Welcome support for most vulnerable

The Uniting Church in Australia welcomes the clear commitment in the Federal Budget to deliver support to those who are most vulnerable in our community, while noting some measures fall short of what is needed.

Uniting Church Assembly President Rev Sharon Hollis said it was pleasing to see the budget handed down by the Albanese Government contained significant investments in rent assistance, single parenting payments, bulk billing to improve access to GPs, energy price relief and the aged care workforce.

“We are thankful for the priority given by the Albanese Government to address cost-of-living pressures facing many Australians and a range of measures that will support vulnerable Australians.”

While noting the rise of $40 a fortnight in the JobSeeker payment, Rev Hollis said far more is needed.

“The increase for people on welfare payments, including JobSeeker, Youth Allowance and Austudy, amounts to just $2.85 a day. Sadly, this will not lift people out of poverty.”

The budget includes a welcome range of measures aimed at closing the gap for First Nations people, including $156 million for initiatives in Central Australia. The Government also introduced a Women’s Safety package which will support activities aimed at addressing immediate safety concerns for First Nations women and children experiencing violence.

Further, the budget commits to funding the Referendum to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution through a Voice to Parliament, including mental health supports for First Nations people during the Referendum period.

The Assembly also welcomed the Government’s $40 billion budget dedicated to addressing climate with a major focus on renewable energy and $2 billion to support hydrogen production.

In UnitingCare Australia’s response to the budget, National Director Claerwen Little welcomed the Government’s commitment to invest in the wellbeing of Australians with significant funding for social services and aged care.

“The aged care wage increase is a major win for workers and their families and recognises the vital role of carers in our community,” said Ms Little.

“But we are concerned about the sustainability of the aged care sector, including our workforce, and look forward to the work of new Financial Sustainability Taskforce.”

Frontier Services National Director Rob Floyd welcomed additional funding that will support people living in rural and remote parts of the country, including better access to healthcare, stronger early education and improved infrastructure for flood warnings, however he noted a lack of commitment to addressing the pronounced mental health challenges of people in the bush.

"People in rural and remote Australia can be largely credited with the small surplus achieved by the Government. We would like to see these substantial contributions reflected in specific initiatives that target people outside our cities, recognising the significant sacrifices they make and the unique challenges they face.”

UnitingWorld welcomed the Government’s move to stabilise the development program with modest immediate increases to the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget and plans to grow this by 2.5 per cent per year on an ongoing basis from 2026–27.

“Given the historical low base and the growing global challenges, we look forward to the new International Development Policy due to be released imminently and further commitments to rebuild Australia's role as a meaningful development partner to our neighbours,” said Peter Keegan, Uniting World’s Head of Programs.

The Government also announced $1.9 billion over five years dedicated to enhancing its engagement with the Pacific, including measures focused on the Pacific Australia Mobility Labour Scheme and building peace and security.

“We encourage the Government to ensure that amidst growing attention on our security partnerships in the region, development remains the central priority - ensuring Australia's partnerships are transformational for our neighbours, and hearing their voices on issues that are critical to their lives, such as climate change,” Mr Keegan added. 

Read the Media Release from UnitingCare Australia