Exclusive Budget analysis for ASU Members

A one-off election bribe won’t fix the cost of living crisis.

Did you see the Federal Budget this week? The Budget will have a real impact on wages, jobs and the support our frontline services and industries receive.

Here’s our detailed analysis on the issues that matter to ASU members:

Morrison has no plan to fix the cost of living crisis.

If the Morrison Government really wanted to address the cost of living crisis, they could have started by lifting wages. Instead they’ve offered once off payments that will do little to take the pressure off the rising costs of petrol, groceries and ongoing bills for workers and families. Under Morrison wages have stagnated and will mean in the last year workers’ wages have been CUT by 1.5%.

Community Services

This new budget does nothing to undo almost a decade of cuts to community services. Scott Morrison has failed to respond to the priorities of ASU members in the community and disability sectors.

There is no plan to provide long term secure funding for community services, no plan to fund portable entitlements for disability and community workers, and no plan to deliver real wage increases to our sector.

There is no plan under the Morrison Governments Budget to invest in community mental health services when long term funding is needed more than ever.

The Budget will end essential funding for PPE and RATs in June and provides no new financial support for paid isolation leave for workers.

The Morrison Government has abandoned essential frontline workers who have kept our communities strong through floods, fire and the pandemic. 

 The Morrison Government have made no commitment to further funding for Aboriginal Legal Services which will mean a cut in real terms for Aboriginal family violence program and legal services.

Homelessness funding slashed.

While demand is increasing on homelessness services the Morrison Government have decided to effectively cut $40 million dollars in funding with homelessness services facing a funding black hole from 2023.

There is no plan in this Federal Budget past 2023 to provide ongoing funding for critical services and staff who support some of our communities most vulnerable.

After ASU members campaigning and won to ensure equal remuneration funding would remain last year the Morrison Government has once again threatened to slash this important funding which lifts the wages homelessness service workers to reflect the value of their work. 

This Government has proven once again they cannot be trusted to support community services.

NDIS

There is nothing in this Budget that provides a real wage increase for ASU members working in the NDIS.

There is nothing to address significant cuts to NDIS.This Budget is bad for NDIS participants and bad for NDIS workers.

Climate and energy

This Budget failed to deliver any meaningful action on a transition to a low carbon economy and will effectively cut 35% of spending on current climate commitments over the next 3 years.

Women

Despite the short term sugar hits the Morrison Government has made no long term plans for women’s services.

Instead, the Morrison Government will HALVE the funding to Domestic Violence Services in 3 years.

In fact, there’s NO paid family violence leave, NO plan to close the gender pay gap, an NO measures to improve women’s superannuation outcomes.

Morrison has no plans to implement the recommendations of the Respect@Work report to create safer workplaces for women.

The changes to paid parental leave have been packaged as “family flexible” will remove any incentive for fathers to take parental leave and will likely lead to fewer men taking parental leave not more.   Women account for more than 90% of parental leave taken by primary carers, contributing to the fact they retire with 40% less superannuation

The Morrison Government have ignored calls from ASU members to get super working for women by paying super on paid parental leave. This inaction will mean women will continue to retire in poverty.

When it comes to the issues that matter to ASU members, Morrison is missing. The ASU will not stop fighting for our members for secure work and better wages and conditions - we are by your side.

Join the ASU here: https://www.asu.asn.au/asujoin