The Hon. Dr Jim Chalmers handed down a budget which ‘rebalances the tax system’, framed as a legacy budget focused on reform and long-term stability. It arrives at a time of local cost-of-living focus, amid global conflict and fuel uncertainty. Health emerged as one of the comparatively stronger portfolios in a tight budget. The budget focuses on interventions across aged care, disability and health, building a stronger Medicare, preventative health, and reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme - but disappointingly no funding for the National Nursing Workforce Strategy, which should be a key priority for the government to implement the recommendations of the Cormack Review into the scope of practice and enable and fund more nurse-led models of care.
