Key points for young Australians
- Tax cuts for many young Aussies
- No raise to Newstart or Youth Allowance
- 80,000 new apprenticeships
- Announcement of 'Australia's most significant youth mental health and suicide prevention strategy'
- $3.5 billion on climate change
- $30.9 million support for the music industry
On Tuesday in Parliament House, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg released more than 1,000 pages of budget documents, mapping out his financial plan for the nation.
The government declared the country is "back in the black" and with a federal election looming, the cash was well and truly splashed.
But how will this affect young Australians?
Tax cuts
One of the Coalition's biggest budget items was a series of tax cuts, which young earners look set to benefit from.
Those earning between $48,000 and $90,000 are in line for an immediate cash return of up to $1,080 when they file this financial year's tax return - that's double the amount the government had already promised.
Longer term, the government also wants to flatten tax breaks and reduce the amount of tax paid by those earning between $40,000 and $200,000 from 32.5 per cent to 30 per cent.
No raise to Newstart, Youth Allowance
But, despite billions of dollars in tax cuts, the government did not raise Newstart or Youth Allowance.
This means Newstart has not lifted in real terms for more than 25 years.
While the nation's unemployment is 4.9 per cent, the national youth unemployment rate has been hovering around 11 per cent for the past year.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has delivered his first federal budget. Source: AAP
The National Union of Students (NUS) called the absence of discussion on Newstart or Youth Allowance "disgraceful".
"It's pretty outrageous that this government hasn't looked at some of the most vulnerable young people in our society," NUS president Desiree Cai told SBS News on Wednesday.
"People on Newstart and Youth Allowance are living below the poverty line... [Young people] shouldn't have to go into poverty while they are studying or while they are looking for a job."
On Wednesday, the government announced a last-minute change to the budget and extended a power bill assistance payment to people on Newstart, after initially saying they would be excluded.
Education and employment
If you're thinking about undertaking an apprenticeship, then you're one of the big winners of Tuesday's budget.
The treasurer announced $200 million would be spent to create 80,000 new apprenticeships.
And each of these new apprentices will receive a $2,000 incentive payment.
The government also announced it would spend $67.5 million to trial 10 national training hubs supporting school-based vocational education in regions with high youth unemployment.
A master and apprentice carpenter are seen at Holmesglen TAFE Chadstone campus. Tradies are set to benefit under the budget. Source: AAP
These will aim to "create better linkages between schools and local industry, and other skills development measures".
And the Coalition will also try to get more women into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and careers, with $3.4 million funding towards this goal.
Mental health
In one of the bigger announcements affecting young people, Mr Frydenberg will invest $461 million in "Australia's most significant youth mental health and suicide prevention strategy".
"It is a national tragedy that we lose so many people to suicide and that so many people live a life of quiet desperation ... This issue demands our ongoing attention and resources."
A further $152 million will be spent for additional services across the Headspace network to reduce waiting times for young people seeking mental health services.
And $111.3 million was allocated for an additional 30 Headspace services, including satellite services in Sarina and Whitsunday, Queensland.
This will expand the Headspace network to 145 services across Australia by 2021.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data from 2018 showed that suicide was the leading cause of death among people 15-44 years of age and remained the leading cause of premature mortality in Australia.
The NUS' Ms Cai welcomed the funding.
"It's heartening to see investment in mental health has continued to be a priority for the government," she said.
But she said that any new measures needed to be as accessible as possible, because "access is often really important thing" for such services.
Climate change
"When you talk to young people and university students, climate change is one of the biggest issues on their minds," Ms Cai said.
The budget comes only weeks after thousands of students downed books to protest government inaction on climate change.
According to Ms Cai, the government failed to deliver on Tuesday.
The budget outlined the Coalition's Climate Solutions Package which it had previously announced.
Thousands of school students from across Sydney attend the global #ClimateStrike rally at Town Hall. Source: AAP
It will provide "$3.5 billion over 15 years from 2018-19 for a Climate Solutions Package to deliver on Australia's 2030 climate commitments".
Building on former PM Tony Abbott's Emissions Reduction Fund, $2 billion will be spent on "expanded investments in low-cost abatement".
But environment groups say the plan targets the land and agricultural sector while ignoring the heaviest polluting sectors of energy and industry.
"It's disappointing to see the government has only made token measures [on addressing climate change]," Ms Cai said.
Live music
The live music scene has been an unexpected winner from the 2019 budget, with the government committing $30.9 million to support the music industry.
This includes $22.5 million to support live music venues through a new grants program and $2.1 million to the Australian Music Industry Network to provide mentoring programs for female musicians.
But with only weeks until the federal election, it remains to be seen if these sweeteners will lead young Australians towards supporting the Coalition.
"For many young people, they will be voting for the first time and they will be thinking about ... the issues that affect their lives and their futures," Ms Cai said.
