Last year’s budget was widely criticised for leaving women behind. Will Frydenberg make the same mistakes next week?
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has announced a $1.7 billion childcare package to help bolster participation in the workforce. It’s a good first step, removing a cap on subsidies for high-income earners and reducing costs for families with two or more children. But the relief isn’t set to be introduced until next year, after the election.
In his pre-budget speech last week, Frydenberg said the budget would focus on getting people better-paying jobs but he didn’t mention women — despite previous messaging promising to support the safety and economic security of women across Australia.
This feels like a familiar pattern. In last year’s budget speech it took Frydenberg about 20 minutes to even mention women, and the budget was widely criticised for leaving women behind.
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