The Morrison Government will continue to guarantee the essential services Australians rely on as part of our Economic Recovery Plan for Australia.
This includes record funding for our schools, hospitals and aged care sector.
Health
The Budget will deliver record funding for health, with total spending of $93.8 billion in 2020-21, an increase of almost 43 per cent since 2014-15.
This will ensure Australians can continue to access the essential medical, pharmaceutical and hospital services they rely on.
The Government is committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of all Australians, and has invested $5.7 billion in 2020-21, including funding for critical front line services and suicide prevention.
This Budget also includes $376 million for new and amended listings on the PBS, including lifesaving medicines to treat leukaemia, melanoma and Parkinson’s disease.
The Government is also contributing $50 million to the establishment of the Victorian Melanoma and Clinical Trials Centre at the Alfred Hospital, helping researchers to better understand melanoma.
Aged care
During this crisis an additional $1.6 billion has already been provided to support the needs of Australians in aged care.
This Budget will provide further support to older Australians who wish to stay at home for longer by providing $1.6 billion for an additional 23,000 home care packages across all package levels.
The number of home care packages will have increased three-fold from around 60,300 in 2013 to around 185,500 in 2021.
We are committed to delivering quality residential care with a further $11.3 million for training and support for aged care providers and carers of people experiencing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.
Pensioners
To support our Age Pensioners during this crisis, the Government provided $750 Economic Support Payments in April and July.
This Budget includes two additional $250 payments, the first to be provided from December 2020 and the second from early 2021.
Disability
The Government is guaranteeing that National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants receive the essential support they need.
The Government is providing a further $3.9 billion to the NDIS, to ensure Australians eligible for the NDIS have access to the supports they need now and into the future.
Education
The Government is investing record funding in Australian schools to ensure all students have the necessary skills for future study or work.
Recurrent annual funding for schools has increased from $13.8 billion in 2014 to $21.8 billion in 2020, with a commitment of $310 billion in total recurrent funding from 2020 to 2030.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes to teaching and learning for young Australians and the Government will provide an additional $146 million to improve the educational outcomes of school leavers and disadvantaged students.
We have also guaranteed $18 billion in funding for all higher education institutions in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government is extending this funding guarantee until 2023 to support universities and higher education providers to continue to deliver quality teaching.
Veterans
This Budget delivers enhanced support for veterans and their families to maintain their wellbeing, protect their mental health and assist them to transition successfully to civilian life.
This includes $94.3 million to improve mental health outcomes and ensure high-quality care for older veterans and their families.
Eligible veteran income support recipients and concession card holders will also receive two additional $250 Economic Support Payments from December 2020 and from early 2021.
Supporting communities
The Government is providing $220 million to support the delivery of critical front line services for families.
This includes $133 million towards family and child support programs and $87.3 million towards Family Law and Family Relationship Services.
Building on previous commitments to keep women and children safe and ensuring access to justice, we will provide the Family and Federal Circuit Courts with an additional $10.2 million to manage the impacts of COVID-19.
The Morrison Government is continuing to guarantee our essential services at a time when Australians need them most.