April 2025
Federal Election 2025
THE POWER OF WOMEN'S VOTES
Many older WEL members remember the 1972 Federal election when women’s votes ‘became political dynamite’ (see this article on Beatrice Faust - Meet the woman who turned female votes into political dynamite).
WEL approaches each federal election as a potential turning point in Australia’s progress towards gender equality. The stakes for women are always high - to protect our achievements and to move forward.
For every election we develop an ambitious policy platform and policy priorities as a basis for securing the gains we have made on the long road to equality.
Our 2025 policy platform and scorecard are the products of months of committed, non-party political, feminist work. With help from our new social media team we have been disseminating our advocacy work through Instagram and Facebook.
We would like to thank our supporters who have responded to our calls for donations. You have helped to make WEL’s campaign possible.
Just days from now, when the votes are counted, we will discover whether women’s (and men’s votes) for policies such as additional funding to eliminate violence against women, early childhood education and care without punitive conditions, reproductive health, and housing for women and children, prove yet again to be ‘political dynamite’.
Women are running out of patience. We need ‘warp speed’ responses to the pandemic of violence against women
There are wide gaps between WEL’s policy priorities and the sometimes meagre commitments from the two major parties. Our scorecard rewards the more ambitious Australian Greens’ policies. These can serve as a stimulus for legislative negotiations with government, but too often remain undeliverable ideals.
The two major parties need to commit to funding much more rapid delivery of gender equality reforms, whether in majority or minority Government.
For example, Australia’s crisis in violence against women needs much greater focus and investment.
This is an emergency on a par with a pandemic.
WEL’s policy highlights the Government’s own Rapid Review recommendations for alcohol and gambling restrictions as proven measures to mitigate to domestic violence. Yet responses to these recommendations have not appeared in any party commitments.
Report card on the Albanese Government - How Labor stacks up after their first term
WEL acknowledges the Labor Government’s strong record in making many incremental changes to advance gender equality over the last three years.
Work and pay
This government has driven significant progress in improving wages and conditions for low wage workers, especially in the Early Childhood Education and Aged Care industries.
The minimum wage has increased significantly from $772.60 to $915.90 a week.
Super will be paid on Paid Parental Leave, with an increase in leave to 24 weeks for children born or adopted from 1 July 2025 and from 2026 to 26 weeks.
The 55 recommendations from the Respect@Work report from the Human Rights Commissions’ Inquiry into sex-based harassment in the workplace are now fully implemented. Legislation has significantly enhanced the power of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency in driving gender equality in business and reducing the gender pay gap.
Income support
There have been small increases in some support payments which women depend on, especially Single Parent Payment, and relaxation of some compliance conditions. The 15% increase in Commonwealth Rent Assistance gives limited relief to women suffering from continually escalating rents.
Health
Taking expert advice from the Women’s Health Advisory Council and guidance from the National Women’s Health Strategy, the Government has funded placement of additional contraceptives and new menopausal and peri-menopausal treatments under the PBS, extended Medicare support for long term contraceptives and menopause consultations and established 22 pelvic pain and endometriosis clinics with more to come. The first clinics were funded under the Morrison government’s 2022 budget.
Early Childhood Education and Care
Labor is committed to supporting universal access to Early Childhood Education and Care and implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission. As a first step they have legislated three ‘flat fee’ days a week and have abandoned the punitive activity test.
Labor has significantly increased investment in housing, including approximately 30,000 new social housing dwellings, 4,000 of which will be for women and children fleeing domestic violence and for older women. These increases are significant in comparison with the previous lack of action but still fall far short of meeting the need.
Violence Against Women
What are the LNP offering - The LNP needs to get back on track with women
Our 2025 scorecard exposes the LNP’s weak performance. Additional funding for violence prevention is the only area where they have made a number of specific commitments.
The LNP’s glacial progress on equal representation for women candidates and MPs suggests a low commitment to gender equality in their own ranks, despite the efforts of Liberal Party women’s networking groups.
Many of potentially outstanding Liberal feminist candidates are now successful independents. A few remain as members in Parliament, and as candidates in this election.
These women carry on a social and feminist vision of women’s right to economic independence and autonomy which used to attract a significant share of women’s votes to the Liberal Party.
Whatever the outcome in the days following 3 May, we hope that the Liberal Party as the alternative party of government places a priority on shaping itself as a genuine electoral choice for Australian women and for all voters committed to gender equality.
WEL acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
Women's Electoral Lobby
https://www.wel.org.au/