“I’m very proud to lead the first government in Australia with a majority of women in our membership,” Albanese said to government leaders who gathered together at Parliament House on Wednesday morning to officially launch Australia’s 2024 International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations. 

“You can see across every portfolio, this makes a difference. Because of women campaigning with the union movement, making it clear that no one should have to choose between safety and their job, we now have 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave.”

“Because of women’s advocacy and the work of experts like Anne Summers, emphasising the way that poverty and financial dependency trap people in violent relationships, we’ve delivered more support for single mums,” he said.

“When women are seeking help, they should be heard and seen, believed, supported and empowered.”

“While women are shaping these policies and driving these responses, ending this epidemic of violence has to involve men stepping up. Because violence against women is not a problem that women should have to solve.”

The tragic number of women killed in Australia shows that the epidemic of violence plaguing the nation. In 2023, Destroy the Joint data revealed a staggering 64 women’s lives were stolen by violence, and already this year, six women have lost their lives to violence. 

The gender-based nature of this violence is clear, as men are often the perpetrators of physical violence, sexual harassment and sexual violence. This reality makes Albanese’s call for men to “take responsibility” all the more critical. 

Ahead of the UN Global Day of Observance on 8 March, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton co-hosted the annual UN Women Australia event. 

“The lead-up to International Women’s Day is an opportunity for all of us to recognise the progress that women are driving across our economy and our society,” Albanese said.

“It’s a chance to re-affirm our commitment to true gender equality – in the community, the boardroom, on the sporting field, in our parliaments. Above all, this is a time when we must face-up to where we are falling short and look for new ways to do better.”

Also present at the event were some of the government’s most high profile womne, including Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, Minister for Women Katy Gallagher and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth.

This year’s official theme for IWD is ‘Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress’, based on the priority theme for the United Nations 68th Commission on the Status of Women, exploring the pathways to greater economic inclusion for women and girls everywhere.

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Murphy, the political editor at Guardian Australia, made the announcement on social media on Monday, reflecting on her nearly 30-year journalism career.

“28 years ago, almost to the week, I arrived in the Canberra press gallery,” Murphy said.

“I am deeply grateful to so many people for the opportunities I’ve had and for the generosity that has been extended to me by my mentors, colleagues and readers.”

I will be joining the office of @AlboMP

I want to say farewell by thanking Australians who support good journalism.

It has never been more necessary.

Thank you for your company. It's been a honour.

— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) January 28, 2024

Murphy has worked at Guardian Australia since the British media outlet extended to Australia in 2013. She, alongside Guardian Australia’s editor Lenore Taylor, were key in the establishment of the independent media organisation in Australia.

“Playing a part in establishing Guardian Australia with Lenore Taylor has been the greatest privilege of my professional life,” Murphy wrote on X.

“But it’s time – after nearly three decades – for a new chapter.”

Murphy revealed she would be taking up a role in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office in Parliament House. According to reports, her final day at Guardian Australia will be on Friday.

“I want to say farewell by thanking Australians who support good journalism. It has never been more necessary,” Murphy wrote in her statement.

“Thank you for your company. It’s been an honour.”

Murphy is a respected journalist in Australia, reporting on Australian politics for nearly 30 years. In 2008, she won the Paul Lyneham award for excellence in press gallery journalism, and in 2012, was a finalist for a Walkley award in the best digital journalist category.

‘Go well, Katharine.’

Murphy’s colleague Lenore Taylor, editor at Guardian Australia, thanked her for her contribution to the online news site, saying her presence will be missed.

“Murph has been part of Guardian Australia project since the idea was conceived 10 years ago as what seemed like an audacious attempt to change Australia’s media landscape. It has succeeded beyond anything we imagined,” Taylor wrote on X. 

“Murph’s dedication, tireless work and brilliant political analysis have played a significant part in that success. On behalf of everyone at Guardian Australia, I’d like to thank her. We’ll all miss her terribly and so will our readers.”

Several journalists took to social media congratulating Murphy on her career and wishing her well for her new role.

“You’ve made a wonderful contribution to our collective understanding of Australian politics,” journalist Emma Alberici said. “All the very best in your new role.”

“What a huge loss to journalism in this country!” ABC Breakfast co-host Michael Rowland wrote on X. “I will miss your always considered and sometimes delightfully salty takes on the day and week in politics. Go well, Katharine.”

The news of Murphy’s career change did not go down well with Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton. On X, Dutton wrote he was “genuinely shocked” to hear that Murphy will now be “officially running lines for Labor”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to publicly comment on the appointment.

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The Prime Minister of Australia travelled to Uluru in central Australia on Tuesday afternoon and received the Uluru Statement From The Heart from a group of 14 Anangu Indigenous women. 

The women performed with a song and dance, which symbolised the carrying of a burden that is the referendum.

“The sticks represented the burden of the yes campaign, the burden of feeling the weight of history which is upon us,” he told reporters on Tuesday. 

