The Albanese Labor Government is the first majority-women government and we will continue to deliver better outcomes for women and girls. Gender equality has been at the heart of everything we've done since we were elected in 2022. Since then, we've made significant progress towards gender equality including:

• the gender pay gap reaching its lowest ever recorded level. 
• women's full-time earnings growing by approximately $300 per week since 2022.
• Australia's international gender equality ranking improving from 43rd to 13th.

The 2026 Federal Budget continues this progress focusing on investments in women's health, the child support scheme, and housing for women and girls in crisis.

HEALTH
Too often, women’s health hasn’t been taken seriously. This budget continues our record investment in women’s health. Because when women and girls are healthy, it benefits everyone.

Millions of women are now accessing cheaper medicines and better health care thanks to the Albanese Government’s landmark women’s health package.

So far, women have saved more than $647 million across almost 139 million prescriptions on the PBS, including new contraceptives and menopause treatments.

This budget includes an additional $2 billion to further strengthen Medicare, making it easier and cheaper for women to access health care.

We’re investing $2.7 million to make it easier for women to access and afford long acting reversible contraceptives like IUDs and implants. Despite their efficacy, Australian women have a comparatively low uptake of contraceptives like IUDs and implants. This investment will provide greater access, including for women in regional and rural areas, to access long acting reversible contraceptives.

MAKING THE CHLD SUPPORT SCHEME SAFER AND MORE EFFECTIVE

We’re investing almost $183 million to make the child support system safer and fairer.

There is currently $2 billion in unpaid child support debt in Australia and women make up around 83 per cent of recipient parents. The average debt is nearly $8,700. We know that for many families, $8,700 could enable a parent to pay for braces for their child, fund club or representative sport, go on school excursions or learn a musical instrument.

Our reforms will crack down on financial abuse and strengthen the child support system against weaponisation and financial abuse - to ensure more children and families get the child support they are owed.

These are the most significant changes to the child support system in nearly 20 years.

HOUSING FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN CRISIS 
Girls and young women make up 66 per cent of homelessness service users, with many young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness also affected by gender-based violence, including as a reason they have left home.

Everyone should have a safe place to call home – especially women and children experiencing domestic and family violence. That is why we’re investing $59.4 million over four years for community housing providers supporting young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.