This Month
The stage of life Australians can’t afford to ignore
Kate Carnell says federal funds for end-of-life planning would reduce costly hospitalisations and prevent unnecessary suffering.
April
The forgotten tax keeping women out of work
Removing fringe benefits tax on employer-subsidised childcare is a no-brainer if we truly care about lifting workforce participation.
‘Game-changing’ rulings grant big gender gap catch-up pay rises
Fair Work has handed down decisions to “free” minimum award rates of historic gender assumptions, raising funding questions for the government.
March
Productivity problem empowers populist right
We had better get our act together in Australia or we may court the kind of poisonous politics wreaking havoc in the United States and across Europe.
Meet the stay-at-home dads whose wives are killing it at work
Outside parental leave, few men become the primary carer for school-age children. But these fathers have, allowing their partners to continue their careers.
February
PM pledges flat-fee childcare as part of second term ‘vision’
Anthony Albanese has revealed for the first time his support for a flat-fee system of universal childcare in which parents would pay no more than $10 or $20 a day.
School retention, attendance rates continue to trend downwards
Fewer students are staying at school until the end and too many don’t turn up for class. Mental health is part of the problem.
How careers counsellors could help plug the skills gap
Encouraging teenagers to complete high school and giving them access to careers counselling are key to plugging the yawning skills gap.
PM’s plan to wedge Libs on childcare, production tax credits
The government has fast-tracked legislation for its signature childcare policy to try and expose the Coalition on the cusp the federal election.
December 2024
Albanese and Dutton lay down the battle lines for the election race
The Coalition is taking a gamble on nuclear while Albanese is trying to convince voters to back his childcare plan.
Opposition sets up election row on childcare
The Coalition has indicated it will not support Anthony Albanese’s plan to abolish the activity test for childcare eligibility.
PM to scrap childcare activity test, fund centres in ‘deserts’
Anthony Albanese has unveiled the first big steps towards delivering universal and affordable childcare.
Crescent Capital mulls exit for Green Leaves Early Learning
Street Talk understands the Sydney-based buyout firm is gearing up to add the Queensland-based childcare group to deal sheets.
November 2024
Albanese dangles childcare package in pitch to voters
Labor’s new childcare policy will not be legislated until after the election, making its delivery contingent on re-electing the government.
Union demands could delay pay rise for childcare workers
Childcare providers are scrambling to meet a government funding condition to have a workplace agreement in place, warning a push to have a union deal could delay pay rises for months.
Why families feel like they can never get on top of childcare fees
Marita Tilleraas has experienced childcare systems in Norway and Australia, and says the latter is impossible to understand. Economist Angela Jackson agrees.
Montessori Academy childcare founders reclaim control
Street Talk wouldn’t be surprised to see bankers add Montessori Academy to their list of IPO prospects as 95 per cent of the business transfers to the founders.
October 2024
In politics, there’s nothing wrong with aspiration, until there is
The PM can hardly complain when the politics of envy rears its head, as it has after he was revealed as the buyer of a $4.3 million beach house.
Flat-fee childcare to spearhead PM’s second-term agenda
The government is working on plans to phase in a flat daily fee for childcare as it seeks a breakout issue to help secure a second term.
Desperate colleges shore up numbers before student caps kick in
Parliament is yet to pass a bill allowing the government to limit overseas student places, but there is a lot of manoeuvring on the assumption it will go ahead.