In the piece, where she mourns the cultural-annihilation San Francisco has faced since the birth of Big Tech, she quotes PayPal founder Peter Thiel who wrote in 2009, “I stand against confiscatory taxes, totalitarian collectives and the ideology of the inevitability of death of every individual.” 

Thiel recently demonstrated his libertarian agendas by signing on as an investor in the privately funded drug-friendly sports contest, The Enchanted Games.

The competition, which describes itself as “the modern reinvention of the Olympic Games that does not have drug testing,” is headed by Aron D’Souza, Thiel’s former lawyer. The backers of The Enchanted Games believe athletes should be allowed, encouraged even, to use every advantage they can to secure success: they should take as much performance enhancement drugs as they want — all in the name of becoming better, stronger, faster. They believe that banning performance enhancements is stifling scientific innovation. 

The Games will not test athletes for drugs or any performance enhancers at its events, because it “embra[ces] ways science and technology can enhance human performance,” D’Souza, president of the Enhanced Games, said in the statement. 

“The Enhanced Movement believes in the medical and scientific process of elevating humanity to its full potential, through community of committed athletes.”

“[We] see the vision of a new model of sports, that openly celebrates scientific innovation and honestly represents the use of performance enhancements in sports today.” 

The Games will focus on individual sports across athletics, aquatics, combat, gymnastics and strength. 

“By focusing on world records in popular sports such as track and field, swimming, gymnastics, weight lifting and combat sports, we can eliminate wasteful infrastructure spending and reinvest to fairly pay all athletes,” D’Souza said. 

“In the era of accelerating technological and scientific change, the world needs a sporting event that embraces the future, particularly advances in medical science.” 

But what’s really going on here? Who are the people behind this contest? And what are they really trying to do? 

It’s a men’s club

The Enchanted Games is backed by the world’s richest venture capitalists. We have Peter Thiel, the conservative tech billionaire and founder of companies such as Palantir, which monitors immigrants for the Department of Homeland Security in the US. Thiel has had a long history of defying public safety and policy regulations. He was also one of the early investors of Facebook. 

There’s Christian Angermayer, founder of Apeiron Investment Group — a private investment company with a biotech portfolio that includes Atai Life Science, who are currently developing a rapid-acting anti-depressant for home use. Atai has backing from Thiel. 

Angermayer is a big name in the psychedelic industry — he’s been open about how taking mushrooms since 2015 has changed the course of his life. 

He described The Enhanced Games as having “forward-thinking ethos”, and one that “…improves the safety and fairness of competition but also stimulates scientific breakthroughs and nurtures human advancement.”

“The Enhanced games will undoubtedly inspire the public’s imagination and reinforce the profound impact of science on human progress,” he said in a statement. 

Then we have Balaji Srinivasan, a cryptocurrency investor and former CTO of Coinbase, who has been described as a polymath and angel investor who believes that tech has the power to eventually initiate a nation-free world. 

Out of the eleven individuals on the leadership team, there’s one woman — Jodhi Ramsden-Mavric, who is listed as a creative assistant, and who has a background in the film industry. The six people on the company’s Scientific and Medical Advisory Commission come from various backgrounds, including a Harvard professor, a co-founder of OxWash (sustainable commercial laundry service-providers) and a naturopathic doctor. Two are women.

Thomas Rex Dolan, the 19-year old Victorian and Gen Z Party founder and president, is listed as head of executive operations. According to his LinkedIn page, Dolan is D’Souza’s godson. 

The Athletes Advisory Commission consists of five men and just one woman. On the games website, it explains that they “embrace[s] the inclusion of science in sports” and is “unencumbered by anachronistic legacy systems.”

I wonder how they can do this with an organisation that clearly lacks the most basic form of diversity?

Sketchy on the details 

Since the games started making headlines last month, many people have been left scratching their heads. The organisation hasn’t been clear about some details. 

For one, it has declared that it will pay the athletes who compete in the games, but it hasn’t said exactly how much. 

Athletes will be paid a base salary and will compete for additional prize money. According to the website, a prize pool and compensation model will be announced later this year. 

Who gets to compete?

Calling themselves the “most inclusive sports league in history,” the organisers said all adults are eligible to compete in the games regardless of whether they are “natural, adaptive, or enhanced, an amateur or a former Olympian.” 

Registration is set to open later this year, though the actual dates for the contest have not been announced. 

