Strengthening the nation’s social cohesion: keeping Australians together
The Morrison Government worked to bring and keep Australians together — strengthening the nation's community spirit. This included support for local communities dealing with natural disasters, multicultural programs, protecting religious freedoms and promoting religious tolerance — especially taking a strong stand against anti-Semitism, and backing local sporting initiatives focused on building community cohesion and resilience.
Supporting Australians through natural disasters
The Morrison Government worked to support Australians and their local communities as they dealt with a series of significant natural disasters, including prolonged drought, devastating bushfires, major floods, and the impacts of cyclones — prompting a comprehensive response strategy to manage these crises effectively.
The Morrison Government took a proactive, innovative and hands-on approach to responding to natural disasters — focusing on immediate relief efforts, long-term recovery, and enhancing resilience against future events.
In early 2019, catastrophic floods in North Queensland killed hundreds of thousands of livestock and severely impacted rural communities. In response, the Morrison Government established the North Queensland Livestock Industry Recovery Agency (NQLIRA) to coordinate recovery efforts. The agency supported producers, small businesses, and local councils in the hardest-hit areas. Immediate support included grants of up to $75,000 for primary producers and $50,000 for small businesses, along with $2.6 million for mental health services and $1 million per affected council for local recovery. Long-term recovery investment included $22 million for beef industry restocking, $2 million for emergency fodder, $100 million for infrastructure resilience, $33 million for riparian restoration, $3 million for pest and weed control, and $7 million for community health and wellbeing. This strategy was credited with saving the North Queensland livestock industry and became a model for future disaster responses.
The 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires marked one of the most devastating natural disasters during the Morrison Government’s term. In response, the Government mobilised the Australian Defence Force (ADF) — including a compulsory call-up of Reserves — to assist with firefighting, evacuations, and logistics. A $2 billion National Bushfire Recovery Fund was established and was administered by the newly created National Bushfire Recovery Agency. This fund provided immediate financial support to individuals and businesses, funded mental health services, and restored damaged infrastructure. Prime Minister Morrison personally visited fire grounds, evacuation centres, and command centres from September 2019 into 2020 to provide support and assess ongoing needs.
The Morrison Government prioritised national preparedness and resilience. It invested in early warning systems, enhanced emergency response capabilities, and funded community education programs on disaster readiness. It also supported bushfire prevention and climate resilience research, and promoted sustainable land management and community-led resilience initiatives.
Disaster recovery efforts were coordinated with state and local authorities and included financial support for rebuilding homes, businesses, and infrastructure. Long-term industry support targeted sectors such as agriculture and tourism to ensure sustained recovery.
Community wellbeing and mental health were integral to the disaster response, with increased funding for mental health services to help individuals and communities manage the psychological impact of disasters.
In May 2021, the Morrison Government established the National Recovery and Resilience Agency. This consolidated the former National Drought and North Queensland Flood Response and Recovery Agency and the National Bushfire Recovery Agency, and incorporated the $2 billion National Bushfire Recovery Fund. Working with Emergency Management Australia, the Agency supported long-term recovery in storm-affected New South Wales and cyclone-impacted Western Australia. It also advised on future disaster risk management policies and programs.
The Morrison Government’s natural disaster response was defined by immediate relief, structured recovery planning, and a clear commitment to resilience. Comprehensive support and preparedness investments ensured Australia was better positioned to handle future natural disasters.
Celebrating our diversity and common values
The Morrison Government emphasised the importance of unity, inclusivity, and shared values within Australian society. The approach to fostering community cohesion involved a multifaceted strategy that included promoting social inclusion, supporting diverse communities, and encouraging civic participation.
The Morrison Government implemented a comprehensive approach to migration that balanced Australia's economic needs with social cohesion. Migration policies focused on attracting skilled workers while celebrating Australia's multicultural heritage. Working with State and Territory Governments, visas were fast-tracked for highly skilled professionals in targeted sectors and settlement in regional areas was promoted.
The Morrison Government’s commitment to Australia’s ethnic, cultural and religious diversity was demonstrated through programs supporting migrant integration, including language training and community engagement initiatives. Funding was allocated through the Multicultural Grants Program, which provided funding to support cultural festivals, community events, and projects that foster understanding and respect among diverse communities. These efforts helped newcomers contribute to and participate in Australian society while maintaining different cultural identities.
Supporting both humanitarian commitments and border security remained central to the Morrison Government’s approach, ensuring Australia continued its role in global refugee resettlement while managing immigration through proper channels.
