The Federal Labor Government delivered the 2022-2023 Budget on 25 October 2022, its first budget as a new government. Read on for our take on the budget’s implications for workplaces.
Paid Parental Leave Scheme
The Government is expanding the Paid Parental Leave Scheme by increasing the number of weeks from 20 weeks leave in July 2023 to 26 weeks leave by July 2026. A $350,000 household income test will be introduced to expand eligibility for families which do not satisfy the individual income test.
Child Care Subsidy (CCS)
The CCS rate will be increased from 85% to 90% the first child in a family and increase the rate for households earning less than $530,000. The current higher CCS rates will be maintained for families with multiple children aged 5 or under. Higher CCS rates will cease 26 weeks after the older child’s final childcare session or when the child reaches the age of 6.
Paid domestic and family violence leave
The Government has introduced legislation to provide 10 days of paid domestic and family violence leave. The Government has allocated $3.4 million to the Fair Work Ombudsman to provide support and advice to small businesses in relation to these entitlements.
Changes to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)
In addition to the introduction of 10 days of paid domestic and family violence leave, the Government will introduce legislation to amend the Fair Work Act to expand the objects of the Act to include gender equity and job security, enable women in low-paid sectors to make pay equity claims, limit the use of fixed term contracts, prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace.
Gender pay gap
In addition to the changes to Fair Work Act, large companies will be required to publicly report their gender pay gap to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. The Government will enact changes to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) to enable women in low-paid industries to make pay equity claims.
Working age and veterans pensioners
The Government will increase the income age and veterans pensioners are able to earn without losing their pension in 2022-2023 from $7,800 to $11,800.
Universities
The Government will provide for an additional 20,000 Commonwealth supported places at universities and other tertiary education providers over 4 years from 2022–23 for under-represented domestic students, including First Nations peoples, those who are the first in their family to study at university and rural and remote students) and for degrees in areas of skills shortages including education, nursing and engineering.
Fee-free Technical and Further Education (TAFE)
The Government will provide 480,000 fee-free TAFE vocational education places in sectors and regions with skills shortages.
Apprenticeships in clean energy
The Government has allocated $100 million to the New Energy Apprenticeships and New Energy Skills programs. These programs will provide for a mentoring program to train new energy apprentices and $10,000 for each apprentice in a clean energy role.
Future jobs
The Government will establish Jobs and Skills Australia to address skills shortages and develop long-term capacity in priority industries. The Government will develop the Australian Skills Guarantee to ensure that 1 in 10 workers on a major Commonwealth-funded project is an apprentice, trainee or a paid cadet with targets for women.
If you have any questions regarding this article, or require assistance with your own employment law matter, please do not hesitate to contact a member of Coleman Greig’s Employment Law Team, who will be more than happy to assist you.
Coleman Greig Lawyers provides this material as general information only in summary form on legal topics current at the time of first publication. The contents do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Formal legal advice should be sought in particular matters.