It’s dangerous for the athletes 

The Games insist they will be the “safest international sporting event in history” and will ensure every athlete undergoes full medical screenings to monitor any risks.

But critics believe the competition’s agenda will risk both athletes’ health and sport itself. Two experts from the University of Canberra feared that athletes will turn into “injectable avatars” who will endanger their health by taking medicines that have been approved for human use.

“There’s no shortage of evidence demonstrating the dangers of pharmaceutical abuse for performance enhancement, let alone what might happen when used in experimental combinations and dosages,” Professor Catherine Ordway said last week.

“Elite sport is not conducted on a level playing field. Access to money, knowledge, power and technology already gives some athletes an edge over others, and the Enhanced Games would exacerbate these inequalities.”

Travis Tygart, CEO of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), called the games “farcical,” and that it would be “a dangerous clown show, not real sport.” 

Jamie Crain, CEO of Sports Medicine Australia, took aim at the games’ PR material, which runs on the “anything is possible with science” ideology, pitting “science” as the gateway towards human progress and excellence.

“Science is the process of experimenting and observing and recording results and adjusting accordingly to get a certain outcome or just to understand a topic,” Crain told the ABC.

“And in this context that means they’re going to be giving otherwise fit people experimental substances to see what the outcomes is in the hope it might make them faster or stronger. Is that good science? If it produces a fast athlete who ends up with medical complications down the line, you would argue, no, it is not good science.”

Former Olympic swimmer Kieren Perkins said he could not see “any responsible and ethical person thinking the Enhance Games is even remotely sensible”.

“As soon as you start to go down the murky slope of allowing these sorts of drugs to be involved in the system you are completely setting aside the athlete’s physical and mental wellbeing and prioritising commercial gains and that’s not a place we want to be,” Perkins, now the CEO of the Australian Sports Commission, said.

Last week, retired Olympic swimming medalist James Magnussen announced he would compete in The Enhanced Games to try to break the 50m record for a reported $1.6 million. 

His reason? Money. 

“To be completely transparent, the money is a huge part,” he told News Corp. “A $1.6 million Australian dollar prize is hard to ignore.”

They’re out to make money

The carefully worded PR materials from the games’ website spruce their mission to enhance the “the medical and scientific process of elevating humanity to its full potential.”

But clearly, when you’ve got the world’s richest men backing this, it’s clear the end game is generating money. According to some media reports, D’Souza has plans to hold the games annually and stream it on platforms like YouTube to garner revenue. 

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New survey data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), reveals the most common form of financial abuse is ‘sabotaging’ behaviours. 

Seventy-eight per cent of respondents reported their former partner had exhibited ‘sabotaginging’ behaviour, which includes damaging or destroying property, refusing to contribute to family expenses for basic and essential items, deliberately delaying property settlement post separation, and refusing to pay child support as ordered.

The ABS defines a ‘previous partner’ as someone the person lived with at some point in a married or de facto relationship, and from whom they are now separated, divorced or widowed. The data refers to the most recent economically abusive previous partner. 

Financial exploitation is the next most common financial abuse tactic as 42 per cent of people said their partner had done things like forced them to deposit their income in their partner’s account, pressured them to sign financial documents, racked up debts in joint accounts, credit cards or other accounts. Have forced their partner to sell or sign over any of their assets.

A concerning 32 per cent of people have had their partner withhold child support payments from them as well, and 23 per cent have been subjected to coerced debt, meaning their partner racked up debt in their name using a credit card or other account.

Nineteen per cent of people reported being deprived of basic necessities like food, housing or sleep. And the same percentage experienced tactics that deliberately delayed financial settlement post separation from their partner.

In total, 16.3 per cent of Australian women have experienced economic abuse in intimate relationships, either by their former or current partners. This shows little improvement to the 15.7 per cent in 2012. 

“As I wrestled with filing for bankruptcy, my ex-husband’s parting words rang in my head: “I will make you bankrupt, and you and the kids will live in housing commission”,” said *Clare, a woman who’s experienced financial abuse.

Clare separated from her ex-husband after enduring more than a decade of family violence. She prided herself on being financially savvy and secure, however, post separation, she discovered several thousands of dollars’ worth of debt had been accumulated in her name, day care fraud and had legal fees of more than $60,000 for financial settlement and family law.

Unable to obtain social housing, Clare and her children were left homeless.

