Women ‘better off under the Coalition’, says Morrison government

The Morrison government is trumpeting how much it has done for Australian women, saying it’s handed them $14.4bn in tax cuts over three years.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has highlighted how much the Coalition has delivered for women. Picture: Gary Ramage

The Morrison government is pitching to Australian women ahead of the next election that they are better off under the Coalition, revealing it has delivered more than $14.4bn in tax cuts to more than 5.2 million women in the past three years.

Unpublished Australian Taxation Office data showed young Australian women benefited the most from the Morrison government’s tax cuts, experiencing the largest percentage decline in tax paid of any cohort.

According to the data, about 1.8 million women under 35 have benefited by more than $5bn since 2018-19, while women under 24 saw their total tax pay decline by more than 20 per cent.

Combined with past tax cuts and reforms to childcare, Josh Frydenberg said single mothers on low to middle incomes would be better off by up to $9500 by 2022-23.

“The Coalition’s top economic priority has always been job creation and we have sought to boost female participation by making it easier for them to work and ensuring they keep more of what they earn,” the Treasurer said.

“Lower taxes, record investments in childcare and skills and training has seen female participation reach record levels, with more women new in work than ever before despite the largest economic shock since the Great Depression.”

Mr Frydenberg also pointed to the rise of women in highly skilled roles, with employed women with a postgraduate degree increasing by 74 per cent since 2015.

“Our economic plan will continue to deliver for young Australian women,” he said.

“Treasury estimates that a dual-income household earning the average Australian income with two children in childcare will be $10,230 better off in 2022-23 as a result of our tax cuts and increased child care subsidy.”

The Treasury analysis comes as the Morrison government ­attempts to win back support of Australian women after a damaging 12 months which saw ­approval among female voters slip.

It follows the delivery of a Women’s Budget Statement in May 2021.