https://advanceinstitute.com.au/2023/02/06/6-february-in-australian-history/?page_id=5771
There’s no town like Alice – or is there?
There can be no doubt that the problems in Alice Springs are extreme, to say the least, but similar problems exist on Indigenous, remote and rural communities right throughout Australia. Nor is the problem confined to Indigenous people. It is happening right across the community. Alice Springs has come to the forefront in recent times … Continue reading There’s no town like Alice – or is there?
5 February in Australian History
4 February in Australian History
The proposed changes to Medicare: are they enough?
The Australian Government has recently announced proposed changes to the country’s Medicare system. The proposed changes aim to create a more efficient and equitable system for the delivery and funding of Australia’s health care services. Let's take a closer look at these proposed changes. The proposed changes to Medicare are intended to make the system … Continue reading The proposed changes to Medicare: are they enough?
3 February in Australian History
Poverty in Australia
Poverty in Australia is a growing concern as it affects more and more people every year. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, over 3.2 million Australians, or approximately 13.5%, are living in poverty, meaning that they live on less than 50% of the median income. This means that more than one in eight Australians … Continue reading Poverty in Australia
2 February in Australian History
Universal Basic Income in Australia
Over the years, Australia just like other developed countries have been thinking of introducing a universal basic income (UBI). But what is it, and what are the arguments for and against? A UBI is a form of income that is offered by the government to its citizens with disregard to their employment status. This form … Continue reading Universal Basic Income in Australia
1 February in Australian History
Voice to Parliament: the dirty tricks of the no-campaigners
Constitutional recognition through a Voice to Parliament would give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people agency to help inform decisions that impact their lives. Yet there are those that are against this purely on principle, rather than on any facts or details of the proposed Voice. Why is this so? First, let's look at what … Continue reading Voice to Parliament: the dirty tricks of the no-campaigners
31 January in Australian History
China have just made our housing crisis worse
More than 40,000 Chinese university students could arrive in Australia in the next few weeks as a result of a Chinese government ban on online studying. The ban affects all students located in China who are studying university courses online through an Australian university. China have decreed that they will no longer recognise these online … Continue reading China have just made our housing crisis worse
The problems with the NDIS
Now in its fourth year of implementation, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is an Australian Government initiative providing funding for disability support and services. This insurance-based scheme is designed to provide people with a significant and permanent disability with the necessary and reasonable support they require to enjoy an ordinary lifestyle. While the NDIS … Continue reading The problems with the NDIS
30 January in Australian History
We need a Centrelink Royal Commission
The Australian government established Centrelink with the primary purpose of providing aid to individuals who are in need of it. Unfortunately, Australian residents don't believe the agency has performed effectively, which is why a Royal Commission is needed to intervene and restore order. But why is a Royal Commission necessary, and what will its objectives … Continue reading We need a Centrelink Royal Commission
29 January in Australian History
28 January in Australian History
My first story in Big Issue Magazine (2006)
This was my very first story published in Big Issue Magazine as part of a regular fortnightly series back in 2006. Big Issue employed me with money they received from Sarina Russo and The Vodafone Foundation. Dear Mum, Sorry I haven’t written for a while. Okay, so it’s been three years. This is just a … Continue reading My first story in Big Issue Magazine (2006)
27 January in Australian History
Australia Day or Invasion Day?
A nation's national day of celebration is meant to unite a country, but in recent years that has not been the case in Australia. So is it time to change the date we celebrate our national day? The date of 26 January has always been controversial as our national day of celebration, even though it … Continue reading Australia Day or Invasion Day?
26 January in Australian History
Centrelink are still using income averaging
Income averaging was found to be illegal by the Federal Court in the Robodebt Test Case of Amato vs Commonwealth (2019), yet Centrelink still use this methodology when calculating income for certain windfalls. These windfalls include lottery wins, inheritances, gifts, bequests, insurance payments, bursaries, scholarships and anything else Centrelink decide is income, if they are … Continue reading Centrelink are still using income averaging
25 January in Australian History
My jump from prison officer to social justice campaigner
One thing I learnt in my time as a prison officer is that there is no such thing as the justice system, and we should stop referring to it as such. It is the judicial system, run by judges and with little concern for victims or offenders. My jump to social justice campaigner started with … Continue reading My jump from prison officer to social justice campaigner
Craig Hill 