Media Release: Where is Gender Budget Impact Statement?

Where is Gender Budget Impact Statement?

10 November 2025

Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb said today the missing Gender Budget Impact Statement from the November Interim 2025-26 State Budget Papers raised serious concerns over the Rockliff government’s commitment to gender equality.

“The unexplained absence of the Gender Budget Impact Statement from the Interim State Budget papers is an alarming and regressive step,” Ms Webb said.

“The Treasurer’s Budget Speech fails to make a single mention of women and girls, fails to acknowledge the entrenched gender-related obstacles many Tasmanians face and also fails to explain why the Gender Budget Impact Statement has been omitted.

“The Gender Budget Impact Statement is not an optional extra, and it is very telling and damning insight should any government or Treasurer treat it as such.

“Not all policy decisions affect all people equally.”

Ms Webb said a gender lens is needed to examine whether budget policies which may appear gender neutral will in fact impact people differently or disproportionately based on their gender, risking increased existing inequality.

“The Gender Budget Impact Statement should be hard-baked into the fiscal and budgetary process.

“It should tell us if and how the government proactively considered gender and tested its budgetary decisions against whether they would close existing gender gaps, rather than widen them.

“Boosting Government funding to male-dominated industries such as construction compared with minimal resourcing of female dominated industries is one example of a potentially gender gap impacted by government policy decisions.”

Ms Webb said the failure to prioritise safe and accessible public transport, housing, or education and training also impacts different genders differently.

“Will the State Budget improve or entrench this inequality?

“A Gender Budget Impact Statement should detail how available resources will be targeted to address gender inequalities and support sustainable, inclusive development for all.

“The Rockliff Government’s Interim Budget is worryingly silent on whether it undertook this responsibility or not.”

Ms Webb had successfully campaigned for a Gender Budget Impact Statement to be included in the State Budget Papers, as it is in the Federal Budget, with the Legislative Council voting in support of her call for the reform in March 2022.

“Following the vote in support of my motion calling for Tasmania to adopt a Gender Budget Impact Statement, the 2022-23 was the first State Budget which included the inaugural Statement.  While flawed it was an important first step which has gradually improved with each successive State Budget, until now.

“Are we to believe the Rockliff Government’s commitment to gender equality is so fragile that this important component of the Budget Papers is the first to be abandoned, as soon as difficult financial decisions have to be made?

“The Rockliff Government must recommit to applying a rigorous gender lens over the development of its budget and policy decision making and to publish a Gender Budget Impact Statement with all Budget Papers to drive improved equity and better outcomes for our community.”