Before you hit the polls tomorrow, get familiar with the Labor and Liberal parties’ promises for women this election

After a historical reckoning, Australian women have their eyes on our major parties and their actions in the run-up to this year’s federal election.

The way we discuss gender and female issues in Australia is changing, and politicians are more aware than ever that they must start getting it right or face repercussions at the polls.

As a result, the Labor party and the Liberals have made big promises to combat childcare, equality, and women’s safety.

Before you hit up your local schools and churches tomorrow, we have put together a simple guide on what Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison’s policies for women will look like with their parties in charge of the country.

The Coalition

Earlier this month, Liberals announced their federal budget for 2022-2023.

For women, its $2.1 billion women’s budget includes $1.3 billion dedicated to women’s safety, workforce participation, support for women in leadership, and improved health for women and girls.

It prioritises women’s workforce participation, closing the pay gap, more choice for family flexibility to help manage work and care, support positive female role models and leaders, more diversity, and making work and home safe for women.

Childcare will receive reforms that complement the Child Care Subsidy to make it more affordable and accessible.

They will achieve this by increasing the subsidy by 30 per cent and for subsequent children in a family aged five and under to a maximin of 95 per cent.

Liberals will bring in a household income eligibility test ($350,000) so more families can access paid paternal leave.

The party continues to work on the Respect@Work Report recommendations. They have already completed 43 of 55 and have committed $70 million to achieve their goals.

The Labor Party

Labor has announced its extensive plans for women if they are to win the election.

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese is promising to increase the maximum childcare subsidy rate to 90 per cent for families with their first child in care.

They will also increase subsidies for single-child families earning less than $530,000, which will extend to after school hours care.

These reforms are estimated to cost $5.4 billion from July 2023, which will make it easier for working families and women to balance family life and work.

Labor wants to close the gender gap at work by debuting a national drive to close the gender pay gap. They will make pay increases easier for low and middle-income female workers and enforce a Secure Australian Jobs Plan to support women with insecure work.

Women’s safety is also at the forefront of the party’s policies and promises and Labor say they will provide the investments and national leadership necessary to end family, domestic, and sexual violence.

Labor wants to combat these issues with ten days of paid family and domestic violence leave, safe and affordable housing, and create hundreds of frontline worker positions for women and children in crisis.

They also promise to implement all 55 recommendations from the Respect@Work report.

Albanese’s party has shared their detailed plan to combat domestic violence.

They will establish a new Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Commissioner, fund 500 community workers to support women in need, and invest $77 million for Australian school students to gain high quality, age-appropriate consent and respectful relationship education.

Labor offers a separate plan for First Nations people to end violence against women and families.

They will reinvest in First Nations communities with $79 million dedicated to reducing incarceration rates and early intervention for family violence.