“These unseen tactics perpetuate the harm women experience as a result of family and domestic violence, subject women to ongoing poverty and create lasting harms, not only for her, but also for children,” said Livia La Rocca, General Manager Safety & Resilience Programs, Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand, in response to the alarming data.

“It is nigh impossible for women to leave an abusive situation when they have no money, no assets or no safe home to go to.”

Good Shepherd, Australia’s oldest charity working to support women and girls experiencing abuse and disadvantage, has program data that reflects ABS’s recent findings.

More than 80 per cent of victim-survivors of domestic violence in Good Shepherd programs have also experienced economic abuse. And 67 per cent of women who stay in Good Shepherd refuges had no income when they arrived (52 per cent for family violence programs). 

Speaking to the importance of ABSs’ data, Dr Jozica Kutin, Head of Research and Evaluation at Good Shepherd said: “This is the first time these issues have been measured at a population level, and the data shows the need for urgent systematic reform on multiple fronts.”

*Name changed

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The figure surpasses Deloitte’s previous valuation three years ago by at least 300 per cent. 

Women’s football alone is expected to top US$555 million, largely owing to the success of this year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which generated more than US$570 million in revenue. 

Women’s football and basketball are predicted to be the most lucrative sports for women next year, bringing in 71 per cent of the total global revenue.

While women’s football continues to draw crowds in Europe, women’s sports in North America remains the most valuable geographical market, generating more than 50 per cent of total global revenue.

Deloitte predicts the region will yield US$670 million next year, with some sports teams expected to bring in at least US$100 million in 2024. 

Jennifer Haskel, insights lead for Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, said that women’s sport is progressively being viewed as a “unique product” separate to men’s elite sport.

“Over the last few years we have seen exceptional growth in women’s sport across the globe, driving a significant uplift in its commercial value, which in turn has led to growing interest from investors,” Haskel said. 

“This surge in fan and investor engagement is leading to new and improved opportunities for clubs and leagues, including greater commercial partnerships, increased participation and bigger match days.”

The global head of technology, media and telecoms research at Deloitte believes the next step for women’s sport is to “maintain habitual viewers who loyally tune in to watch their favourite players, teams and competitions across the season.”

“Broadcasters, streamers and social media platforms will have an important role to play in showcasing major events that capture the interest of new and existing fans, while creating an experience that is memorable and impactful,” Paul Lee said.

Commercial income from deals by leagues and teams is expected to bring in more than half of total revenue next year, while broadcast is set to account for 27 per cent. 

“In 2024 women’s elite sports will continue to be allocated additional prime time broadcast slots, making the women’s events easier to find and watch,” the report from Deloitte explained.

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The latest Financy Women’s Index rose by two per cent to 78.1 points in the September quarter, the best gain in two years. The rise cements a correction in women’s financial progress following the decline experienced during the pandemic.

The rate of women’s underemployment improved by 7.36 per cent in the September quarter as more women worked part-time. At the same time, the rate of men’s underemployment worsened by 5.59 per cent. 

 Meanwhile, female enrolment in Information Technology education courses has continued to grow, outpacing men’s enrolment. Information Technology is the highest-paying educational area for women to pursue. However, despite more women enrolling in these courses, female enrolments are still a third less than male enrolments. 

Founder of Financy, Bianca Hartge-Hazelman, says the changes are good news for women’s equality amid a slowing economic environment. 

“During the peak of the pandemic, the underlying data captured in the Index was volatile and if we compare where we are today to September 2020, the Index is less than 1 point (0.84) higher – a poor result.

“That said, if we look at economic equality prior to the pandemic in December 2019, the Index is nearly 5 points higher today than it was then.  This suggests a correction in the Index to a more reliable pattern of progress, but the economic environment remains concerning for both female and male employment.”

Hartge-Hazelman said collective action and policy is needed to see the continued progress of women’s economic equality.

“Domestically, we’ve seen the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce Final report handed to the Australian government and, offshore, the awarding of the Nobel Prize in economics to Professor Claudia Goldin for her research that has raised the profile of the gender pay gap and what is behind it – so it’s been a busy period of gender equity headlines and impact,” said Hartge-Hazelman

“What’s needed now is for the tide to turn from all this awareness raising on economic inequality to an environment of collective action by government, companies, and individuals to accelerate progress to equality.”

Dr Tracey West, financial education manager at Ecstra Foundation, says that boosting financial education in schools can help use close the financial knowledge gap between men and women.

