Catholic organisations across the health, social services, education and aid and development sectors offered mixed responses to the Federal Government’s 2025-26 Budget delivered 25 March by Treasurer Jim Chalmers.
Catholic Health Australia welcomed the Government’s “significant commitments” to Medicare public hospital funding, and other measures aimed at reducing out-of-pocket medical costs.
CHA chief executive officer Jason Kara praised the $8.4 billion additional investment in Medicare over five years as a “critical step” toward addressing long-standing pressures on primary care services and reducing pressure on public hospitals.
Caritas Australia welcomed a commitment of $5.1 billion in overseas development assistance—an increase of $135.8 million from 2024-25—while raising concerns about growing international instability and need.
Caritas Australia Interim CEO Kirsten Sayers said the Budget includes “welcome investment into the futures of our brothers and sisters in need overseas—in the Pacific, in Myanmar, and further afield through the Humanitarian Emergency Fund.”
However, Catholic Social Services Australia Executive Director Dr Jerry Nockles said the Budget “falls short of the strong leadership needed to truly serve the common good.”
Acknowledging the government’s efforts to provide some relief, Nockles said measures such as tax cuts for all, energy bill relief measures and investment in Medicare “do not go far enough in addressing the systemic issues facing vulnerable Australians and reflect a piecemeal approach to policymaking.”
“We had called for an increase in the rate of JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, and related payments,” he said in a statement.
“The absence of significant movement on income support in the budget is a missed opportunity to give millions of vulnerable Australians breathing space and demonstrates a failure to consider the broader implications of policy decisions on the entire community.”
St Vincent de Paul Society National Council of Australia said while the economy appears to have turned the corner “a great many people have been left behind.”
“There is no sign that this Budget offers immediate financial relief or inspires greater confidence for a brighter future,” said SVdP National President, Mark Gaetani.
‘We welcome many of the budgetary measures announced but regret that various much-needed reforms aimed at helping less well-off households were ignored.
“The situation of people doing it tough will barely be affected by this Budget.”
Mr Gaetani said the Society supports public health measures such as extra funding to boost GP bulk billing, urgent care clinics and public hospitals, and caps on medicine prices.
“We also support increased funding for public education at all stages, from early years through schools to tertiary learning,” he said.
“However, we have serious concerns that the proposed tax cuts do little to help people on low incomes or government payments who are struggling to meet their daily expenses, such as food and grocery items, rents and school costs.”
The Josephite Justice Network similarly said both the Budget and the Opposition’s response were a “missed opportunity” to deliver meaningful support for vulnerable communities.
“At a time when our country faces significant social and economic challenges, the Government’s budget and the Opposition’s response both fall short in addressing the needs of people living below the poverty line, as well as those seeking asylum in this country,” said co-ordinator Jan Barnett.