On 20 March and 20 September of each year, the rates of most social security payments are usually increased in order to maintain their real value over time—this process is known as indexation. Pensions, unlike other payments, can also be adjusted to maintain their rate relative to average earnings. On 20 September 2020, for the first time in more than 20 years, the rates of pensions and payments such as JobSeeker Payment will not increase. This is because some of the indices used to adjust these payments have declined. Read more...
The Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment (Jabiru) Bill 2020 (the Bill) was introduced in the House of Representatives on 13 May 2020. It contains one Schedule with 12 items that amend the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (the Act), and one item that amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The Bill is currently scheduled to be debated in the House of Representatives on Tuesday 25 August 2020 and in the Senate on Thursday 27 August 2020. Read more...
When COVID-19 travel restrictions were announced for travellers from mainland China on 1 February 2020, then for all foreign nationals (excluding Australian permanent residents) from 20 March, student visa holders and the higher education sector began to feel the impacts. Universities Australia has estimated $16 billion in revenue will be lost between June 2020 and 2023, and widespread job losses have been reported across institutions. Read more...
Samuel Griffith’s death 100 years ago on 9 August 1920 represented the passing of not only Australia’s first High Court Chief Justice, but also a leading protagonist of Australia’s federation. After initially drafting the proposal for a federal council at the 1883 intercolonial conference, Griffith led the drafting of the proposed Constitution at the 1891 Convention, where he was also vice-president and constitutional committee chair. As the eminent historian Geoffrey Bolton has noted, ‘Griffith performed the essential task of bringing Parkes’s splendid but cloudy generalisations down to earth and identifying the main issues which would confront a federal conven... Read more...
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