“The call to action from the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce Final report, which was released in October, to recommend immediate action on financial literacy in the classroom recognises the important role schools play in developing this critical life skill,” she said.

According to Financy, women’s representation on baords contines to be the best performing area of the Women’s Index, and there is confidence that we will see equality in representation on ASX 200 boards by 2030. Meanwhile, the Women’s Index predicts there are 19 years to go until there is equality in superannuation savings between men and women, based on the median lifetime balance. This figure has dropped substanitally since 2017, when it was predicted the superannuation gap would take 33 years to close.

Chief Economist at AMP, Dr Shane Oliver said the Women’s Index shows there is a still long road to achieving economic equality, but noted there are bright spots.

“This is particularly so in areas like the expected earnings flowing from the education choices women make and in unpaid work,” Dr Oliver said.

“But the good news is that the Index has improved significantly this year with strong progress in women’s board representation.”

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The article explains that Jess ‒ a single woman in her late 30s, on an above-average salary ($120,000) has been unsuccessful in her attempts to buy a first home due to rising interest rates. Jess’ mortgage broker advised her that “She can’t have it all” and that “[she’s] got to pick and that’s tough”. It then goes on to discuss the challenges single people and mortgage holders around the country are currently facing. 

While the article clearly aims to highlight just how hard it is for single people to enter the market, Australia’s ongoing housing affordability crisis and the impact of last Tuesday’s RBA rate rise, it also highlights a pervasive and deeply seeded gender stereotype that persists in society today – that women, in particular, can either ‘have it all’ or not.

The ‘have it all’ narrative is still really only used in reference to women as shown in this article. It creates a false dichotomy that suggests that women in particular have a choice to make between a home, family, travel, and their careers, placing an unfair burden on them. Worse, it discourages women from pursuing their dreams, like home ownership, further contributing to gender inequality.

It’s especially troubling when one considers that statistically, women in Australia experience lower levels of financial confidence than men. For example, a recent study by Fidelity International found that while 66% of women surveyed are confident in their ability to manage their money, 80% of men responded positively to the same question. So, what message are we sending to women who may already be suffering from a lack of confidence about what they can achieve financially? While I’m sure Jess’ broker meant well, these words do not instill confidence in women who look to their brokers for advice and guidance when making what’s likely to be the biggest investment of their lives. 

It’s an inescapable reality that in today’s housing market, we all have tough choices to make. However, this reality is as true for men as it is for women. In my own case, I chose to start a business instead of buying my first home. I also know plenty of men (both single and partnered) who are making tough choices and realising they too can’t ‘have it all’. So why are we still using the ‘have it all’ language when describing women’s circumstances?  

As a woman in a similar position to Jess, and the founder of a startup focused on helping women to build financial independence through various strategies, such as home ownership, I am all too aware of the challenges single women are facing in today’s market. These challenges still include gender bias and discrimination which negatively impact women’s experiences when trying to buy a home. 

Through my research, I’ve heard from women who’ve told stories of brokers deferring to their partners when they tried to get a home loan despite the fact that they were earning more than their partner. While I don’t believe that this behaviour is the norm, it does demonstrate that when it comes to home ownership in Australia, saving for a deposit is just one of many hurdles that women fae.

It saddens me to think about how many women have been discouraged from pursuing their home ownership dreams due to these three words – and after reading this article! 

A more constructive approach would have been to help single women better understand the options available to them and how they can still realise their homeownership dream in a fiscally responsible way. 

For example, over the past 18 months, I’ve celebrated with quite a few women in the Penny community who could buy their first home by remaining flexible, creative and realistic. Some women achieved their goal by purchasing in another state, such as South Australia and Tasmania, buying an investment property, moving in with family and friends temporarily, buying something smaller than they’d initially wanted or even a fixer-upper. Others bought and moved in with a parent or friend, and some used investment vehicles or found additional income streams to help them achieve their goal. There are also first-home buyer schemes, subsidies and shared ownership schemes that are all designed to help people enter the market. While these options won’t work for everyone they are worth in-depth consideration. 

The ‘have it all’ narrative is just one of many obstacles that women face on the path to financial equality. Rather than perpetuating them, more focus should be placed on encouraging and supporting women to achieve their goals. 

Focus should also be placed on lending institutions and financiers who play a crucial role in improving women’s access to finance (and are making record profits). These institutions could offer women more flexible lending options, better financial literacy and education services, help stamp out gender bias and discrimination in the industry, and implement better policies and practices to create a more equitable property market for everyone, irrespective of gender. 

