From pandas and mosquitoes to opals and a LGBTQIA museum: All the weird and wonderful things the Albanese government is spending YOUR money on in the 2025 federal budget
- Rays, pandas and ants covered in the budget
- Museums for opals and LGBTQIA+ culture also funded
- READ MORE: Hidden detail in federal Budget shows the future of Australia Day
The Albanese government has pledged to inject millions of funding into some unexpected projects from mosquito and yellow ant control to an LGBTQIA+ museum and 'panda diplomacy'.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down his fourth federal budget on Tuesday night, outlining a string of cost of living relief measures including electricity rebates, tax cuts and cheaper medicines.
But the Albanese government has also greenlit funding for some unique projects buried in the budget that missed out on the limelight on Tuesday night.
In Sydney, the Budget noted Labor had spent $1.5million in the past year on upgrades to the city's Qtopia museum.
The venue was billed as 'a dedicated space at the site of the former Darlinghurst Police Station, created as a centre for celebrating and educating on LGBTQIA+ history and culture'.
In outback NSW, fans of shiny gemstones struck it rich with the government outlaying $3.1million in an attempt to turn the mining town of Lightning Ridge into a global tourism hotspot.
'The Australian government is providing funding towards a new Australian Opal Centre as an international tourist attraction and world hub for opal-related knowledge, certification, education, training, research, heritage, arts and travel,' the papers read.
The government will also give the NSW government a further $13.6million to help build a St George Illawarra Dragons Community and High Performance Centre.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers allocated $13.6million in the budget for the St George Illawarra Dragons Community and High Performance Centre. Pictured is St George Illawarra NRL star Valentine Holmes taking a selfie with footy fans
The federal government will pour $3.1million to turn regional mining town of Lightning Ridge into a global tourism hotspot (stock image)
The venue would 'provide high performance and community sporting facilities for elite athlete pathways and community programs'.
The budget didn't just set aside money to attract tourists to the nation's hotspots - it also stumped up $6.3million to get rid of some unwanted visitors in Far North Queensland.
'The Australian government is providing funding to ensure a more concerted approach to yellow crazy ant eradication activities in Townsville and adjacent to the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area in Cairns,' the budget said.
Australia has leaned into 'Panda diplomacy', a diplomatic and conservation policy from China through which the Chinese government sends giant pandas to other nations.
The federal government, with the SA authority, is channeling $3.8million over five years from 2024-25 to Adelaide Zoo's giant panda couple Xing Qiu and Yi Lan.
In addition, a further $3.8million from 2029-30 to 2033-34 has been set to support the bears.
Another environmental project receiving a cool $3million in additional support for the Maugean skate, a ray found only in Tasmania.
Labor has spent $1.5million in the past year on upgrades to Sydney's Qtopia museum, a centre for celebrating and educating on LGBTQIA+ history (stock image)
Over three years from 2025–26, the funding will go towards a captive breeding program to support the increasing number of baby Maugean skates.
Dr Chalmers has also allocated $900,000 to boost mosquito control efforts in the Torres Strait Protected Zone.
The government has also set aside $1.6million over two years for mental health services for Australians impacted by the Hamas-Israel war.
While a hefty package on the illegal tobacco trade across Australia is not a surprise, with the Labor government providing $156.7million over two years from 2025-26.
The federal government is channeling $3.8million into Adelaide Zoo's giant panda couple Xing Qiu and Yi Lan (pictured)
However, $1.4million during that period has been allocated to evaluate the threat posed by the prevalence of illicit tobacco in circulation in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
The Budget also lists a $570million loan provided to Papua New Guinea to address its 2024 budget shortfall.
The loan 'was provided in response to a request from the PNG Government and will support PNG's delivery of economic reforms under the International Monetary Fund program,'
The government will provide an additional $800,000 this financial year to continue in‑country technical support to assist with PNG Budget management.
