A budget that failed more than half of Australia

This is the second in a five-part series where we recap the Morrison government’s decisions for working women and their alarming consequences.

For all the hype about gender equality that come from Scott Morrison in the lead up to last May, the budget failed to deliver the big structural changes needed to improve the lives of Australian women. 

Every budget provides an opportunity for the federal government to demonstrate what their real priorities are.  

In the 2021 budget, it was clear Big Business was far higher up the Government’s list than women.  

The budget contained almost $18 million in tax write-off for Big Business yet only a smidge more than $1 million for women’s safety.  

That ratio spells out where the Government’s loyalty lies – and it’s not with workers.  

The Government’s show of talking about women in the lead up to the Budget was an attempt to distract us from their lack of commitment to real, meaningful action, such as backing new laws that would strengthen women’s rights at work. 

Gender inequity does not happen by accident. It is a result of deliberate policy decisions made by this Government that we have seen happen time and time again. 

The latest Missing Morrison report reveals the full impacts of leaving women out on issues such as superannuation, childcare and insecure work.  

But unlike Morrison, union members are actively working to close the gender pay gap. Already members earn, on average, $250 more per week than non-union members.  

From community and service workers to technicians and trades, workers in Australian unions continue to negotiate higher pay for all members.