Feature Image: Jemi Jeng.

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It marks the 13th rate rise over a period of 19 months and is the first rate rise from the Reserve Bank since its new governor, Michelle Bullock, stepped into the head role. Bullock is the first woman to ever hold the role of Reserve Bank governor. 

The current cash rate is the highest it’s been in Australia since November 2011 and comes as the Reserve Bank continues to show concern about inflation.  The 0.25 percentage point increase today will add about $100 to monthly repayments for a standard loan of about $600,000 and will be acutely felt by households across the country.

“Inflation in Australia has passed its peak but is still too high and is proving more persistent than expected a few months ago,” Bullock wrote in a statement on the decision on Tuesday.

“The latest reading on CPI inflation indicates that while goods price inflation has eased further, the prices of many services are continuing to rise briskly. While the central forecast is for CPI inflation to continue to decline, progress looks to be slower than earlier expected.”

Bullock said inflation can now be expected to be around 3.5 per cent by the end of 2024, and between 2 and 3 per cent by the end of 2025. 

“The Board judged an increase in interest rates was warranted today to be more assured that inflation would return to target in a reasonable timeframe,” she said. 

Bullock also outlined that the economy was experiencing a period of “below-trend growth”, but noted it had been stronger than expected over the first half of the year. 

“Underlying inflation was higher than expected at the time of the August forecasts, including across a broad range of services,” she said. “Conditions in the labour market have eased but they remain tight. Housing prices are continuing to rise across the country.”

“At the same time, high inflation is weighing on people’s real incomes and household consumption growth is weak, as is dwelling investment. 

“Given that the economy is forecast to grow below trend, employment is expected to grow slower than the labour force and the unemployment rate is expected to rise gradually to around 4¼ per cent.”

Bullock said the Reserve Bank’s focus was to return inflation to its target level, because high inflation is making life difficult for most people and it damages the functioning of the economy. 

“It erodes the value of savings, hurts household budgets, makes it harder for businesses to plan and invest, and worsens income inequality,” Bullock said. 

“And if high inflation were to become entrenched in people’s expectations, it would be much more costly to reduce later, involving even higher interest rates and a larger rise in unemployment.”

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And why shouldn’t they? Every city she has performed in since March has seen an extraordinary spike in revenue. 

According to a Bloomberg News analysis, her total net worth has just reached $US1.1 billion — and The Eras Tour is projected to generate close to $US5 billion in consumer spending in the US alone.

Bloomberg estimates that the shows performed so far have racked up more than $US700 million in ticket sales —  the average ticket cost at $US254. (Here in Australia, ticket prices ranged from $80 to $500 — many paid $700+ on the resale market.)

Boosting the economy

The extraordinary success of the Eras tour has seen Swift add $US4.3 billion to the US gross domestic product thus far. 

The estimated figures were analysed by the folks from Bloomberg Economics, which calculated the value of her music catalog, five homes, and earnings from streaming deals, music sales, concert tickets and merchandise.

With such a reliable scheme of revenue, it’s not surprising that world leaders and public officials are calling for the 33-year old to bring her tour to their cities. 

Chilean President Gabriel Boric, the mayor of Budapest Gergely Karácsony and even Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have made public statements inviting Swift to make an appearance in their cities.

In June, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s monthly Beige Book summarised the city’s economic activity, mentioning Swift’s three-shows in May for spurring growth in the city’s economy.

“Despite the slowing recovery in tourism in the region overall, one contact highlighted that May was the strongest month for hotel revenue in Philadelphia since the onset of the pandemic, in large part due to an influx of guests for the Taylor Swift concerts in the city,” the document read.

In Chicago the following month, three Eras concerts led to an all time hotel revenue record. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker credited Swift with reviving the state’s tourism industry. 

In Seattle, Downtown hotel revenues reached a high of $US7.4 million on a single night of the Eras tour alone, while in Houston, city-wide revenue for the weekend when Swift performed reached a total of $US34 million — a 136 per cent spike from the same period in 2019.

Music journalist Nora Princiotti believes the Eras Tour success can be attribuited to the depth and popularity of Swift’s music catalog. 

“I don’t know that anybody envisioned a tour of this scale ever happening. She can go three and a half hours and just hit after hit after hit,” she told Time.

