Baptist Care Australia’s Federal Election Statement 2025

In the 2025 Federal election, Baptist Care Australia stands strong in our commitment to creating a more just, compassionate, and equitable society for all Australians.

We call on all political leaders to move beyond rhetoric and commit to taking decisive action in the next Parliament to address the profound social challenges that continue to marginalise the most vulnerable in Australia.


We encourage all candidates to engage in debating the issues with a respectful tone, focusing on the systems that Government can shape for the better of all Australians, instead of simplifying complex issues by placing blame on specific groups or communities, instead focusing on the systems that Government can shape for the better of all.

During the campaign, Baptist Care Australia will be pushing all political leaders on the following issues:

  1. The Aged care reforms: better support needed to succeed
  2. Availability of safe and stable housing
  3. Ending homelessness: For a fair Australia
  4. Tackling poverty and inequality
  5. Protecting charities' voices in public debate
Elderly care

Aged care reforms need better support to succeed

Baptist Care Australia seeks commitments from all parties and candidates to support older people needing aged care by:

  • Adopting more sensible transition timelines
  • Funding the cost of implementation of these major reforms
  • Addressing sustainability issues, particularly for Support at Home
  • Ensuring access to services for all who need it, regardless of their capacity to pay
  • Reducing wait list and assessment times

The Aged care reforms cannot succeed without adequate support for implementation. The next government will oversee this transition, and we do not want these critical reforms to fail at the final hurdle.

Housing

Ensuring everyone has safe and stable housing

Baptist Care Australia seeks commitments from all parties and candidates to support people on the lowest incomes to find a safe place to call home by:

  • Increasing social housing stock to 10% of Australia's housing supply by 2045
  • Substantially investing in social and affordable housing, such as by quadrupling the Housing Australia Future Fund
  • Legislating a National Housing and Homelessness Plan
  • Building the capacity of the community housing sector

Like health care, housing is essential for a good society. Yet for decades, governments have hoped private developers will deliver lots of low-cost housing. It has not worked. The next government will need to do more to ensure decent, safe housing for everyone.

Homelessness

A fair Australia means ending homelessness

Baptist Care Australia seeks commitments from all parties and candidates to support people to avoid homelessness by:

  • Committing to ending homelessness
  • Legislating this commitment in a National Housing and Homelessness Plan
  • Investing $670 million for homelessness services so that no-one is turned away
  • Increasing Commonwealth Rent Assistance
  • Creating a national action plan to prevent child and youth homelessness

More and more people are living in tents, sleeping in cars or couch-surfing because they cannot afford a place to live. Record-high costs are pushing people to the brink. We live in a prosperous country that could easily house for everyone. The next government will need to take on this responsibility to ensure no-one is left without a place to call home.

Poverty and inequality

Tackling poverty and inequality so everyone has a fair go

Baptist Care Australia seeks commitments from all parties and candidates to commit to reducing poverty and inequality by:

  • Ensuring everyone can afford the basics by increasing all income support payments to at least the pension rate of $82 a day
  • Reducing the gap in life expectancy and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by delivering the funding and resourcing needed to implement reform priorities and targets under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap
  • Reducing intergenerational inequality by legislating a commitment to end child poverty in Australia
  • Boosting funding to essential crisis-response services such as family and domestic violence, financial counselling, food and emergency relief, and homelessness services, so we aren't forced to turn away anyone in distress.

Everyone deserves a fair chance at a good life, but we don't all have the same opportunities and support. We live within a complex society that chooses how much to support people who are struggling. Government must develop bold solutions to make sure all people get a baseline level of support that enables them to live a decent life, free from poverty. The next Parliament will need to do its part to advance Australia, fairly.

Charity advocacy

Protecting charities' voices in public debate

Baptist Care Australia seeks commitments from all parties and candidates to protect the role of charities in public debate.


Our democracy relies on the ability of lots of different voices to contribute to public debate. Government should guarantee the ability of the charity sector to advocate on our areas of expertise, to speak up for our communities, people living on the margins, and to play our part in policy debates.


Everything we do as a charity is for the benefit of the public, not for profit or political gain. Charities should not be afraid of losing funding or favour for advocating for changes to laws or policies that will make people's lives better.

Closing remarks

Our vision is not about charity, but about fairness, justice and helping those who need it most. It is about recognising the inherent dignity of every person and creating a society where opportunity is not a privilege, but a right. As a nation founded on the principles of fairness and mateship, we can – and must – do better. This election is our collective opportunity to choose compassion, to choose hope, and to choose a future where no Australian is left behind.


Baptist Care Australia stands ready to work alongside all political leaders, communities, and stakeholders to make this vision a reality.


Together, we can build a fairer Australia.

© 2025 Baptist Care Australia. All rights reserved.