Election 2025: What Labor promised and when it is due to deliver


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Key Election Promises and Delivery Timelines

The Australian Labor Party, under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, won a second term with a significant mandate. This article details key pledges and their planned implementation:

  • Tax Cuts:

    $268 tax cuts in 2026, $536 annually thereafter. A $1000 instant tax deduction for work-related expenses in the 2026-2027 tax return.
  • Health:

    $8.5 billion boost to Medicare, extending bulk-billing bonuses to all adults (November 2025), expanding telehealth services with a new hotline (January 2026), and building 50 urgent care clinics.
  • Housing:

    $10 billion to build 100,000 homes for first-home buyers (from 2027). A scheme allowing first-time buyers to purchase with a 5% deposit (January 2026).
  • Renewables:

    Aiming for 82% renewable energy by 2030. A 30% discount on home batteries with rooftop solar panels (from July 1, 2025).
  • Environment:

    Establishment of a federal environmental protection agency (this parliamentary term).
  • Defence and National Security:

    Increasing defence spending to 2.3% of GDP (early 2030s). Seeking to sell the Port of Darwin to an Australian owner.
  • Immigration:

    Reducing net overseas migration to 260,000 in the 2025-2026 financial year and increasing international student fees by $400.
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Anthony Albanese and Labor have swept to a second term in government with a big majority and an even bigger mandate.

That means that every pledge the prime minister, his frontbenchers and Labor’s newest members in the House of Representatives made during the budget and the campaign can be considered a deliverable.

We have recapped everything Albanese and Labor promised you in the lead-up to the May 3 election, and when you can expect some of the key pledges to be delivered.

Follow live coverage of the 2025 federal election here.

Tax cuts

Labor will introduce tax cuts worth $268 next year, and $536 for every year after that, in a bid to deliver cost-of-living relief to more than 12 million workers. The cuts, announced in the March budget, give households extra relief on top of the changes to the stage 3 tax cuts announced early in 2024. Taxpayers will also be allowed to claim an instant $1000 tax deduction for work-related expenses.

When? July 2026 for the tax cuts, 2026-2027 tax return for the deduction.

Health

An $8.5 billion boost to Medicare aims to extend bulk-billing bonuses to all adults, give clinics that bulk-bill all patients extra funding and boost the GP workforce. There will also be a major expansion of telehealth services through creation of a Medicare hotline. A further 50 urgent care clinics will be built.

When? November 2025 (bulk-billing), January 2026 (telehealth hotline).

Housing

Labor is promising $10 billion to build 100,000 homes exclusively for first home buyers. It will also allow all first-time buyers to purchase property with just a 5 per cent deposit, with the government to guarantee the rest of a typical 20 per cent deposit.

When? The first of the 100,000 homes will be ready from 2027. Expanded 5 per cent deposits scheme, January 2026.

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Renewables

The Albanese government wants 82 per cent of Australia’s electricity to come from renewable sources – solar, wind, hydro – and has a series of funds and projects to get there. Households installing home electric batteries with rooftop solar panels will get a 30 per cent discount, subject to a series of terms and eligibility rules

When? Renewables goal by 2030. Battery plan starting on July 1, 2025, through to 2030.

Environment

Labor has vowed to introduce a federal environmental protection agency to take on companies and people who breach the law and damage the natural world. Albanese put the EPA on ice during his first term after an industry backlash and has said the agency would take a different form.

When? This term of parliament.

Defence and national security

Labor will increase Defence spending from 2 per cent of gross domestic product to 2.3 per cent. It will also work to have the Port of Darwin sold to an Australian owner – it is leased to Chinese-owned company Landbridge Group – and could put it in government hands if that fails.

When? Defence spending will increase by the early 2030s. No timeline for port plan.

Immigration

Labor has forecast net overseas migration will slow to 260,000 people next financial year. It failed to legislate student caps in 2024 and introduced administrative changes to reduce migration instead. The party will raise already expensive international student fees by $400.

When? 2025-2026.

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