Inquiry into rising cost of childcare to start next year
The Albanese government has announced a 12-month inquiry into the rising cost of childcare, which will start early next year.
The government’s childcare package is due to start in July, which will increase the subsidy for most parents.
But the review will look at why it is so expensive, with $10.8m being put aside in the October budget to fund the ACCC to begin looking at what has happened in the multi-billion industry.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said early childhood education has increased 41% over the past eight years.
This is a significant burden to many Australian families already struggling to make ends meet.
That’s why, as part of a comprehensive plan for cheaper childcare at the election, we will conduct a thorough inquiry into the cost of childcare in Australia.
The ACCC inquiry will examine the driving factors behind rising childcare costs and out-of-pocket expenses and will make recommendations to the government on ways to ease pressure on families.
Legislation to increase the childcare subsidy will be introduced into the parliament by Jason Clare, the education minister, next week.
Clare:
Anyone with kids in early education and childcare knows how expensive it is, knows it’s a massive disincentive to work more hours or more days.
At the moment about 60% of mothers of children under six who work, do part-time hours. A lot of Australians would want to work more, but if they did all of that pay would be gobbled up by the childcare bill. It means it’s not worth it.
Legislation I will introduce next week will cut out-of-pockets costs for 96% of families will children in care. The ACCC inquiry is another way the Albanese government is helping to drive down out-of-pocket childcare costs for families.
Key events
Mass whale stranding on Tasmania’s west coast
Donna Lu
There are reports of a mass whale stranding at Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania’s west coast, near the town of Strahan.
A spokesperson for the Tasmanian department of natural resources and environment confirmed the stranding but could not yet provide more details about the event.
The ABC said it had spoken to a local who described the stranding as a “massive event”, with whales visible near the entrance to Macquarie Harbour. It is unclear how many animals are stranded.
The event comes exactly two years to the day after Australia’s worst whale stranding on record, which occurred in the same location. On September 21, 2020, 470 long-finned pilot whales were found beached on sandbars. A week-long rescue effort saved 111 whales, and authorities had to dispose of more than 350 carcasses.
Wednesday’s incident follows a separate whale stranding yesterday on King Island, north of Tasmania. At least 14 sperm whales died and washed ashore.
Commenting on yesterday’s stranding, Dr Olaf Meynecke from Griffith University’s coastal and marine research centre said:
It is certainly highly unusual for such [a] large number of sperm whales to strand. They are highly intelligent. As was the case in Europe a few years ago, many of them were sick but stranded in various locations. Reported plans for seismic testing in that area are around the same location that these whales feed.
Peter Hannam
Economic conditions are on a ‘knife-edge’: Bullock
RBA’s Michele Bullock has echoed comments from her boss, governor Philip Lowe that China remains a concern with its troubled property market, and how that might affect global growth.
Also a worry are those rising interest rates in US and Europe, with the latter also facing a “massive energy shock” thanks to Putin’s curbs on gas exports to the region in the wake of that country’s invasion of Ukraine (and subsequent sanctions).
Economic conditions are on a “knife-edge”, she says, not so reassuringly.
Peter Hannam
RBA rate hikes not restrictive so far: deputy governor says
Michele Bullock, the RBA deputy governor who has been commenting on the state of the bank’s finances, has told a Bloomberg event in Sydney that the rate hikes so far are not restrictive.
Bullock says there is “much more underlying momentum” in the inflationary psychology of the US and the UK where wages have risen much faster than in Australia.
(We’ll likely see the impact of that overnight when the US Federal Reserve is poised to lift its key rate by as much as 100 basis points.)
The varying conditions is one reason why central banks can’t really act in unison, Bullock said.
Ben Butler
Victorian gambling regulator reveals Crown paid additional $21m to settle dispute over casino entry fees
It’s “dump day” at Victorian parliament – the day the government tables vast quantities of annual reports from the alphabet soup of statutory bodies it runs.
