INCREASING higher education interest fees and removing low income superannuation contributions unfairly targets Australian women, Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek says.
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Gathered with Bendigo's three female Labor MPs on Monday, Ms Plibersek wanted to highlight the ways in which the Federal Budget could impact women.
She used Australia Institute data to show women would be $2500 worse off in 2017 under the budget changes, compared with $1800 worse off for men.
Ms Plibersek said changes to the higher education loan scheme would have one of the biggest impacts.
"Often after graduation, women will work for a few years and take time off to have a family, and maybe work part-time for a while," she said.
"That whole time, debt will continue to be accumulating like an albatross around her neck, growing at a commercial rate year after year."
The figures were compiled using the National Centre for Social and Economic Modeling and census data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Ms Plibersek said the data spoke for itself.
"I think the practical impacts of the cuts in this budget are much worse for women and you only need to look at the Australia Institute research to see that," she said.
Ms Plibersek said the changes in the Federal Budget left women worse off in comparison to the welfare cuts to single mothers imposed under the Gillard government.
In January 2013, the former Labor government moved tens of thousands of single mothers off parenting payments and onto Newstart, costing them between $60 and $100 per week.
Ms Plibersek said families would instead "cop it every which way" under the current government.
"The same family will get less income from this government, they'll see their childcare costs go up, the kids will get less funding, particularly in years 5 and 6 in their schools," she said.