DR VERITY COOPER - STATEMENT ON THE 2025 FEDERAL BUDGET

Reading the latest budget from the Albanese government reminds me of a common trap I had to avoid throughout my career as a GP: treating the symptoms without addressing the root causes.

Despite knowing that every dollar spent on disaster preparedness saves $10 in recovery, we continue to see funding tilt heavily towards post-disaster support, while proactive investment in clean technologies and renewable energy lags behind. I welcome the additional $1.3 billion to support communities recovering from Tropical Cyclone Alfred—but it’s hard to reconcile this with the fossil fuel industry receiving six times more funding than what’s allocated to nature and biodiversity.

This budget even forecasts a $3.7 billion drop in revenue from the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax over the next 4 years—yet maintains $46 billion in  diesel fuel tax credits for the mining sector over the same time. It’s time for the major parties to move beyond fossil fuel dependency and start tackling the underlying driver of so many disasters: climate change.

There are some bright spots. The $9.3 billion investment in housing and homelessness services is a much-needed step towards helping vulnerable Australians, providing crisis accommodation and repairing social housing. However, these supports continue to address the consequences of a broken system—without reforming the underlying drivers such as unlimited negative gearing and tax incentives that favour property investors over first home buyers.

I also welcome the boost to Medicare and the reduction in PBS medication copayments from $31.60 to $25. As a GP of 35 years, I know the success of the bulk billing reforms will depend on careful implementation. “We must ensure the changes don’t incentivise rushed consultations at the expense of patient care—something I’ll be watching closely.”

It’s encouraging to see an increase in foreign aid to our Pacific neighbours. While modest, this step recognises both their vulnerability to climate change and their strategic importance as key partners in our regional security. Supporting our neighbours is not only the right thing to do—it’s the smart thing to do.

Finally, on tax cuts: relief for cost-of-living pressures is welcome, but it should be better targeted. Of note, there is no increase in the job seeker allowance for those doing it really tough. High-income earners are unlikely to feel the difference, while more substantial cuts for low- and middle-income earners could be the difference between putting food on the table or going without. 

This budget shows some movement in the right direction—but too often, it still opts for short-term fixes over long-term solutions. We can and must do better.