ScoMo woos women in budget including Sam Kerr and the Matildas

Scott Morrison has revealed his big play to win back women’s votes, with spending on workplace harassment and even the Matildas.

The Morrison government is dealing with its “woman problem” by delivering a $3.4 billion investment in tackling the health, wealth and physical security of women.

In an 81-page Women’s Budget Statement, the government highlights initiatives it is supporting to address issues including domestic violence, sexual harassment and financial security.

There is also funding for childcare and superannuation changes, assistance buying property and tackling revenge porn.

The statement noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had coincided with the onset or escalation of violence and abuse for many women.

“Two-thirds of women who experienced physical or sexual violence by a current or former cohabiting partner since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic reported the violence had started or escalated since the pandemic began,” the statement said.

It noted that specific groups were more likely to have experienced physical and sexual violence during this time, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, women aged 18 to 24, women with a restrictive health conditions, pregnant women, and women in financial stress.

“Women were also more likely to experience economic insecurity during the pandemic,” the statement said.

“The initial economic impacts of COVID-19 hit women’s employment harder than men’s. At the height of the downturn in May 2020, female employment had fallen by around 470,000 or 7.7 per cent, while male employment fell by around 400,000, or 5.9 per cent, over the same period. This is in stark contrast to previous recessions, which disproportionately impacted male employment.”

Here are some of the ways the Morrison government is tackling issues impacting women.

RELATED: ‘Battle ready’: Ominous sign in the budget

Childcare will be cheaper for those with at least two children. Picture: iStock

Making childcare cheaper

The government will make childcare more affordable for families with more than one child, thanks to a $1.7 billion investment over five years that will leave about 250,000 families better off, by an average of $2200 each year.

The policy change, which won’t come into effect until July 2022, means families will be eligible for a 95 per cent childcare subsidy for their second child if they are younger than six years old.

Wealthier families will also benefit from an increase to the subsidy cap. At the moment subsidies are capped at $10,560 per child if a family earns more than $189,390 but this cap will be removed on July 1, 2022, helping about 18,000 families.

Helping single parents buy homes

Single parents will be supported to buy a home with a deposit of as little as 2 per cent, regardless of whether they have owned property previously.

From July 1, the government will guarantee the loans for 10,000 parents over four years to buy a home through its Family Home Guarantee program, subject to their ability to service a loan and property price caps.

The government is also extending its popular New Home Guarantee, adding another 10,000 places for first home buyers to buy a home with a 5 per cent deposit.

Boosting superannuation funds

Australians will now be eligible for superannuation contributions even if they earn less than $450 per month.

The change is expected to help around 200,000 women and boost their retirement savings.

Older Australians will also no longer have to meet a work test before they can make voluntary super contributions.

Those aged over 60 years old will also be able to contribute up to $300,000 into their superannuation if they downsize their home, which will also free up more housing stock for younger families.

The government will also enhance the Pension Loan Scheme by providing immediate access to lump sums of around $12,000 for singles, and $18,000 for couples.

Tackling online abuse

The government will put $26.2 million towards improving the safety of online spaces for women and children.

Those who engage in online harassment could be tracked down more quickly thanks to a $18 million investment over two years for eSafety. The funding will allow the organisation to respond more quickly to reports of image-based abuse, adult cyber abuse, cyber-bullying and harmful online content.

Under this initiative, eSafety will also develop cutting-edge web-crawler software that can investigate intimate images shared without consent.

About $3 million over two years will be put towards implementing technologies that identify intimate images that have been shared without consent to help in the rapid removal of image-based abuse material.

A new program will also be developed to support children experiencing technology-facilitated abuse and there will be a new National Online Safety Awareness Campaign.

Boosting apprenticeships and sport

Funding will be provided to help women break into non-traditional trades, with training support for 5000 places, as well as another 5000 places in higher education short courses.

About $63.5 million will be provided for another 2700 places to be provided in indigenous girls academies to help them finish school and enter the workforce.

The government will also invest $42.4 million to enable women to pursue STEM qualifications and expand the National Careers Institute Partnership Grants program to provide more career opportunities for women.