“For as big as she has been for so long, even if this is a new peak, I think a lot of fans feel like they’ve spent their entire lives defending their love of her.”

Princiotti, who writes for pop culture site The Ringer and co-hosts the podcast Every Single Album: Taylor Swift, added there is “…something very strange in seeing the US government, or all of these various municipalities, just desperate to get a little sliver of the clout that comes from just being somewhat associated with Taylor Swift.”

Carolyn Sloane, a labor economist at the University of Chicago, described Swift as “a great economist.” 

“In addition to being a generational talent, Taylor Swift is a great economist,” Sloane said. “Taylor has great ideas, is able to scale her ideas and seems to be pretty risk-seeking.”

Other sources of revenue 

Not only is the Eras tour generating as much money as the economies of small countries, Swift is setting records with other sources of revenue. 

The filmed version of her Eras performance “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” has already made $US123.5 million globally, and generated a record high $US92.8 million at the box office on its opening weekend. 

On Saturday, Spotify announced that Swift had broken two records with the release of her newest album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) — the singer-songwriter’s fourth rerelease of her earlier albums. 

“She’s done it again,” Spotify wrote on Twitter. “On October 27th, Taylor Swift became the most-streamed artist in a single day in Spotify history, and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) became Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single day in 2023 so far.”

And how can we forget Swift’s romance with NFL star Travis Kelce — which has sent NFL viewership ratings flying and increased sales of his jersey by 400 per cent?

Alice Enders, head of research at Enders Analysis believes that part of Swift’s success has been the constant release of merchandise for fans. 

“There’s this whole ecosystem she has, and it’s very lucrative for her,” Enders said. 

“There’s a cost of living crisis and people are still forking out thousands of dollars to see Taylor Swift.” 

“We are in an experience economy where people crave going out and participating in social events. It’s no surprise that people are flocking to this Eras Tour experience in what is increasingly an otherwise digital environment we live in.”

The Eras tour is set to resume with a nine-show South American leg next month. With 89 shows to go and the rest of her international tour next year, the Swifties Effect has a lot more power in it yet.

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Victoria’s Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector released its report titled Intersectionality at Work: Building a baseline on compounded gender inequality in the Victorian public sector on Wednesday, revealing shocking data on pay gaps and discrimination at work.

While the average pay gap between men and women in the state’s public sector was 15.6 per cent, meaning men on average earn $19,000 more than women every year, the gap becomes even wider for women who are not white, young and able-bodied.

Women who come from culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds are paid 19 per cent less than their male colleagues, the research found. The gap is the same between women with disabilities and men without disabilities.

There is a 21 per cent deficit between First Nations women’s paychecks and their non-Indigenous male colleagues.

Dr Niki Vincent, the Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner, said the Australia-first study provides a much-needed insight into the impacts of gender and intersectionality in the workplace.

“For too long, gender equality initiatives have excluded those that do not fit the default mould of the straight, white, able-bodied woman – this is no longer acceptable,” Dr Vincent said.

“An intersectional approach to gender equality is no longer a nice to have, it’s a must have – without it, our work will continue to reproduce some of the very patterns of inequality we seek to address.”

The Commission’s report found, on average, lesbian women had higher salaries than bisexual men, pansexual men and women in all other sexuality groups. They also held managerial positions at a similar rate to both straight and gay men.

However, in 2022, nearly half of all LGBTQIA+ women experienced sexual harassment, which was a far higher rate than LGBTQIA+ men.

The rate of transwomen experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace was 16 per cent, according to the data. Sexual harassment for non-binary and gender diverse people was at a similar rate – 15 per cent. These figures are much higher than that of transmen (8 per cent), cisgender women (6 per cent) and men (4 per cent).

“Despite the existence of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the Victorian public sector, women with intersecting identities continue to experience disproportionate levels of workplace discrimination,” Dr Vincent said.

“Under the Gender Equality Act, public sector workplaces and senior leaders in particular, have a positive duty and responsibility to ensure that workplaces take action to achieve gender equality from the top-down.”

The Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner was established under the state’s Gender Equality Act 2020, which came into effect on March 31 2021.

A recent report from the federal government’s Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce found the Australian economy loses $128 billion by perpetuating the barriers that women face in the workplace.

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This sobering statistic comes from the Foodbank Hunger Report 2023, released today by Foodbank Australia, highlighting the cost-of-living crisis’ real impact on the 36 per cent of Australian households experiencing food insecurity. 

