On Tuesday, 25 March 2025, the Treasurer, the Hon Jim Chalmers MP, delivered the 2025–26 Budget.
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet contributes to several important initiatives announced in the Budget. Information is available on our Budget 2025–26 page.
The 2025–26 Commonwealth Budget papers are available on the Budget 2025–26 website.
The third annual Status of Women Report Card (the report card) was released on Saturday 8 March 2025 for International Women’s Day.
The report card supports Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality,which outlines the Australian Government's 10-year plan towards achieving gender equality.
It includes the most recent data and analysis on the social and economic equality issues facing women and girls in Australia.
It highlights areas where progress is being made, including:
International Women’s Day (IWD) is 8 March. This year’s theme is March Forward: For all women and girls. It calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all.
This IWD marks one-year since the Government released its 10-year plan for advancing gender equality, Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality (Working for Women). It provides a point to reflect on the achievements made to build a more equal Australia for everyone’s benefit.
The Secretaries Board met at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to discuss the following matters.
The Board discussed government priorities, emerging risks and strategic issues including preparing for the 2025 general election.
The Board received an update on geostrategic issues from Ms Jan Adams AO PSM, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Mr Matt Yannopoulos PSM, Associate Secretary, Department of Defence.
The 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City from 10 to 21 March 2025.
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. CSW is instrumental in promoting women’s and girls’ human rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.
The Defence and Veterans’ Services Commission will provide independent oversight and evidence-based advice to government on reforms to improve suicide prevention and wellbeing outcomes for serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members.
The commission will commence on 29 September 2025.
Recommendation 122 of the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide advised the Australian Government to establish a new statutory entity to oversee reform across the whole Defence ecosystem. The Australian Government agreed to this recommendation in its response to the final report in December 2024.
The Australian Government has taken 2 significant steps to progress this work as a priority:
The Australian Government appointed Mr Michael Manthorpe PSM as the interim head of the Defence and Veterans’ Services Commission on 17 January 2025.
Mr Manthorpe served in the Australian Public Service for 37 years, including as the Commonwealth Ombudsman and Defence Force Ombudsman from 2017 to 2021. He worked at Deputy Secretary level in the then departments of education, employment and workplace relations, and in the Department of Immigration and Border Protection and its predecessor agency from 2009 to 2017.
Mr Manthorpe is leading a team in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to establish the commission as an ongoing legislated body.
The final design of the commission will take account of extensive public consultations undertaken by the Royal Commission, feedback from public submissions published by the Royal Commission, their advice on how the new entity should operate, and the legislation to establish the commission.
The Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee will review the legislation establishing the commission and report by 29 August 2025.
You can read more about the Senate Committee’s Inquiry on the Parliament of Australia website.
Mr Manthorpe will work with the Senate and the Government to review of the legislation prior to its commencement.
Mr Manthorpe’s submission to the Senate Committee’s inquiry is now available to read.
If you would like to contact the Interim Head of the Commission about the establishment of the Defence and Veterans’ Services Commission, you can email DVSCommission@pmc.gov.au.
We also welcome your views about the legislation to establish the commission, and the setup of the new entity. The privacy and security of information you provide is important to us, and protected by law. The Interim Head of the Commission will deal with your information in accordance with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Privacy Policy. If you would like a copy of our Privacy Policy or have any questions about our privacy obligations, please contact the Privacy Officer at privacy@pmc.gov.au.
If your enquiry relates to reviewing or resolving individual matters, or lodging complaints, please direct your enquiry to the organisation relevant to your concern.