It isn’t available to the bulk of the unemployed, it isn’t available to people who’ve been on JobKeeper rather than JobSeeker, and employers can overclaim.
Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Asked to grade the budget A to F, none give it an E or an F, but only two give it an A. Most think it passed or barely passed, and there’s a lot they would like improved.
With the recession exposing more workers to the vagaries of gig work, it’s more urgent than ever to close the legal loopholes that deny workers employment rights.
Beth Madsen, The University of Queensland; Marnee Shay, The University of Queensland, and Sue Creagh, The University of Queensland
Programs for Indigenous young men’s education are funded at a higher rate than for young women. There is little rigorous evaluation for these programs, and what evidence there is isn’t Indigenous-led.
New research found nearly half of land-based ecosystems and threatened species in Australia have inadequate protections. Yet most of the budget for national parks will go to infrastructure upgrades.
Labor’s proposed childcare measure would result in thousands of dollars saved per year. And it will make it affordable for parents who want to work more while accessing childcare.
More funding for these organisations is a narrow approach. It favours those who are well-off, literate in English, urban, and have more easily-treated conditions.
Supporting a stable, well-funded preschool system across the country — as we do with school — is an important social and economic investment. But funding remains temporary and unstable.
The search for a coronavirus vaccine and repairing the ailing aged-care sector are among the main health spends in the 2020 budget. But the biggest item was a $4.3bn pledge to subsidise many more drugs.