The NDIS bilateral agreement signed on February 1 by the Western Australian and federal governments resulted in a separate NDIS being rolled out in WA. In this version, WA will pay all the administration and operating costs but governance responsibilities will be shared with the Commonwealth.
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Company profits have skyrocketed, while real wages have fallen. This is the harsh reality of the class war being pursued by Australia鈥檚 big-business rulers, as underlined by the latest Bureau of Statistics figures released on February 27.
In the last three months of last year, profits surged by a massive 20%, while wages fell by 0.5%. Over 2016, profits were up 26%, while wages grew by a mere 1%, less than the inflation rate of 1.5% 鈥 effectively a wage cut.
International Women鈥檚 Day (IWD) in Australia has lost its radical edge. In recent years, it has become more about holding cosy breakfasts and receptions where female bureaucrats and businesswomen can rub shoulders with political leaders and congratulate themselves on their 鈥渟uccess鈥.
These events can make us forget that IWD has a radical socialist history of women determinedly marching for their rights. And once it even helped spark a revolution.
The recent Fair Work Commission (FWC) decision to cut penalty rates for weekends and public holidays will deliver a windfall to big retail and hospitality bosses, while slashing the wages of about 700,000 low-paid workers.
Figures released by the ACTU put the average worker in accommodation and food services on only $524 a week and those in retail on just $687. Contrast this with the average pay of $1163 for all Australian workers and you can see just how draconian FWC鈥檚 decision is.
鈥淣ow we鈥檙e judging people by their religion 鈥 trying to keep Muslims out,鈥 said Stan Van Gundy, head coach of the US National Basketball Association (NBA) team Detroit Piston in response to President Donald Trump鈥檚 executive order banning immigration and refugees from seven predominantly Muslim nations.
鈥淲e鈥檙e getting back to the days of putting the Japanese in relocation camps, of Hitler registering the Jews. That鈥檚 where we鈥檙e heading.鈥
Of course, die-hard misogynist and self-confessed Sam Newman was hostile to the AFL Women鈥檚 (AFLW) league infamously 鈥渦nbelievably stupid and ridiculous鈥 on Channel Nine鈥檚 The Footy Show.
It turns out plenty think otherwise.
Do Donald Trump's racist ramblings make you want to saw your ears off with a rusty, blunt penknife? Then listen to this month's political albums round-up - it may stop you wanting to do that. Then again, it might not. What albums would you suggest? Comment on聽,听, or聽email. Videos not playing? Try a bigger screen.
Thousands of unionists march against cuts to penalty rates and reintroduction of the ABCC
Features:
* Ros McLennan (General Secretary of QCU)
* Peter Ong (ETU state secretary)
170 people on March 1 - the day two abortion law reform bills were due to be debated. Instead, the bills were withdrawn by the mover, Rob Pyne, who secured a promise by the government that the issue of abortion rights would be referred to the Queensland Law Reform Commission.
Introducing the rally, Anna McCormack of the Womens Abortion Rights Campaign said "we're very, very disappointed about what has happened and we're more than a little angry by recent events".
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