Anglicare Australia’s Budget submission sets out a clear, evidence-based agenda to restore fairness, resilience and sustainability. It begins by addressing the structural settings that shape inequality, including tax and superannuation concessions that privilege wealth accumulation over work and public investment. It then examines the immediate cost-of-living pressures facing households, before turning to the adequacy of income support and the effectiveness of employment services in a labour market where secure jobs are increasingly scarce.
The submission also outlines the urgent need for renewed investment in social and affordable housing, action to address rising energy costs and climate-related risks, and reforms to aged care and disability systems to ensure equity, viability and dignity in later life. It emphasises prevention, including supporting children and families early, investing in community-led solutions for First Nations peoples, and strengthening systems so that fewer people are pushed into crisis as they age.