It was one of the shortest speeches in recent history, but Treasurer Scott Morrison’s maiden budget delivery offered up a number of important initiatives for many Australian women.
Here we take a look at five key areas that you need to know about.
1. Housing
If there’s one issue that’s been on everyone’s lips ahead of this year’s election, it’s housing affordability and tackling negative gearing.
Unfortunately, the controversial problem barely rated a mention by Morrison, the question of how newcomers are meant to actually get into the market continuing to loom large.
It looks like this issue will be one to take to the polling booth on election day. But until then, here’s a clear breakdown of what you need to know about both parties proposed policies on the issue.
2. Childcare and Paid Parental Leave
If you are a parent or set to become one in the near future, you're likely feeling seriously frustrated by another disappointing budget for Paid Parental Leave and early childhood education.
The Jobs for Families Package, the childcare reform package announced in 2015 has been deferred once more, and in the meantime out of pocket childcare costs for parents have risen by as much as 25 per cent.
"Tonight’s decision to delay action on affordable childcare another year will effectively cost Australian families $1,500 over the next year," Jo Briskey from The Parenthood has said.
"Heading into the 2013 Federal Election, the Coalition won many working mums over for their generous paid parental leave scheme," Briskey continued, "but then they dumped it when they came to government."
Whether they've got a rabbit in the "still to be announced" hat is something we cannot predict, but here's hoping.
3. Superannuation
Now here is an issue we can sink our teeth into. The major shakeup that Morrison announced to superannuation is set to both benefit women, as well as give us additional flexibility.
Top Comments
Because people who move into higher tax brackets further down the income scale don't experience bracket creep?
True, but low income earners got a big boost a few years ago when they increased the tax free threshold from $6,000 to $18,200.
Everybody got that. Even billionaires get the TFT and the benefit of any increase in it.
And before you say "yeah, but it's negligible for them...", please note that they got the exact same dollars everyone else got from it. Can you say the same for this latest tax cut?
No, they didn't get a tax cut. It was all restructured so that the lower paying people got the most benefit from it, the people earning over $80,000 got a $3 cut according to an article I found in the Adelaide Advertiser.
('You pay no tax till income reaches $18,200', July 2011)
Unless you can provide a specific link showing corresponding downward adjustments to higher brackets, I think you're misunderstanding TFT.
Everyone used to get their first $6000 tax free. Now everyone gets their first $18200 tax free. Everyone. Even billionaires. That's how a progressive system works.
Of course, the original intent was for that tax-free bracket to move up every year. It should be at $21,000 by now but I guess Abbott and Turnbull dumped that plan so they could focus cuts only at the top end.
'The annual cap on super contributions eligible for concessional tax rates will be lowered to $25,000' - Isn't that a bad thing? How does it increase flexibility?
(I have not read the full details, only what was written here)
Yes. It definitely looks like the author has that one in the wrong column.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that didn't get it!