Federal Budget 2025: Albanese Government’s education investment proves more of a history lesson
Jim Chalmers has rebadged previously announced education investments as cost-of-living relief in a Budget with few surprises.
The Federal Treasurer cited helping with cost of living and investing in education as key priorities of his “responsible” Budget.
Measures he spruiked as “hip pocket help for households” included 20 per cent cuts to student loan debts and cheaper child care.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“Cheaper child care is also cost-of-living relief with an economic dividend,” Dr Chalmers declared.
“A key part of our plan to rebuild living standards is to help people work more and earn more if they want to.
“That means breaking down barriers to workforce participation.”
The investment in child care includes $3.6 billion pumped into wage increases for the early education and care workforce.
It also covers $426.6 million to provide eligible families with at least three days a week subsidised child care from January next year.
According to Budget papers, the cheaper childcare policy coupled with tax cuts will improve incentives for parents – especially the secondary earner in a household - to work more days a week.
The move to cut outstanding university student debts by 20 per cent was also billed as “significant” cost-of-living relief for those with unpaid loans, “allowing them to keep more of what they earn”.
Making 100,000 TAFE places free from 2027 was also expected to ease cost-of-living pressures for vocational students.
Total education expenses was predicted to increase 11.8 per cent over the next three years, driven by an increase in students with disabilities in schools and growth in funding for university students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Another major spend includes around $407.5m over four years to jurisdictions – including WA – that had already signed up to the Albanese Government’s Better and Fairer Schools agreement.
Reforms tied to the funding include mandating explicit teaching, small group tutoring and phonics and numeracy checks for early years students.
The Budget also allocated $7m to expand initiatives for science, maths and technology, including $1.46m for early education maths program Let’s Count.
