5% first home deposits

From 1 October, first home buyers in Bean will be able to buy their first home with a 5% deposit.

This will cut years off the time it takes to save for a deposit, helping people into their own homes sooner. And because the Government will guarantee part of these mortgages, people won’t have to pay tens of thousands of dollars in Lender’s Mortgage Insurance.

For first home buyers this will make a real difference.

Cracking down on ‘shrinkflation’

To strengthen the Supermarket Price Transparency Code, consultation on the Unit Pricing Code has begun as part of the commitment to crack down on ‘shrinkflation’ and make it easier for Australians to compare grocery prices.

This consultation, led by the Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, will help inform next steps to support consumers – such as improving the readability of unit pricing and exposing brands offering less value for money.

Embedding safety in government systems

New powers to waive social security debt for victim-survivors of abuse and coercive control are being introduced.

This embeds safety in Australian Government systems and ensure the social security system cannot be weaponised against women experiencing violence.

The government is introducing new measures to reform the special circumstances debt waiver which will give Services Australia extended powers to waive social security debts that have been incurred as a result of domestic and family violence.

More choice, lower costs and better care for women

Last week was Women’s Health Week. I am proud to be part of a government that has seen hundreds of thousands of women are access cheaper medicines and better healthcare.

Since announcing our landmark women’s health package earlier this year:

• over 365,000 women have accessed cheaper scripts for new oral contraceptives, menopausal hormone therapies and endometriosis treatments listed on the PBS
• over 20,000 women have undergone a menopause health assessment covered by Medicare since they became available on 1 July.

We will continue to strengthen Medicare for women.

From 1 November 2025, further MBS changes will take effect, giving women access to affordable IUDs and birth control implants.