Research was gathered through an online survey of 4,342 Australians aged 18 years or older between 12 and 31 July 2023. 

“We are fast heading towards a reality where more than half the population will know what food insecurity is because they are experiencing it themselves,” said Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey. “Almost one in two Australians have felt anxious about accessing adequate food or struggled to consistently access it.”

“In a country where we produce enough food to feed our population three times over, this should not be happening.”

The report confirms that the face of hunger is changing as well, considering those experiencing food insecurity for the first time are more likely to be younger, with mid to higher incomes. 

More than half of food insecure households have someone in paid work (60 per cent), and Casey says “the housing crisis is only exacerbating the problem” as half of all renters and a third of all mortgage holders were seen as food insecure in the past year. 

For 77 per cent of food insecure households, the previous 12 months was the first time they’ve experienced the pressure. 

The research shows almost all (94 per cent) of these households tried to mitigate cost-of-living pressures by reducing their spending on food and grocery items– the most likely items to be sacrificed to make ends meet. 

Tactics to reduce spending on food included looking for sales, discounts and cheaper alternatives as well as reducing eating out. 

Nearly half said they reduced their purchasing of fresh produce and protein, in a move that the food relief charity warns may have future public health consequences. 

One respondent told Foodbank Australia that when their household “ran out of the basics like bread, fruit and milk” they turned to tinned food to get them through but “it wasn’t enough to help keep the kids full”. 

With this week being Anti-Poverty Week, Casey says Foodbank Australia “is advocating the Federal Government to use the Foodbank Hunger Report 2023 as a reference point in future policy settings underpinning poverty and inequality and to ensure the food relief sector is adequately resourced to respond to current and future levels of demand across Australia”. 

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And while the ability to save up for, and eventually buy, a home is certainly not unique to one gender, I believe that it is especially important for women.

For several reasons that I’ll dig into a bit further, the ability to buy property is uniquely important for women. But ironically – or perhaps, totally expectedly – it’s more difficult for women to get a slice of the property pie.

If simply thinking about ‘buying’ makes your head spin, fear not. It’s not impossible, and there are small steps you can start taking to make it happen for you.

Why property is uniquely important for women

While home ownership is a goal for people of all walks of life and backgrounds, I’m going to make a bold statement and say that owning property is MORE important for women than it is for men.

Why?

Statistically, women are more likely to experience domestic violence and homelessness. Add to that the later retirement age for women, and it’s easy to understand why women need the financial safety net that property can offer.

Investing in property not only allows women independence, but it can also help secure their financial future and safety.

Why it’s harder for women to achieve

So here’s the messed up part: While home ownership is more important for women, it’s also more difficult for women to achieve.

Housing affordability is a real issue – especially for women. ‘But why?’ you might be wondering. ‘Housing prices don’t fluctuate based on gender.’ But while housing prices might not discriminate, salaries sure do.

On average, the gender pay gap is 13.8% in Australia. Women earn only 87 cents to the dollar for men – adding up to a difference of $253.50 per week.

This disparity limits women’s overall ability to save and spend, including saving for and spending on a deposit. Saving for a house is harder for women and takes longer, especially when we have to work against rising property prices like we’re seeing currently.

Every cent counts, and this difference means that women have to slough longer to reach their property goals. It takes the average woman a year longer than their male counterparts to save for a deposit. Seems unfair, right?

The gender pay gap also sets women back in other ways. In addition to hindering their property goals, the gap also impacts women’s abilities to create long-term wealth, which has a ripple effect long into life – and even into retirement.

What can we do?

Unfortunately, levelling the playing field of property buying would require a total overhaul of how women are paid. Luckily, women can now get bank loans without male supervision (this wasn’t always the case), yet the pay gap still lingers. The issue now is not purely about gender but rather the fact that many women simply cannot afford a property due to low wages.

While you might not be able to solve the gender pay gap on your own, there are a few small steps you can take to work towards your dream of homeownership. A few suggestions:

· Consider the First Home Super Saver Scheme (FHSS). It allows eligible buyers to make extra contributions to their super funds and later withdraw them to use towards a house deposit. These savings will only be taxed at 15% instead of your usual tax rate, allowing you to save more.

· Track your progress at work and ask for a pay rise when you deserve it. Women tend not to ask for pay rises as much as men do – meaning missed opportunities for extra income.