Girls will be encouraged to play sport through a $17 million funding boost that takes advantage of Australia hosting the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2022 and the FIFA Women’s Soccer World Cup in 2023.

Football Australia will get about $12 million over two years to support the Matildas and national youth teams to participate in more international matches in the lead up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, and to engage people from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds in football.

Women will also be helped to become accredited as coaches or officials, and more indigenous women will be encouraged to participate in sport.

RELATED: How much you’ll save on childcare

The government will put $26.2 million towards online safety for women.

Streamlining court processes

Couples who are separating will have access to a streamlined court process and lawyer-assisted mediation services to support resolution of small claim property disputes.

This is thought to help women in particular, who on average, experience far more significant drops in disposable income than men following separation or divorce.

Help navigating legal system

An extra $129 million will be provided for legal assistance services to ensure women can access the justice system.

About $85 million will be made available so each family law court with a permanent judge has access to Family Advocacy and Support Services.

Access to Children’s Contact Services will be boosted by $101.4 million in funding to ensure separated parents are able to safely manage the contact and changeover of their children, while $60.8 million will be spend on reforms to significantly shorten the time separating families spend in litigation.

More women’s health funding

The government is investing $351.6 million on maternal, sexual and reproductive health, ageing, chronic conditions, preventive health, and mental health.

There will be a $100 million investment in improving cervical and breast cancer screening programs, and a $96 million injection for new tests under the Medicare Benefits Scheme for pre-implantation genetic testing of embryos for specific genetic or chromosomal abnormalities prior to pregnancy.

There will also be $5 million for pelvic pain and endometriosis support.

About $13.7 million is being provided to expand the Women and Infants Research Foundation, which aims to reduce the rate of preterm birth, which is currently at over 8 per cent.

From April 1, there will be amended Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) listings for women with certain types of breast cancer. Without the PBS subsidy, patients might pay around $50,000 per course of treatment. Instead, women will now pay $41.30 per script or $6.60 with a concession card.

A $47.4 million boost will be given to ensuring the mental welfare of new and expecting parents and $26.9 million in funding for people with eating disorders.

Domestic violence support

A further $1.1 billion will be provided for women’s safety measures including emergency accommodation, legal assistance, counselling and cash payments for those escaping abusive relationships.

This includes an extra $25.3 million for frontline services including an extra $12.6 million over three years for the Safe Places program that builds, renovates or buys properties for use as emergency accommodation.

Extended funding of $4.9 million over three years is also being provided for perpetrator-focused services, including the No To Violence Men’s Referral Service and MensLine Australia’s Changing for Good program.

About $164.8 million is being provided over three years for financial assistance, such as a two-year trial for a program that gives women up to $5000 in financial assistance, as well as promoting a $2000 no-interest loans scheme available to women fleeing violence.

Support for 5000 trades training places will be provided.

Helping vulnerable groups

There will be $57.6 million put towards better support of indigenous women and children who have experienced or are experiencing family violence. This will be put towards service providers and other initiatives.

Social enterprise-driven solutions for indigenous women’s economic recovery will be supported by $13.9 million in funding.

About $9.3 million will be put towards preventing and responding to violence against women and girls with disability, while about $6.8 million will be spent on better family, domestic and local level prevention initiatives for diverse communities.

The Temporary Visa holders payment pilot for women experiencing family and domestic violence will also be extended thanks to a $10.3 million investment, and there will also be $29.3 million spent on migrant and refugee women’s safety and inclusion.

Stamping out workplace harassment

An extra $20.5 million will be spent on preventing and responding to workplace sexual harassment including the implementation of the Respect@Work report.

That includes funding of $5.3 million for primary prevention programs, research into sexual harassment and other initiatives.

Funding will also be provided for frontline support to address sexual harassment in the workplace.

Encouraging women’s leadership

The Women’s Leadership and Development Program, which funds projects that help women into leadership roles, is being expanded thanks to $38.3 million in funding.

Additional funding will also be provided to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, which promotes gender equality in Australian workplaces.