Crikey

Too little too late on Newstart, Bill and Albo — you had the evidence to act

cat.kutay — Wed, 14 May 2014 03:55:18 +0000

Labor leadership contenders Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese had the evidence proving their cuts to Newstart were unfair. Their support for increasing parental support now is cold comfort.

The belated acknowledgement by the two Labor leadership contenders that cutting single-parent payments had been a mistake is sad — they should have fixed it a few months ago while they still had the power.

Smarter budget cuts? Government to target the usual suspects

cat.kutay — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 02:03:35 +0000

With the federal budget in the next week, there is the usual jockeying for headlines by various groups. The interest groups include those who want more for their constituency and those who are scared they may lose some benefits or privileges. It seems that the more powerful the groups are, the less likely they are to have their government support cut.

Menus and cleavage aside

cat.kutay — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 06:45:45 +0000

Forget all the nonsense about sexist menus and cleavage. On what actually matters for women — pay, retirement income, parental leave — both parties score poorly

Cox to Gillard: take gender distractions off the menu

cat.kutay — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 02:24:17 +0000

Feminist scholar Eva Cox argues the Women for Gillard campaign is a divisive distraction — and the Prime Minister’s attacks on Tony Abbott over abortion are a “red herring”.

How our super steals from the poor to give to the rich

cat.kutay — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 02:52:26 +0000

Yes, they can be upsetting and distressing. But anti-abortion protesters have as much right to demonstrate outside a clinic as anyone else — that’s what free speech is.

Welfare and families: has Labor screwed over the poor?

cat.kutay — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 02:47:41 +0000

Missing: true Labor values and an acceptance that structural barriers create poverty and disadvantage. It’s time for the ALP to stop blaming and short-changing individuals.

Let’s acknowledge Abbott’s parental leave plan is better

cat.kutay — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 02:45:13 +0000

A campaign to stop planned cuts to sole parent payments is aiming at the government’s vulnerable underbelly in its bid for a UN Security Council seat. Harming Australia’s image may be justified.

When did ‘Labor values’ become John Howard’s values?

cat.kutay — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:56:45 +0000

The baby bonus is gone and the record of this Labor government robbing from the poor is a profoundly disappointing one. There wasn’t much for those struggling in the federal budget

In defence of anti-abortion protesters’ right to free speech

cat.kutay — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:55:26 +0000

Super tax concessions are rich people’s welfare, and those protesting against reform are just protecting their own interests. When will a government have the guts to rein in these subsidies for the wealthy?

The media release the minister should’ve written on the NT Intervention

cat.kutay — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 04:17:05 +0000

The following is a draft alternative media release for Jenny Macklin (and what she should have said as a response to the current consultation rather than harping on about truancy and grog!).

Fairness agenda takes a back seat at tax forum

cat.kutay — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 04:15:41 +0000

This was the tax forum where the fairness agenda was lost, at least from the government side. This was shown by Wayne Swan’s apparent dismissal of the possibility of funding any welfare payment increases by cuts to the excessive tax concession to the rich

Social and gender equity way down on the tax forum agenda

cat.kutay — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 04:14:42 +0000

There will be many men assembling tomorrow in Canberra to discuss the tax system they think we need. There are some women, almost half of the community contingent, but well below in all other categories except the ALP contingent, making maybe 50 out of 187 attendees. The gender imbalance reflects male domination in most top jobs in business and the other organisations that have most of the seats at the forum.

More women in cabinet, but social issues slip agenda

cat.kutay — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 04:05:24 +0000

The Julia Gillard’s “focus and firepower to pursue the government’s priorities” do not offer much hope of a political agenda that focuses more on social rather than economic goals. The priorities she has stated clearly are economic growth and jobs. A useful indicator of the way she sees priorities can be gendered reallocated portfolios.

If Labor’s serious about fairness, it should reconsider welfare policies

cat.kutay — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 03:29:01 +0000

One of the most obvious inconsistencies in the budget was the government’s claims for an egalitarian redistribution approach while proposing $60 per week income cut for 100,000 sole parents.

Welfare: does buying votes really work?

cat.kutay — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 03:27:52 +0000

Will the Labor brand receive a major boost from this budget? This is doubtful as its main claim is based on its expanded cash grants.

Crikey

Too little too late on Newstart, Bill and Albo — you had the evidence to act

Archive:

Smarter budget cuts? Government to target the usual suspects

Archive:

Menus and cleavage aside

Archive:

Cox to Gillard: take gender distractions off the menu

Archive:

How our super steals from the poor to give to the rich

Archive:

Welfare and families: has Labor screwed over the poor?

Archive:

Let’s acknowledge Abbott’s parental leave plan is better

Archive:

When did ‘Labor values’ become John Howard’s values?

Archive:

In defence of anti-abortion protesters’ right to free speech

Archive:

The media release the minister should’ve written on the NT Intervention

Archive:

Fairness agenda takes a back seat at tax forum

Archive:

Social and gender equity way down on the tax forum agenda

Archive:

More women in cabinet, but social issues slip agenda

Archive:

If Labor’s serious about fairness, it should reconsider welfare policies

Archive:

Welfare: does buying votes really work?

Archive: