Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Labor have won a second term — and they enter it with billions of dollars in promises made.
Here's some of what has been pledged:
Health
- Expanding the bulk billing incentive to all Australians, and introducing a new incentive for practices in a bid to boost bulk billing rates
- A 24-hour '1800MEDICARE’ service will be launched to allow patients access to free after-hours general practice telehealth consultations
- An additional 50 urgent care clinics by June 2026, on top of the 87 already operating
- Women suffering from endometriosis, pelvic pain or menopause will have access to more specialised clinics as well as cheaper medicines
- Certain oral contraceptives, endometriosis medication and IVF medication will be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
- Most PBS prescriptions to be capped at $25 (currently $31.60). The $7.70 cap for concession card holders will remain frozen until 31 June, 2029
- Labor will expand access to free mental health, and upgrade or establish more than 100 mental health clinics with varying specialities
- Funding to support the training of more than 1,2000 mental health professionals, and to train more doctors and nurses
Industrial relations
- It says it will ban non-compete clauses, enabling workers earning under $175,000 to more easily switch jobs to a competing employer or to start a competing business
Housing
- Labor will expand its 5 per cent deposit scheme so that every first home buyer is eligible. There will be no income limits or caps on places
- It has pledged to build 100,000 new affordable homes exclusively for first home buyers, with construction to start in 2026/27
- More first home buyers will be able to access the Help to Buy shared equity loan scheme, which allows them to buy with a deposit of 2 per cent if they give the government a 30-40 per cent stake. Income caps will be increased from $90,000 to $100,000 for individuals, and property caps will also be increased
First-home buyers will get more support under the 2025 federal budget.
Women's safety
- Funding for initiatives including electronic monitoring and ankle bracelets for high-risk perpetrators
- Examining making perpetrators liable for social security debts incurred by a victim-survivor due to coercion or financial abuse and stop perpetrators from receiving their victim's superannuation after death
- Intensive behaviour change programs for men and young boys will get a funding boost
- Has pledged to refurbish and build more crisis and transitional housing for women -leaving domestic violence or at risk of homelessness
Cost of living
- Australian households and businesses will receive an extra $150 in energy bill relief. The money will appear as a credit on people's power bills in two $75 instalments over the last six months of 2025
- Every taxpayer would also be eligible to claim an instant $1,000 tax deduction for work expenses from 2026/27, without filling out paperwork or receipts
- Labor has legislated two tax cuts, meaning anyone earning more than $45,000 will save $268 in 2026/27 and $536 the year after
Source: SBS News
Education
- Roughly three million Australians will have 20 per cent of their student debt loans wiped by 1 June 2025
- Labor has pledged to make fee-free TAFE permanent
- From July next year, students will not begin to repay their Higher Education Loan Program debts (such as HECS) until they are earning at least $67,000
- Apprenticeship incentives for construction workers including a $10,000 payment at intervals, with the first payment at six months and the last when they complete their training
- Investments in Australian Community Language Schools to help students learn a language other than English, particularly Asian languages
Childcare
- Activity tests will be scrapped, meaning parents won't have to work or study to be eligible for childcare subsidies
Immigration
- Small decrease in the permanent migration intake — from 190,000 places to 185,000 in 2024/25
Environment and energy
- Labor has vowed to establish a federal Environmental Protection Agency
- National Vehicle Emissions Scheme to come into effect on 1 July. It penalises high-polluting vehicles by setting an emissions ceiling for each manufacturer's fleet, incentivising consumers to buy low-emission vehicles, including hybrids and electric vehicles
- Labor has promised to subsidise the cost of solar power batteries, which could save households thousands a year in energy bills
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