Australia’s women are no longer seeing their calls for change dismissed as lacking ‘credibility’. Good

‘Labor’s women’s budget statement offers a welcome dose of humility and an indication of a willingness to engage and listen, especially to those asking for more.’ Photograph: Louise Beaumont/Getty Images

In preparation for Tuesday night’s budget, I have been revisiting ghosts of women’s budget statements and women’s economic security statements past, particularly the last two years. And gee, it’s been a bit of a wild ride.

Remember the 2020 budget: a “blokefest”, hi-vis, hard hat spectacular delivered at the height of a Covid-induced recession that disproportionately affected women, so much so it was called a “she-cession”. Just $240m of funding (out of about $500bn overall spend) was put towards the women’s economic security statement, as it was then called.