<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="" title="Australians"><span>Australians</span></a><span> can expect another significant boost to cost-of-living relief in the next </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/federal-budget" rel="" target="" title="federal budget"><span>federal budget</span></a><span> as the government gears up for </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/federal-election-2025" rel="" target="_blank" title="an election in May"><span>an election in May</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While it had been presumed for months that an expected early election would get in the way of the budget, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/federal-election-2025-when-is-it-earliest-latest-dates-double-dissolution-explained/a8dec667-4d33-46d6-b85a-ae4ea2b88b4b" rel="" target="" title="Tropical Cyclone Alfred delayed the calling of the vote"><span>Tropical Cyclone Alfred delayed the calling of the vote</span></a><span>, meaning Treasurer Jim Chalmers will have to hand down the national accounts as scheduled on March 25.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Because of that, there have been far fewer early announcements than in previous years, and what new measures will be handed down by the government remains a bit of a mystery.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/federal-election-2025-when-is-it-earliest-latest-dates-double-dissolution-explained/a8dec667-4d33-46d6-b85a-ae4ea2b88b4b"><strong><span>The cyclone blew away an April election, so when will it be held now?</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, there have still been some hints from senior ministers about what to expect, as well as some earlier announcements that will form part of the 2025 budget.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Here's what you can expect on March 25.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Massive student debt discount</span></strong></h3></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/federal-budget-2025-cost-of-living-energy-bills-relief-what-to-expect-anthony-albanese-jim-chalmers-explained/8a1f5b5a-35df-4301-bf99-a5853fb484b3" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The roughly 3 million Australians who have student debt will get a welcome boost on June 1 when their </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/wiping-hecs-debt-labor-election-promise-anthony-albanese-said-students-shouldnt-have-lifetime-of-debt/9eb481e0-53b0-4042-8bc4-63235e419451" rel="" target="" title="outstanding balances are cut by 20 per cent"><span>outstanding balances are cut by 20 per cent</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The one-off discount represents a massive $16 billion in student debt reduction – more than five times larger than last year's move to retrospectively lower the indexation applied to those debts.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The new measure was announced by the government as an election promise in November, and will now need to be factored into this year's budget.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/federal-election-2025-swing-seats-closest-margins-explained/e50609c7-527f-43d8-8c13-c5fd4313ef55"><strong><span>The 10 closest seats heading into the 2025 federal election</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Energy bill relief</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The centrepiece of last year's budget was the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/federal-budget-2024-energy-bill-relief-3-5-billion-package-300-dollars-every-household/84ec2343-ab65-498a-b5a6-da0326a96005" rel="" target="" title="$3.5 billion in energy bill relief"><span>$3.5 billion in energy bill relief</span></a><span> – a $300 rebate, spread over the course of the financial year, for every household in the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Although the government has not given a cast-iron commitment to extending that policy, there are hints something similar could be on the way this year, particularly after the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australian-households-hit-with-higher-electricity-bills-within-months/20c21ed6-7f3a-4d52-8b90-4b11c9eb9532" rel="" target="_blank" title="national energy regulator approved price increases of up to 9 per cent from July 1"><span>national energy regulator approved price increases of up to 9 per cent from July 1</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After that decision, Energy Minister Chris Bowen was asked whether repeat rebates would be on the cards.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As the prime minister, the treasurer and I have made clear, we will always consider what more can be done," was his reply.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/federal-election-2025-gen-z-and-millennials-outnumber-baby-boomers/e56826c4-3783-4207-ba2f-bd6d4857e752"><strong><span>For the first time, Gen Z and Millennials outnumber Boomers this election</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's a budget coming soon, and we'll continue that approach of considering what more we can do."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Albanese also mentioned energy subsidies when he was asked on March 9 about what cost-of-living relief could be expected in the budget.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We will always do what we can to assist people," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That is one of the defining characteristics of my term of government, is that we were saying yes to energy bill relief, yes to tax cuts for all Australians, yes to cheaper child care, yes to free TAFE, yes to providing a range of support, including lifting rental assistance by 45 per cent over two budgets."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/federal-election-2025-peter-dutton-coalition-nuclear-power-plans-explained/2aa01872-3156-4a5e-86fa-662bc90b0bf0"><strong><span>Dutton wants a nuclear future for Australia. Here's what that might look like</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Subsidised childcare for everyone</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That cheaper childcare Albanese mentioned will also feature heavily in the budget.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Like the student debt discount, this was an election promise unveiled in late 2024, well after the last budget: </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/subsidised-childcare-guarantee-activity-test-scrapped/33ed5f92-99b9-4d1b-b6c4-115a0ceb9ee7" rel="" target="" title="three days a week of subsidised childcare"><span>three days a week of subsidised childcare</span></a><span> to families with a combined income of less than $530,000 a year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The activity test will also be scrapped to make it easier for low-income parents to access cheaper childcare, a measure recommended by the Productivity Commission and long called for by economists.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The policy will come into effect on January 1, 2026, if Labor wins the federal election, and will cost $427 million over five years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/subsidised-childcare-guarantee-activity-test-scrapped/33ed5f92-99b9-4d1b-b6c4-115a0ceb9ee7"><strong><span>PM unveils 'nation-defining' $427m childcare relief election promise</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Boost for Australian-made goods as tariffs hit</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One of the big economic uncertainties plaguing financial markets at the moment is US President Donald Trump's explosion of tariffs.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/donald-trump-tariffs-what-they-mean-australia-everything-need-know-explainer/6b4053af-724e-4649-a574-b73498d2fc4a" rel="" target="" title="Australia has been hit by Trump's 25 per cent tax on all steel and aluminium"><span>Australia has been hit by Trump's 25 per cent tax on all steel and aluminium</span></a><span> imported into the United States, and while we shouldn't expect a retaliatory tariff in the budget – that was ruled out by Albanese – there's set to be some kind of response.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Local manufacturers fear a flood of cheap, international produce onto the Australian market from all the other nations who have also been denied free access to American consumers, which would be a significant business challenge.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Albanese has flagged support for local industry will be handed down.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In the March budget, we'll provide additional support for our 'Buy Australian' campaign which we'll be announcing as part of the budget process," the prime minister said in his press conference responding to the introduction of Trump's tariffs.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>EXPLAINED:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/donald-trump-tariffs-what-they-mean-australia-everything-need-know-explainer/6b4053af-724e-4649-a574-b73498d2fc4a"><strong><span>How hard Trump's tariffs will hit the Australian economy</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Other announcements</span></strong><span></span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There are a number of other policies that will form a part of the 2025 federal budget, including:</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><span>A new $1 billion fund to build and expand early education centres</span></li><li><span>$1 billion to reserve land for a </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/pm-makes-1-billion-investment-for-southwest-sydney-rail-corridor/19750e7e-447c-466c-921c-d8df88c8a36d" rel="" target="" title="future rail line linking Western Sydney Airport with south-west Sydney"><span>future rail line linking Western Sydney Airport with south-west Sydney</span></a><span> suburbs</span></li></ul></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span></span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><strong><span>Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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