Ninth periodic report submitted by Australia under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

Question 20: Social and economic benefits

On this page

  1. Ensuring an adequate standard of living
  2. Economic empowerment of single mothers
Back to top

Ensuring an adequate standard of living

  1. Australia's social security system is a taxpayer-funded, non‑contributory system supporting basic living standards and economic participation of Australians.
  2. Income support payments, including JobSeeker, support Australians unable to support themselves while looking for a job or have a temporary injury or incapacity. Those receiving an income support payment are eligible for at least one additional supplementary payment, which could include the Energy Supplement, Family Tax Benefit or Rent Assistance. Family Tax Benefit is available to Australians who do not receive an income support payment if their income is below a certain threshold.
  3. A higher basic rate of JobSeeker is payable to single recipients with dependent children. Parenting Payment's provide financial assistance to principal carers with parenting responsibilities for a young child.
  4. Single principal carers on the Parenting Payment receive a higher basic payment rate compared to partnered recipients. Reforms in 2023-24 allow single principal carers to receive the Parenting Payment (Single) until their youngest child turns 14 (up from age 8). As of 31 May 2024, this measure has benefited around 82,000 women and 10,075 Indigenous carers.
  5. In 2022, the Government established the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee to provide advice to Government on economic inclusion and the adequacy, effectiveness and sustainability of income support payments ahead of every Federal Budget. The Committee's role explores options to address barriers to economic inclusion for long term unemployed and disadvantaged groups. The Committee reports to the Government ahead of each Budget.
Back to top

Economic empowerment of single mothers

  1. The Government delivered legislation to improve the collection of child support owed to parents. The Government is investing $5.1 million to action child support recommendations of the Family Law Inquiry, which includes establishing a Child Support Stakeholder Consultation Group and Child Support Expert Panel to ensure stakeholders engaged in the Child Support Scheme, and experts, inform future policy.
  2. The Government is making early childhood education and care (ECEC) more affordable. The Government provides the main source of funding to support families' access ECEC services through the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy.
  3. The percentage of CCS to which a family is entitled was increased from July 2023 as part of Government's $4.7 billion Cheaper Child Care package. Eligible families earning a combined income of $83,280 or less receive a subsidy of 90% of their CCS entitlement. For family incomes above $83,280, the subsidy gradually decreases to 0% when family income reaches $533,280 or more.42
  4. Through Fee-Free TAFE Skills Agreement, the Government partnered with states and territories to deliver over $1.5 billion for 500,000 Fee-Free TAFE and vocational education and training (VET) places across Australia over 2023-26. Fee-Free TAFE removes financial barriers to study and supports training places in areas of high demand and skills need. Priority sectors include Agriculture, Care, Construction, Defence, ECEC, Hospitality and Tourism, Manufacturing, Sovereign Capability, Technology and Digital, and the VET workforce from 2024.
  5. From 1 November 2024, the Government introduced a voluntary pre-employment service to provide support to eligible parents of young children to meet their education, employment and career goals, without limiting the need to prioritise family. A Parents Advisory Group has been established to ensure continuous improvement of the service.
  1. 42 The Child Care Subsidy rates correct at December 2024.  ↩
Back to top