This Month
Workers’ compensation is costing way more in one state than the others
Disability providers, disadvantaged by higher workers’ comp premiums in NSW relative to other states, have backed Labor’s reform bill.
Rise in exam help for school students ‘driven by NDIS’
A quarter of Australian students get disability support in school, but higher rates of exam help in non-government schools have some questioning the fairness.
More than one in seven HSC students claim exam help for disability
Almost three-quarters of disability claims result in year 12 students receiving rest breaks for pain, anxiety disorder or concentration issues.
June
Capping NDIS growth at 8pc not enough, government warned
The cost of the NDIS has doubled since 2021 due to a surge in the number of children joining the scheme.
Welfare for life: How a broken system is driving higher autism rates
It is a national tragedy that more than one in 17 Australian boys aged between five and nine are now diagnosed and tens of thousands are on the NDIS.
May
I’m on the NDIS. Here’s what Labor must do to fix it
The National Disability Insurance Scheme’s future hinges on the government’s willingness to listen, reform equitably and invest in all disabled Australians.
Who is the Dutton conqueror, Ali France?
The new member for Dickson is now in Labor folklore. But who is the disability advocate the prime minister refers to as an “extraordinary Australian”?
March
I’m an NDIS participant. Here’s what I’ve uncovered about this chaotic system
Missteps, miscalculations, lies and missed opportunities on the NDIS should alarm anyone who values sound economic governance.
Bold decisions needed to constrain NDIS growth: report
The NDIS is failing to achieve its original goals and is groaning under the weight of unsustainable work volumes, says the Grattan Institute.
January
I told a summit DEI’s business case doesn’t stack up. Response was icy
Diversity, equity and inclusion programs have been a cash cow for consultants, far exceeding the gains for the target groups they are meant to support.
December 2024
Sir Elton John reveals he has lost his eyesight
The 77-year-old legendary musician told fans he had lost his vision after an infection in one eye earlier in the year.
November 2024
Law firm accused of improper billing and discrimination
A legal assistant alleges he was forcibly made redundant at Lander & Rogers after complaining about appropriate access when he started using a wheelchair.
‘Nightmare’ shifts: Push to rule carer sleepovers as breaks, not work
Employers are seeking industry-wide changes so carers sleeping at a client’s house can’t count that towards overtime pay, which they say could blow out NDIS costs.
October 2024
Optus ‘exploited’ vulnerable people, ACCC alleges
The telco group sold phone plans to people who could not use them at home because there was no Optus coverage where they lived, the competition watchdog claims.
NDIS autism reforms could stretch beyond election
Disability ministers will meet in Adelaide on Friday for more negotiations over the cost of early intervention services for children with developmental delays.
NDIS is sucking in workers from more efficient jobs
Flatlining growth in the care economy and surging spending on the National Disability Insurance Scheme is threatening to make households poorer.
Sex work, yoga and cuddle therapy banned from NDIS spending
The list of approved and banned services for participants in the scheme comes into effect on Thursday, with a one-year transition period.
September 2024
DEI is no longer just about ethics, it’s about profits, academics say
Australian business schools are providing an increasing amount of diversity components to reflect a growing corporate demand.
NDIS ‘navigator’ plan could save up to $5b
A plan to replace middle men with trained plan co-ordinators is being considered by federal Labor, off the back of the NDIS review last year.
Meet the quiet heroes of the Paralympics: the athlete guides
There are 22 Paralympic sports in which competitors are allowed to use guides, and their relationships can border on telepathic.