Those bodies include the new Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, brought in to keep a closer eye on the Melbourne casino run by Crown Resorts following a series of inquiries that exposed failures including the criminal infiltration of junkets and money laundering taking place at the company’s operations.
Victoria’s royal commission also dealt with the underpayment by Crown of casino tax – as a result, the company has paid $61m in back taxes.
But the VGCCC’s annual report reveals that Crown has also paid an additional $21m to settle an extremely long-running dispute over whether entrance fees to poker tournaments are subject to casino tax.
This has been in dispute “since approximately 2005”, or 17 years ago, the regulator said in the report.
In December last year, Crown finally conceded that the entry fees were taxable and paid more than $7.5m in casino tax dating back to when it first started holding poker tournaments in 2004.
However, the company “held the view that penalty interest was not payable on the late payment of tournament tax”, the VGCCC said.
It caved on that issue in May and paid another $12.7m.
The VGCCC noted:
The delay in Crowns acceptance of the position held by the gambling regulator regarding the tax treatment of such fees contributed to the excessive penalty interest calculation, which far outweighed the tax paid.
The bureaucratic equivalent of a soccer playing putting their shirt over their head and running around after scoring a goal.
Peter Hannam
RBA will post a net loss of $36.7bn for the year
Taking into account the bank’s Reserve Fund, that loss has tipped the RBA in negative equity of more than $12bn.
No need to panic because the government guarantees the bank’s equity and the bank can print its own dough.
But there is a lingering issue for treasurer Jim Chalmers because he may have to inject fresh capital into the bank, and the government won’t be able to rely on a steady flow of dividends that treasurers can usually rely on.
Add that one, if you will, to the legacy fiscal impacts that the Albanese government has inherited.
Man disqualified from riding motorcycle until 2082 charged after police chase
A 48-year-old Dubbo man, who had previously been disqualified from riding a motorcycle until 2082, has been charged with 10 offences after an alleged pursuit with police in the Lake Illawarra region on Tuesday.
The man was charged with 10 offences:
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Police pursuit – not stop – drive at speed – second offence.
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Drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous – second offence.
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Class A motor vehicle exceed speed > 45 km/h – estimate.
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Driver or rider state false name or home address.
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Use unregistered registrable Class A motor vehicle on road.
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Use uninsured motor vehicle on road.
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Resist officer in execution of duty.
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Use class A vehicle displaying misleading etc number plate.
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Drive motor vehicle during disqualification period – second offence.
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Destroy or damage property.
Police checks had revealed the man had been disqualified from riding a motorcycle in 2001 until 2082.
The man was refused bail to appear in Wollongong local court today.
Australia signs global pledge to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030
Lisa Cox
The Albanese government has signed a global pledge endorsed by more than 90 countries committing them to reversing biodiversity loss by 2030.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, announced Australia had joined the Leaders Pledge for Nature at an event taking place on the sidelines of the United Nations general assembly in New York.
It is the same pledge the Morrison government refused to sign in 2020 because it called for commitments that were inconsistent with Australia’s policies at the time, including greater ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In a video message, Albanese said Australia’s approach to environmental challenges had changed:
I’m pleased to say Australia will join other nations in endorsing the Leaders Pledge for Nature.
This highlights Australia’s reinvigorated approach to protecting our environment and climate leadership and signals our solidarity with other world leaders in our commitment to taking strong action on the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.
The prime minister noted Australia’s place as of only a handful of megadiverse countries that comprised 10% of the earth’s surface but were home to more than 70% of its species.
Describing the world’s environmental challenges as urgent, he said Australia was committed to becoming a global leader in the fight to solve them.
Working together we can better protect and conserve the world’s land, sea, waterways and cultural heritage for future generations. Now is the time to act.
Inquiry into rising cost of childcare to start next year
The Albanese government has announced a 12-month inquiry into the rising cost of childcare, which will start early next year.
The government’s childcare package is due to start in July, which will increase the subsidy for most parents.
But the review will look at why it is so expensive, with $10.8m being put aside in the October budget to fund the ACCC to begin looking at what has happened in the multi-billion industry.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said early childhood education has increased 41% over the past eight years.