· Know the market and know what your job is worth. Negotiate your salary when necessary.

· Understand your industry and when upskilling might be worthwhile. Would going back to uni for further qualifications get you much further in your career?

· Take the pressure off yourself! The journey of buying property will take longer than you think. Historical expectations can’t be met today when it comes to property.

Victoria’s has just released a new book Property with She’s on the Money (Penguin Life, RRP $32.99) which provides an informative guide on the entire process for buying property – whether you’re getting your first foot on the ladder, hunting for your dream home or planning for an investment property.

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Since 1994, the data has shown a higher percentage of women consistently holding down more than one job compared to men. 

In the latest analysis taken in March this year, almost 950,000 multiple job-holders were recorded — a record high, with those working in community and personal services more likely to be holding down multiple jobs. 

The data analysed the trends in main job vs second jobs for women, revealing that most women’s second jobs were also in the same industry as their main job. Employees in the health care and social assistance industry held down two jobs within that industry. The same trend was found in workers in administrative and support services and education and training. 

The industry with the highest multiple job-holders are those working in the agriculture, forestry and fishing; and administrative and support services. 

Those who held two jobs worked on average 40.5 hours per week — five hours more than those who worked a single job (35.5 hours per week). Those who lived outside of metropolitan or main cities were also found to have higher rates of holding down multiple jobs. 

You are access the full report on the ABS site here.

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There’s a financial outlay at the start of every new school year, but especially as you transition from primary to high school. There are at least two new uniforms – regular and sports day. You have more classes, which means more books and, in turn, a bigger school bag. There are school fees and excursions and other extracurricular activities. It’s expensive.

I grew up in the housing commission estates of Sydney’s western suburbs after my mother fled a violent relationship. She raised three of us on a single parent pension. Currently the maximum payment per fortnight is almost $950 – just under $25,000 per year – so I can’t even imagine how much less it was 20 plus years ago. Sure, the cost of living wasn’t as high back then and our rent was subsidised, but it was a struggle. And our situation wasn’t unique.

Kids wore their summer uniforms in winter, arms and legs purple with the cold. Classmates shoplifted their lunch from Woolies. Teachers fed hungry kids with cheeseburger vouchers attached to McDonalds awards. Financially powerless women stared down the barrel of homelessness while trying to flee domestic violence.

Mum would have made sure I had new shoes had she known I needed them – she often went without so us kids didn’t have to, like all good mothers and fathers do – but I didn’t tell her. I knew she’d just spent a small fortune on getting me high school ready and felt bad about asking for more. The shoes still fit, so I figured I could make it work.

I’d kick my hole-ridden shoes off in class, try to let them dry out a bit. Wrinkly skin would rub off my heels as I pushed the backs down with the opposite foot. The shoes would squeak off and stink, the smell wafting up from under the desk so the girl sitting next to me would scrunch up her nose, and classmates would look my way. Embarrassed, I’d squeak-slide my feet back inside my joggers, cold water squelching around my toes.

At lunchtime, I’d save the plastic wrap from my Vegemite sandwich and ask a friend for hers too. In the girl’s bathroom, I’d try to dry my itchy-wet feet with toilet paper and plastic wrap them, separating the wet of my shoes and socks from my skin. But it didn’t work. The office ladies would give me Band-Aids for my blisters, but they’d slip-and-slide off. I’d walk with a limp, shoes rubbing against raw skin.

Thankfully (and not surprisingly), it didn’t take long for Mum to cotton on and sort it out. But this long-lost memory got me thinking of a quote from Men at Arms: The Play by Terry Pratchett: “A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that’d still be keeping his feet dry in ten years’ time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.”

I think many people are feeling like Sam Vimes right now; struggling to get ahead, buying the $10 boots that “were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out”. Some are feeling this struggle for the first time. Some are feeling it worse than others. And some have been feeling it for much longer than the news headlines would have us believe.

I know times are tough right now. Like many, I too am struggling with interest rate hikes and the cost of living. To be honest, I don’t know how single income households with kids and mortgages are managing. But I also know, from personal experience, that the struggle to make ends meet is not new. In fact, the further down the socioeconomic ladder you are, the longer this has been a problem.

What most of us are experiencing right now is just a little taster of what some vulnerable and underrepresented segments of our community have been struggling with for decades, for generations, forever. And sadly, as we see the cost of basic food, health and hygiene products increase, the impacts will be felt even more by those with the least.

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