Measures include support for Palestine, refugees, Australian and African communities bombed in late 2024, and for the Adas Islamic Synagogue.
Australia’s federal budget includes more than $178 million ($112 million) of taxpayer funds to “support social cohesion in Australia.”
Social cohesion funds for workers include projects for organizations supporting refugees from Palestine and Israel.
“Funding includes $400,000 for Project Rozana Foundation for 2024-25, addressing key gaps in rehabilitation services and promoting capacity building for the health sector of the occupied Palestinian territory.”
$7.7 million for refugee employment
Social cohesion funds include $7.7 million to increase refugee employment as part of the “Economic Routes to Refugee Integration” program.
An additional $20 million will be provided on a four-year timeline from 2025 to 2026 for projects that support the needs of African and Australian communities.
The federal government also provided $44.8 million over five years for the Multicultural Community Grant Program.
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The $44.8 million includes $15 million from Aspire Performance Center and $10 million at independent, multicultural media outlets “quickly tracking the transition to sustainable news media.”
Double social cohesion funds
Overall, under the Social Cohesion Budget action, the Attorney General’s funds will be nearly doubled from $11 million to $21.5 million.
Home Affairs will receive funding for social cohesion of 580%, ranging from $5.6 million in 2024-25 to $5.6 million in 2025-26.
The budget also lists $31.4 million for the restoration of the Adas Islael Synagogue and Community Centre in Victoria following the fire extinguishment in 2024.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and members of Macnamara Josh Burns had already announced the measure, but the budget has revised its merely to $200,000.
“The bombing of the Adas Islamic El Synagogue was a crime of coronavirus and prejudice. It was an attempt to threaten and silence the Jewish community around Melbourne and Australia.
The Union previously promised to provide up to $35 million to the Adas Isla El Synagogue Community Centre if it wins the election.
“The burning and bombing of the Adas Islamic Synagogue was not merely an attack on the Jewish community. It was an attack on Australia’s way of life,” the opposition said on March 17.
“The reconstruction of the Adas Islamic Synagogue sends a powerful message to the perpetrators of this hate crime and will not be silenced or threatened in the face of this hatred.”
Funds sent to Nauru for non-citizens
Meanwhile, budget documents also reveal that the labour government will fund non-citizens who have been released from immigration detention and sent to Nauru.
The federal government has said it is unable to reveal how much of this cost and cannot list budget measurements as “not for publication,” but details are organized in Nauru.
“The government will provide funds to support resettlement of non-citizens who have been released from Australian immigration detention as part of their continued response to the High Court decision of Ministers of NZYQ vs. Immigration, Citizenship, Multicultural Affairs & Anor,” the paper said.
“The cost of this measure will be partially met from within the existing resources of the Ministry of Home Affairs.”
Since this decision, deportation of asylum seekers to Nauru has also been a legal challenge.
These spending measures are just a handful of the total federal budget provided on March 25th, indicating that Australia’s deficit will skyrocket from $27.6 billion in 2024-25 to $42.1 billion in 2025-26.
Total debt will increase from $940 billion in 2024-25 to more than $1 trillion in 2025-26, while net debt will rise from $556 billion to $62000.3 billion at the same time.