Prime Minister Morrison placed significant emphasis on religious freedoms due to his personal beliefs, political values, and the role he saw religion playing in Australian society. As a practicing Christian, a commitment to religious freedoms was both a reflection of his own faith and a response to broader concerns about the protection of religious rights for all faiths in a diverse and pluralistic society.
The Morrison Government recognised growing concerns among religious communities in Australia about the perceived erosion of their rights to practice and express their beliefs freely. Religious communities, including Christians, Muslims, Jews, and others, represent significant constituencies in Australia. By advocating for religious freedoms, the Morrison Government sought to address the concerns of these groups, reinforcing trust in Australia’s political system and sought to give religious Australians the same protections against discrimination for their beliefs as those provided on the basis of gender, sexuality, and race.
Prime Minister Morrison worked to balance these freedoms with the need to protect individuals from hate speech and discrimination, striving to create a society where diverse voices are heard and respected.
Prime Minister Morrison also implemented a series of measures to specifically support Australia’s Jewish community and combat antisemitism — both domestically and internationally — including:
Adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism,
Increasing funding to enhance the safety of Jewish communities through the Safer Communities Fund,
Allocating $28 million for the establishment of Holocaust memorials, museums, and a Holocaust Memorial Week to educate future generations about the dangers of hate speech and extremism,
Consistently condemned antisemitism and took a firm stance in international forums, including at the United Nations (UN), where Prime Minister Morrison criticised perceived bias against Israel and identified certain UN actions as antisemitic, and
Listed the entirety of Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations.
In 2019, he became the first sitting Australian Prime Minister to receive the Jerusalem Prize, awarded by the Zionist Federation of Australia.
Indigenous Reconciliation
The Morrison Government made a determined effort to address the challenges faced by Indigenous Australians, focusing on improving socio-economic outcomes, fostering reconciliation, and preserving cultural heritage. The Morrison Government undertook several initiatives aimed at closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in areas such as health, education, employment, and housing.
Under the Morrison Government, the Hon. Ken Wyatt became the first Indigenous Australian to become a member of Cabinet and be responsible for the Indigenous Australians portfolio. A new National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) was created to lead and coordinate policy development, program design, and service delivery for Indigenous Australians.
In October 2019, Minister Wyatt announced a co-design process for developing an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Led by Professors Tom Calma and Marcia Langton, the process aimed to establish statutory mechanisms for Indigenous Australians to provide input on laws and policies affecting them. However, the Morrison Government deliberately did not support enshrining the Voice in the Constitution. Additionally, $10.8 million was provided over three years to Reconciliation Australia, to support initiatives like the Reconciliation Action Plan program.
A central feature of the Morrison Government’s approach to supporting Indigenous Australians was the refresh of the Closing the Gap initiative. Undertaken in direct partnership with Indigenous leaders and communities, including the Coalition of Peaks, the initiative introduced new targets and priorities, extending accountability to State and Territory Governments. It emphasised shared decision-making, co-design, and locally tailored solutions to meet the needs and aspirations of Indigenous Australians.
In August 2021, the Morrison Government announced a $1 billion package to advance the National Agreement’s objectives. Key elements included a $378.6 million redress scheme for Stolen Generations survivors in the ACT, Northern Territory, and Jervis Bay Territory, providing one-off payments and formal apologies. Additional investments supported health infrastructure, education, justice, and employment. While welcomed by many, critics noted that systemic challenges remained and tangible improvements across Indigenous communities were limited.
In 2022, the Morrison Government committed $316.5 million to establish the Ngurra Cultural Precinct in the Parliamentary Triangle on Ngunnawal Country. The precinct, named from the word meaning 'home' or 'place of belonging' in various Aboriginal languages, included the long-proposed National Resting Place and was designed to feature:
A National Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Centre to house the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
Exhibition spaces for the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural and heritage items
Facilities for learning, engagement, research, and curation to support truth-telling and cultural preservation
Economic empowerment was also a key focus. The Morrison Government advanced Indigenous employment and enterprise through policies such as the Indigenous Procurement Policy, which required government contracts to include Indigenous businesses. Complementary investments in education and vocational training supported skill development and job readiness, enhancing long-term economic opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
The Morrison Government’s overall strategy for Indigenous affairs aimed to reduce socio-economic disparities, support economic participation, improve health outcomes, protect cultural heritage, and promote reconciliation. Its efforts reflected a commitment to building a more inclusive Australia where Indigenous Australians can thrive and their cultural legacy is acknowledged and respected.
