Thread by @MicheleONeilAU

Let’s talk about women and this Budget. We know that women have been disproportionately affected by the recession. You’d imagine the Gov would be concerned about this and looking to pour big money into helping women. But here’s what they’ve delivered instead. #crediblewomen (1/7)

There’s $240 million set aside to be spent on women’s economic security.

Sounds big.

But that’s half as much as is being spent on a new computer system for Services Australia. (2/7)

Just 0.038% of this big spending Budget is being spent on women.

It amounts to $40 per woman worker, or $8 a year, until 2025. (By the way $61.4 million is being spent on school chaplains.) (3/7)
womensagenda.com.au/latest/that-wo…

As part of this there’s money to expand a mentoring and start-ups program.

Great.

It will support less than 300 new female-led businesses. (4/7)

There’s funding for 500 women to undertake cadetships or advanced apprenticeships in STEM fields.

That’s a laughable drop in the ocean when, according to the Government’s own data, only 17% of the STEM workforce are women. (5/7)

industry.gov.au/data-and-publi…

And there’s $31.6b in investment allowances for business that will deliver a $10b boost to GDP (while real wage growth stays at 0%.).

But a $5b investment in childcare would have delivered a $11b boost to GDP.

And yet, childcare was totally ignored in this Budget. (6/7)

Where is the targeted, transparent spending? Where is the “jobs, jobs, jobs” Budget for women?

This Government has thrown women the crumbs of their Budget when we needed the most help, and they expect us to be grateful?

No thanks. (7/7)