is no excuse for delay.”
CHA supported the government’s commitment to fund wage rises of between 6.8 per cent and 28.5 per cent, which were ordered by the Fair Work Commission in March.
“These wage rises are urgently needed so aged care providers can attract and retain hardworking and dedicated staff,” Ms Haylen said.
CHA also supports the government’s decision to defer the commencement of the new Aged Care Act to 1 July 2025 to provide much needed time to get the Act right.
Private Catholic hospitals
CHA chief executive officer Jason Kara said the 2024 Budget had ignored the private hospital sector, which performed two-thirds of elective surgery in Australia and took much-needed pressure off the public system.
CHA members provide about 25 per cent of private hospital care, five per cent of public hospital care, 12 percent of aged care facilities, and 20 percent of home care and support for the elderly.
“In the past five years, 71 private hospital services have closed down as a result of workforce shortages and funding from insurers failing to keep pace with soaring costs of providing care,” he said.
“Without immediate action, these closures will continue and more private patients will be pushed into public hospitals which are already operating over capacity, impacting patient access to timely care and increasing costs for taxpayers.
“In addition to reducing demand on the public system, private hospitals provide patients with choice and improved access to care, and are therefore a vital component of Australia’s health system.”
Overseas aid
Caritas Australia chief executive officer Kirsty Robertson welcomed the Albanese Government’s injection of $193m to Overseas Development Assistance in last night’s budget.
The extra funding would, in part, go to increasing DFAT’s capacity, especially in the Pacific. “Additional funding is sorely needed in a world facing unprecedented conflict and humanitarian crises and is required if the government is to meet the targets for overseas aid that it has set itself,” Ms Robinson said.
But Caritas Australia held concerns around the lack of growth as a percentage of Australia’s national income, and relative to both the challenges the world faces and the investments of other comparable nations.
“We acknowledge the uncertain economic backdrop against which this budget was delivered, but it is disappointing to see Australia’s generosity stalling in the face of surmounting global challenges,” Ms Robinson said.
“Along with others in the sector we have been calling for the Humanitarian Emergency Fund to be doubled to $300 million to provide an adequate response to the increasingly intense and complex conflicts and natural disasters the world is facing.
“These problems have direct economic effects here in Australia, so we should be investing in solutions.”
Indigenous Australians
Dr Chalmers earmarked $151 million over four years to accelerate progress under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and deliver better outcomes for First Nations peoples.
Another $110 millionover four years would be added to accelerate action against the National Agreement on Closing the Gap Priority Reforms in the Education portfolio and $68 million over four years from 2023–24 to support First Nations digital inclusion.
Domestic and family violence
The Government has committed $925 million over five years to establish the Leaving Violence Program, to assist people fleeing abusive relationships.
The scheme offers people leaving abusive relationships up to $5000 in financial support as well as referring them to social services and safety planning.
The program has been accessed 45,000 times since it began in 2021.
Refugees
The Refugee Council of Australia said the Australian Government’s increased funding support for refugee settlement services was “much needed”.
While the annual Refugee and Humanitarian Program would remain capped at 20,000 places, the level set in 2023-24, the Australian Government has allocated $120.9 million over five years to enhance the support of newly arrived refugees.
The Government has allocated $2.9 million for emergency financial assistance and Medicare support for people fleeing the conflict in Gaza and Israel and $1.9 million for Medicare access for Ukrainians on bridging visas.
RCOA chief executive officer Paul Power said the majority of the new settlement funding would focus on additional resources for the Humanitarian Settlement Program.
Education
Early learning and childcare received no significant additional funding measures in this budget.
The single largest package for education was the already-announced changes to the way student loans were calculated.
From June, and backdated for last year’s 7.1 per cent increase, the calculation would use the lesser of the Consumer Price Index or the Wage Price Index.