National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse
On 22 October 2018, Prime Minister Morrison delivered the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse in Parliament House, Canberra. This was a landmark national acknowledgment of the trauma and suffering caused by institutional abuse and the failures of governments, churches, and charities to protect children. Prime Minister Morrison described it as a moment for the nation to “say sorry,” committing to justice and healing for victims.
The Morrison Government continued to operate and adjust the National Redress Scheme, which had been established in 2018 as a key Royal Commission recommendation. Under Prime Minister Morrison’s leadership:
Participation of institutions was expanded and enforced, including public identification of non-compliant entities.
The government committed to faster processing times, simplification of application procedures, and improvements in survivor engagement.
As of Prime Minister Morrison’s final year in office, over 11,000 payments had been made totaling more than $960 million.
Other practical steps taken by the Morrison Government included:
Additional funding for child protection advocacy and counselling services,
Support for national child safety standards across institutions, and
Establishing the National Office for Child Safety, to coordinate government responses to the Royal Commission’s recommendations and monitor systemic change.
Increasing women’s safety and taking a stand against violence
One of the key initiatives of the Morrison Government was the implementation of the Fourth National Action Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children (2019–2022). Building on earlier efforts to address domestic and family violence, sexual assault, and other forms of gender-based violence, the Plan focused on prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery. It included support for victims, improvements to legal and judicial systems, and promotion of respectful relationships education.
The Morrison Government committed $328 million to support the Fourth Action Plan — its largest contribution to the National Plan at that time. This funding marked a significant increase compared to the Third Action Plan (2016–2019), which had received $100 million over three years.
In the 2021–22 Budget, the Morrison Government announced a landmark $3.4 billion package to improve outcomes for women’s safety, economic security, health, and wellbeing. Of this, $1.1 billion was dedicated specifically to women’s safety initiatives. Key components included:
A new two-year National Partnership Agreement, with $261.4 million allocated to work with States and Territories to expand local frontline services and pilot new initiatives during the transition to the next National Plan.
$144.8 million to establish the Escaping Violence Payment trial, offering financial assistance to women leaving violent relationships.
In addition to these targeted measures, approximately $1.6 billion per year was provided to states and territories through the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement. The National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation also supported relevant projects, including $9 million in funding to Women’s Housing Limited to assist women and children escaping family violence, older women, and working women on low to medium incomes.
The Morrison Government also acted to improve workplace safety and gender equality. In September 2021, it accepted all 55 recommendations of the Respect@Work Report. These reforms aimed to proactively prevent workplace harassment and strengthen support for victims, contributing to safer and more respectful working environments.
Access to quality social services and delivering affordable housing for all
The Morrison Government took action to improve the quality of social services and implemented reforms bettering support systems, believing that availability and ease of access to services reflected the strength of social fabric and community vitality. On 23 February 2021, Prime Minister Morrison announced a record $9 billion investment to enhance the social security safety net. This included a $50 per fortnight increase in working-age payments, effective from April 1, 2021, benefiting approximately 1.95 million Australians. This marked the largest year-on-year increase in unemployment benefits since 1986, aimed at providing more substantial support to job seekers while encouraging them to actively seek employment.
Alongside the payment increase, the government raised the income-free earnings threshold for JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance allowing recipients to earn additional income without affecting their welfare payments and incentivising part-time work. The Morrison Government reintroduced mutual obligation requirements for job seekers, ensuring that welfare recipients remained engaged with the job market while receiving support.
In response to growing concerns about homelessness exacerbated by the pandemic, on 16 December 2021, Prime Minister Morrison announced $500 million in low-cost financing to support 2,500 more social and affordable houses for vulnerable Australians. This built on a 2018 commitment to fund 14,000 homes through low-cost loans to Community Housing Providers.
By providing targeted Commonwealth support to enhance social services as well as cultivate a strong community spirit across Australia, the Morrison Government fostered a cohesive society supporting Australians from all walks of life.
Related media:
1. Speech, “Until the bell rings” - Address to Menzies Research Centre, 06 September 2018: https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-41772
2. Press release, Community Language Grants to build stronger communities, 14 March 2019: https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42194
3. Transcript, Virtual multicultural community roundtable, 23 October 2020: https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43099
4. Press release, Morrison Government commits record $9B to social security safety net, 23 February 2021: https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43244
5. Press release, More support to deliver affordable housing, 16 December 2021: https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43715
