Craig Hill Media and Consulting
Opinion
Managing an Aboriginal Corporation in Tingha
In 2002, I moved out of Queensland to manage the Mrangalli Aboriginal Corporation in Tingha, NSW. This proved quite rewarding, but it wasn’t without it’s problems. Sadly, the corporation no longer exists, for reasons we will discuss later. Before non indigenous settlement the area now known as Tingha was mainly inhabited by people from the … Continue reading
Was the Morrison government fascist?
Allegations of fascism are thrown around frequently to describe the far right, and often the term is misused to incite an emotional response against political ideologies that opponents don’t agree with. However, in the case of the Morrison government, the use of the word may have had some merit. Wikipedia describes Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology. It … Continue reading
The rise and fall of Lidia Thorpe
There can be no doubt that Lidia Thorpe has achieved a lot in her time, but like many before and still to come, she has shown a political naivety since coming to federal politics. Although she made significant achievements prior to entering federal politics, which we will acknowledge, she has been an absolute nightmare for … Continue reading
I won my 11 month fight with the NDIS
Yesterday I won my 11 month battle with the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme). It was only a small win, but highlights the lack of empathy and bloody-mindedness of those charged with administering the scheme. This was an incredible waste of government time and money, when one considers that the cost that NDIS was trying … Continue reading
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
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
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
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
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
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
Centrelink needs to be broken up
Centrelink is a totally dysfunctional organisation, due in large part to the fact that it has become too big to be able to function efficiently or effectively. They administer all forms of benefit payments, and the call centre staff rarely know the answers to an enquiry when they are called. That is, if one can … Continue reading
Bring back the CES (Commonwealth Employment Service)
Job Services Australia, or Workforce Australia as it is now called, has failed to live up to the promises the Howard government made when they introduced it in 1998. Originally known as the Job Network, it has devolved into a giant money making venture by about 30 multinational organisations, and offers few tangible services to … Continue reading
Centrelink staff need to learn some manners
One thing that was consistent during the Robodebt Royal Commission was Centrelink’s victims reporting that staff had been rude and aggressive. Sadly, this has not changed. Witnesses at the Royal Commission recounted that staff had yelled at them, mocked them, refused to listen to any defence and generally treated them with contempt. Witnesses recalled being … Continue reading
Why retrospective law can be applied to the NACC
With the passing of legislation for the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), it is worth reflecting on the history of retrospective law in Australia, and how the courts have found it to be legal. It is possible in Australia to break laws that have not yet been created, but there are instances where many would believe … Continue reading
Churches are businesses and should pay tax
It is difficult to know how much revenue churches make in Australia each year, but some estimates put it at $40 billion dollars, all tax free. This means Australia is missing out on about $10 billion dollars a year in taxes. Not just corporate tax, but also income tax, GST, payroll tax, council rates, land … Continue reading
Corporate welfare cheats: the real bludgers in Australian society
While Australia’s poor and marginalised are portrayed as “welfare cheats” by the LNP and right wing, the real welfare cheats are pocketing billions at the expense of the Australian taxpayer. These are the large corporations, particularly their CEOs and executives, who receive handouts from the government that they don’t really need and are not really … Continue reading
It is social security, not welfare
In the pre-Centrelink days, the unemployed, disabled, aged, marginalised and students were treated with some respect by the Australian government. Those days are long gone. Up until 1997, Australia had the Department of Social Security, which administered social security payments. This is how they were referred to by both the government and the department. Then … Continue reading
Centrelink are in the firing line, and it’s about time
My recent article The aged pension is not welfare has now been read by nearly 40,000 people in just two days, and I have received emails from over 100 people having problems with Centrelink. The response has been overwhelming. I have responded to many of these emails, and will respond to all of them over … Continue reading
Centrelink’s war on people with disabilities
One thing people with disabilities dread hearing is when Centrelink tells them they are not disabled enough., but it is something they hear all too frequently. Disability can take many forms: it can be intellectual, mental illness, physical or sensory. One can be born with it or acquire it later in life. It doesn’t discriminate … Continue reading
The aged pension is not welfare
The aged pension is an entitlement and Centrelink should not be treating it as welfare. All Australians should be entitled to it as a reward for a lifetime of contribution to Australia. While it is true that some contribute more than others, we live in one of the most democratic countries in the world, and … Continue reading
How Centrelink are causing domestic abuse in Australian families
Centrelink are a major contributor to domestic abuse in Australian families because of their antiquated laws, and it is time the Australian government stepped in and stopped it. Under Centrelink law, if one partner in a relationship is working, the other partner is not entitled to any income support, or gets a drastically decreased amount. … Continue reading
Centrelink legislation is in drastic need of reform
The Social Security Act and Social Security (Administration) Act each contain over 1,000 sections, most of which are designed to deny people payments, and many of which are in contradiction to other legislation. Lottery wins, insurance payments and inheritances, when paid in more than one payment, are not classified as income by the Australian Taxation … Continue reading
Why retrospective law can be applied to the NACC
It is possible in Australia to break laws that have not yet been created, but there are instances where many would believe this is highly appropriate. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) may be one of these. The two main principles that exist in rule of law in Australia are that if the person doing the … Continue reading
Unmasking war propaganda against Russian aggression
Since its unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine, Russia has inundated the world with misinformation and disinformation in efforts to justify its military operations and to claim its strict observance of the rules of warfare. Unsurprisingly, many of these efforts have often been penetrated due to the poor and blatant construction exposed by the mainstream Western … Continue reading
Albania 2022: “House of Freedom” vs. Drug-cartel
Although the European and global public is currently focused on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, majority of political parties in the Republic of Albania are focused on the partial local elections scheduled to take place on 6 March 2022. In Albania, local elections were held on 30 June 2019. The opposition boycotted the local elections. … Continue reading
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