The government to ease restrictions on income support recipients and pensioners to encourage them into the workforce more; The Prime Minister announces Australia's first large-scale hydrogen export terminal; And in sport, a dispute breaks out about AFL Grand Final tickets.
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TRANSCRIPT
- The government to ease restrictions on income support recipients and pensioners to encourage them into the workforce more;
- The Prime Minister announces Australia's first large-scale hydrogen export terminal;
- And in sport, a dispute breaks out about AFL Grand Final tickets.
The federal government’s new blueprint for the labour market includes the easing of restrictions on income support recipients and pensioners.
The so-called white paper on employment has been released, with nine new measures in it.
Amongst them is allowing income support recipients to access social security benefits, such as concession cards, for longer when they start a new job.
Older pensioners and eligible veterans will also be able to earn more without it impacting their pension.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers insists this measure is about choice for older people, not compulsion.
"This is about providing older Australian workers the choice. This is not compelling older workers to work more; this is about making it easier for older Australians to work, if they want to do that."
As part of the white paper, the government will also redefine full employment.
The government says things like climate change, an ageing population, and the growth of digital technologies, necessitates these changes.
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The federal government claims the hydrogen industry can create as many as 16,000 jobs in regional Australia.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced Australia's first large scale export terminal for hydrogen will be established in South Australia.
The federal government and the South Australian government will put in 100 million dollars each to establish the facility at Port Bonython, which is near Whyalla, about 370 kilometres from Adelaide.
Mr Albanese says the facility can host projects worth 13 billion dollars, and generate as many as 1.8 billion tonnes of hydrogen by 2030.
Mr Albanese says this facility has the potential to produce essentially green hydrogen.
"That's what this is all about. There is a global race on in this transition. And economies that do well are ones that get ahead in this race."
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A group of Sikhs have protested outside the Indian consulate in Sydney, issuing a challenge to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over his attitude to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The dispute between Canada and India, in which Canada alleges Indian government involvement in the assassination of a Sikh separatist in Canada earlier this year has sparked concerns amongst some elements of the Australian Sikh community.
The protesters in Sydney have brandished placards, calling India a terrorist country.
And the protest leader says Mr Albanese needs to stand up to Mr Modi and the Indian government, even comparing Mr Modi to Adolf Hitler.
"You need to stand for, if nothing else, Australian values. You need to stand against the butcher of Gujarat. You need to stand against the new Hitler."
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With summer approaching, swim schools across the country this week are hosting free lessons and water safety education.
Summer is one of the most dangerous times of ya to be around the water- with 26 per cent of drowning deaths occurring in December and January.
Six per cent of drowning deaths in Australia are children under five years of age, and more than two-thirds of these occur from falling into water.
And, according to the Royal Life Saving Society, one in four people who drown are born overseas, with the rates of drowning highest amongst migrant populations born in Korea, Taiwan, and India.
Former Australian swimming coach Laurie Lawrence is a Swim Safety Ambassador.
He says teaching all children to swim is extremely important.
"Learning to swim is a life-saving skill. Swimming saves lives. Every child who learns to swim is a life potentially saved. Fun in the pool's great, but we want them to learn to swim. Because learning to swim will give families peace of mind, and the hope of a safer summer."
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In the AFL, a scandal has emerged early in Grand Final week, and it's nothing to do with the action on the field.
Collingwood have confirmed they will find tickets for Saturday's game for 37 club members who missed out on due to a misunderstanding during the ticket ballot.
These so-called priority one members paid close to one thousand dollars for their membership, which guarantees them access to Grand Final tickets.
But, during the ballot, they were unable to pick the location or price category of their seats.
Other members had credit cards charged on Sunday, but didn't find out their ticket category until Monday.
In a statement to SBS, Ticketek says the ticketing process ran as planned, and as per instructions provided to them.