This is a significant burden to many Australian families already struggling to make ends meet.
That’s why, as part of a comprehensive plan for cheaper childcare at the election, we will conduct a thorough inquiry into the cost of childcare in Australia.
The ACCC inquiry will examine the driving factors behind rising childcare costs and out-of-pocket expenses and will make recommendations to the government on ways to ease pressure on families.
Legislation to increase the childcare subsidy will be introduced into the parliament by Jason Clare, the education minister, next week.
Clare:
Anyone with kids in early education and childcare knows how expensive it is, knows it’s a massive disincentive to work more hours or more days.
At the moment about 60% of mothers of children under six who work, do part-time hours. A lot of Australians would want to work more, but if they did all of that pay would be gobbled up by the childcare bill. It means it’s not worth it.
Legislation I will introduce next week will cut out-of-pockets costs for 96% of families will children in care. The ACCC inquiry is another way the Albanese government is helping to drive down out-of-pocket childcare costs for families.
There has been another mass whale stranding:
Unfolding: A mass whale stranding has occurred at Macquarie Harbour near Strahan on Tasmania’s west coast.
It is unclear how many whales are involved.
It comes two years since another mass stranding at Macquarie Harbour left hundreds of whales dead.
— Monte Bovill (@MonteBovill) September 21, 2022
Donna Lu
Only 8% of women across all Stem industries were in CEO positions: 2022 gender equity report finds
The federal government has published its 2022 report on gender equity across the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem).
The Stem equity monitor found that in 2021, women made up 27% of the workforce across all Stem industries. They accounted for 15% of all people working specifically in Stem-qualified jobs, an increase of two percentage points from 2020.
In comparison, women have accounted for approximately half of people in non-Stem occupations, and 76% of health jobs, since 2009.
The minister for industry and science, Ed Husic, said in a statement:
We know that women remain chronically underrepresented when it comes to Stem and for First Nations people participation is much lower.
Husic earlier this month announced a review into government programs to improve diversity in Australia’s science and technology sectors.
The Stem equity report also found:
Only 8% of women across all Stem industries were in CEO positions, compared to 43% in health and 19% across all industries. In 2021, the gender pay gap for full-time workers in Stem industries (including discretionary pay) was $26,784, or 18%.
In the education sector, women held 29% of Stem teaching and research roles in 2021. The number of females enrolled in university Stem courses increased by 24% between 2015 and 2020.
Kylie Walker, chief executive of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, said in a statement:
The 2022 Stem equity monitor highlights the persistent leaky pipeline, where women are graduating from Stem studies at higher rates than before, but there is a major exodus as they pursue non-Stem occupations at higher rates than men.
The monitor also reveals that the gender pay gap – already higher in Stem than across the Australian economy – has tripled for those with postgraduate engineering qualifications. This is alarming in the context of a severe and growing engineering skills shortage.
Supporting those impacted is one of the biggest priorities: McLachlan
We’ll have a process that supports those who have got the courage to step forward. And then obviously puts those allegations to the accused and that will play out in a shorter period of time as appropriate without undermining in any way the investigation.
And at the same time, we’ve got a broader game that will go on. But I don’t think that in any way diminishes the scale of the story that’s broken today and the hurt and the pain.
And it will be contextual in everything we do. We’ll play a grand final on Saturday. But in the parallel there’s something incredibly big for the individuals, definitely, and beyond that, going on.
Gil McLachlan says what he has heard are ‘harrowing stories’
There’s increasing courage of the complainants to speak out. I think the story will evolve and I hope the process that will involve an independent panel … I had discussions with Linda Burney this morning, with Helen Melrose on my commission, with Tanya, with Paul Marsh, Alister Nicholson, it will be the right group of people with the right skill sets to look into this.
I think the information will continue to evolve as people feel confident to tell their stories. We thank those who had the courage to do so far.
Tanya Hosch says it was hard reading the review and report
Yes, I mean, almost it’s hard to find the words to describe how you feel when you read something like this, honestly. But how I feel is pretty irrelevant.
What we need to do is really centred around the experiences of the people who have come forward.
So, I would rather not linger on how I feel. What we’ve got to be very focused on as part of the AFL, as Gil has already said, is make sure the complainants are first and foremost our concern, how they’re feeling, what their needs are, and we’ll only know that once our examination is done.
Too early to speculate on what external review will say: Tanya Hosch
Tanya Hosch says it is too early to say what the external review will say or what the solutions are:
It’s too soon to say what that is. Because we have to come up with a process that adequately addresses the allegations in hand today through the report that Hawthorn commissioned, we obviously, as Gil has just said, are going to do further examination on exactly what has occurred. I think that has to be our priority.
These are not things that should be taken lightly. If the design of these things are not done appropriately, if Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people don’t have input into the design, we’ll not come up with an adequate response because the questions will be wrong. So there’s a whole range of things that need to be managed appropriately and very directly.
It’s certainly not something that can be rushed. If you do a rush job in relation to things that are so critical, to speak to the history of this country, as a whole, we don’t do service or show appropriate respect to everyone impacted by any of the number of things that you might expect to find.
‘The country has a problem’ not just the AFL: Hosch
Tanya Hosch the general manager of inclusion and social policy at the AFL is also at the press conference and says it is not just the AFL which has a problem:
I think the country has a problem. When the Do Better report was released, I said very plainly there, if you look at any organisation in the country, specifically for issues in relation to the treatment, cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, you would anticipate finding a problem.
I don’t think we’re immune to that. It’s really clear that we’re not. And so, we will definitely think in broader scope when the time is right. But we’ve got a very urgent, pressing issue right here and now that has to take absolute priority. But of course we’re thinking about the broader issues.
Gil McLachlan says there will be a wider review
I have committed to Paul Marsh and to the coaches association that they will have a say in the formation and these will be people who are appropriately qualified in a functional sense, with an appropriate diverse background and the appropriate skills to do that. I think when you see the credibility of the individuals and their qualifications, I feel comfortable that … they will regard it as the right people to look into this.
Has anyone been stood down?
Gil McLachlan:
I had conversations this morning with clubs, representatives of those accused, and I feel that the way they will be approaching this impending investigation will be clear today. I will leave it to the clubs and the representatives.
‘We need to do more’: McLachlan
Gil McLachlan:
We need to run a proper investigation to get to the bottom of it and this is important.
Out of respect for those making the allegations and out of respect for those being accused.
We need to provide natural justice and allow the process to go on, but we will seek to have the panel in place and work with the Hawthorn football club to develop the report of the plays and partners involved to engage with them, to expedite it and not extend the trauma.
As a game, we have taken steps in recent times to add resources to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players … with Indigenous player development managers in each club.
An extension of ensuring that we continue to build the games capability in relation to cultural safety and cultural inclusion. I met regularly with senior players over the last 18 months and we had our first meeting with Indigenous AFLW players which will be held several times a year. We need to do more.
And we will. We need greater safety and education across our game, and we will do that.
Tanya, the EGM of inclusion of social policy and her team, will continue part of the work. That so many people are hurting today and have been hurting for a long time.
And to all of them, I want to acknowledge that hurt, and as a game, we’ll do everything to ensure that the hurt you experienced is not a hurt that is experienced by others.
AFL to appoint independent panel to investigate Hawthorn allegations
Gil McLachlan:
We have received the report from the Hawthorn football club and I want to outline we will fully investigate what has been shared. These are serious allegations.
It is important that we treat them appropriately while also ensuring a formal process provides support to those impacted and also natural justice to those people who are accused.
This is a process that is appropriate, that is held independent of a normal AFL integrity department response.
As such, we are appointing an external independent panel that will be made up of four people, led by an eminent king’s counsel.
The independent panel that we will finalise over the next 24 hours will be appropriately skilled, have the right mix of diversity and an approach that prioritises cultural safety for all those who have shared their experiences.
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