Ideas for a brighter future for all

Business and government

Analysing and explaining the political and commercial trends that shape the world we live in

student debt

Studying can be a costly choice. Universities should address young people’s financial literacy gaps

ustralian students with HECS-HELP debts are facing a 7.1% increase in their debts due to inflation. The interest-free loans, previously unaffected by inflation, have come as a shock to students. The impact of loan repayments on disposable income and borrowing capacity may disproportionately affect women. To address this issue, universities should prioritise financial literacy education to help students understand their debts and make informed financial decisions says Dr Tracey West.

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Time to do time for a fairer future?

Professor Susan Harris Rimmer contemplates the charges against a group of Queenslanders who protested against coal and gas in the parliament and were charged with disturbing the legislature, which carries a three-year jail sentence. She questions if getting arrested is the only meaningful way to achieve intergenerational justice.

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Manipulator concept

Sovereign Citizens: Eccentrics or Extremists?

Sovereign citizens or ‘sovcitz’ reject the authority of the government and legal systems. The COVID-19 pandemic has fuelled extremism, including sovereign citizen beliefs in Australia, says Griffith University’s Dr Keiran Hardy, and poses challenges to law enforcement and public safety.

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Four-day work week

Assessing the 4-day work week

A recent UK trial of a four-day work week produced largely positive results, with over 90% of the organisations involved planning to continue the experiment. Some organisations found the experiment difficult to achieve with staff shortages already intensifying workloads for many employees, making it difficult for to increase work intensification even further. Decent, respectable work should focus on work-life balance, reducing workloads, and providing sufficient resources while engaging workers in direct discussions about their working preferences says Professor Paula Brough.

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Reviewing the Reserve Bank of Australia

The Australian Treasurer, The Hon Dr Jim Chalmers, has announced a review of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) functions, mainly its monetary policy framework. Dr Parmendra Sharma writes that the review has essentially been Federal Government’s response to public anger relating to several consecutive interest rate hikes over the past year.

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Gold colored piggy bank

Superannuation: The rules of the game keep changing

Considerable recent attention has been drawn towards Australia’s superannuation system, and the potential need for legislative and regulatory amendments. Australian Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers wants to limit concessions and benefits to taxpayers with over $3 million in superannuation funds. Professor Rob Bianchi takes a look at the impacts and implications of these likely changes.

Read more
student debt

Studying can be a costly choice. Universities should address young people’s financial literacy gaps

ustralian students with HECS-HELP debts are facing a 7.1% increase in their debts due to inflation. The interest-free loans, previously unaffected by inflation, have come as a shock to students. The impact of loan repayments on disposable income and borrowing capacity may disproportionately affect women. To address this issue, universities should prioritise financial literacy education to help students understand their debts and make informed financial decisions says Dr Tracey West.

Read more

Time to do time for a fairer future?

Professor Susan Harris Rimmer contemplates the charges against a group of Queenslanders who protested against coal and gas in the parliament and were charged with disturbing the legislature, which carries a three-year jail sentence. She questions if getting arrested is the only meaningful way to achieve intergenerational justice.

Read more
Manipulator concept

Sovereign Citizens: Eccentrics or Extremists?

Sovereign citizens or ‘sovcitz’ reject the authority of the government and legal systems. The COVID-19 pandemic has fuelled extremism, including sovereign citizen beliefs in Australia, says Griffith University’s Dr Keiran Hardy, and poses challenges to law enforcement and public safety.

Read more
Four-day work week

Assessing the 4-day work week

A recent UK trial of a four-day work week produced largely positive results, with over 90% of the organisations involved planning to continue the experiment. Some organisations found the experiment difficult to achieve with staff shortages already intensifying workloads for many employees, making it difficult for to increase work intensification even further. Decent, respectable work should focus on work-life balance, reducing workloads, and providing sufficient resources while engaging workers in direct discussions about their working preferences says Professor Paula Brough.

Read more

Reviewing the Reserve Bank of Australia

The Australian Treasurer, The Hon Dr Jim Chalmers, has announced a review of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) functions, mainly its monetary policy framework. Dr Parmendra Sharma writes that the review has essentially been Federal Government’s response to public anger relating to several consecutive interest rate hikes over the past year.

Read more
Gold colored piggy bank

Superannuation: The rules of the game keep changing

Considerable recent attention has been drawn towards Australia’s superannuation system, and the potential need for legislative and regulatory amendments. Australian Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers wants to limit concessions and benefits to taxpayers with over $3 million in superannuation funds. Professor Rob Bianchi takes a look at the impacts and implications of these likely changes.

Read more
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