“[We have] the opportunity to lift that burden of history.

“I believe Australia can rise to the occasion between now and 14 October.”

The most beautiful thing about this artwork is the room it leaves for all of us. For all Australians.

Today I was honoured to meet the Aṉangu women who painted the Uluru Statement from the Heart. pic.twitter.com/lPlXy8DIWk

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) October 10, 2023

With just three days to go before Australians vote Yes or No for a First Nations parliamentary advisory body enshrined in the Constitution, Albanese joined Labor MP for Lingiari Marion Scrymgour and Indigenous advocate and Yes campaigner Noel Pearson at the sacred Indigenous site.

The Prime Minister sat down with the Indigenous women and held their hands as they sung a song about lifting their voices together “higher and higher”. presenting his own copy of the Uluru Statement From The Heart. 

The video of the women giving him his own copy of the Uluru Statement From The Heart, something the Prime Minister describes as a “masterpiece”, shows Albanese tearing up, moved by the emotional moment.

“On Saturday, Australians can bring the beauty of this art to life with a grey lead pencil and one word – Yes,” he said.

It’s not the first time Prime Minister Albanese has become emotional over the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum and the Uluru Statement From The Heart, demonstrating how significant this moment is for him not just as the leader of the country, but also for him as an Australian.

In March this year, when he alongside the Referendum Working Group announced the question that will appear on the referendum ballot paper, Albanese choked up in front of reporters.

“The people who stand with me on this stage… I regard as a great privilege to be standing with the giants of Australia,” he said, taking a moment to compose himself.

“I don’t know if I had their experience in life that I could be as generous and as modest in my request. I would like to think that I would be, but you can’t stand in other peoples’ shoes.

“This is a modest request. I say to Australia – don’t miss it.”

More than 2.2 million Australians cast their vote in early voting polls last weekend. Unless you have registered for a postal vote, which closes tonight (Wednesday October 11), the rest of the country will be expected to attend their local voting location on Saturday October 14 to write Yes or No on the referendum ballot paper.

Votes will begin to be counted at 6pm AEST after voting day, however the Australian Electoral Commission cannot confirm whether a firm result will be announced on the night; it could take days to determine a result.

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Their prime targets are “soft” voters – including those who are undecided, uncertain, sceptical, just tuning in.

Earlier, the government was putting much faith in “the vibe” to carry the Voice – a general appeal to righting the wrongs of the past and giving Indigenous people the opportunity to be heard. “Closing the gap” was part of the pitch but it was cast in general terms.

Now, with polling showing support for the Voice slipping, the government is desperate to arrest the slide. Probably its best chance of doing so is if it can convince people the Voice will bring tangible improvements on the ground for Indigenous people.

With this in mind Burney, the minister for Indigenous Australians, on Wednesday gave the proposed Voice a work program.

“From day one, the Voice will have a full in-tray,” she told the National Press Club. “I will ask the Voice to consider four main priority areas: health, education, jobs and housing.”

This was a new slant on how the Voice will operate. Previously, the emphasis has been on it taking the initiative. Now Burney is dealing herself actively into its work. “Bringing the priorities of local communities to Canberra will be incredibly important,” she said, “so will be the requests government makes of the Voice.”

The new emphasis is also designed to reinforce the message the Voice would concentrate on core issues – it would not be running out of control or distracted.

The issues in the areas Burney nominated are massive. If the Voice were to live up to the government’s hype about helping to close the gap, it would have to give well-based advice on broad policies as well as feedback from local communities. It would require sufficient resources to provide the former, while how well it did the latter would depend on the calibre of its individual members, whose precise methods of selection are yet to be determined.

In her just-released Australian Quarterly essay, Voice of Reason, Megan Davis, co-chair of the Uluru Dialogue, writes: “The quality of representatives, whether elected or selected by community, is essential to its success. At the end of the day, the success of the Voice will rise and fall on the men and women who represent the voices of the community.”

Davis also warns the Voice must be “sharply focused and driven by community interests”, and not spread itself too thin.

The government is wise to recalibrate its messaging, but it does risk adding to the confusion and widening the scope for more questions about the Voice’s operations.

In the contest over the Voice, the government is relying on having time for the “yes” campaign to ramp up. But arguably, the long timeline may be working against the government and for the opposition leader. The government’s honeymoon is over, and the pressures many voters are under are worsening.

On Wednesday Dutton declared that, in the last year, “the prime minister’s obsession with the Voice means that he’s taken his eye off the ball when it comes to economic policy – and that’s why you’re paying more for your mortgage, it’s why you’re paying more for every element in your family and small business budget”.

Factually, this link is nonsense. But it may hit a few exposed nerves among voters.

Kos Samaras, from RedBridge consultancy group, says, on the basis of extensive focus-group research: “There’s growing resentment in some parts of Australia that this Voice issue seems to be on the minds of politicians in Canberra while these voters want action on their existential problems at a personal level – interest rates, rising rents, cost of living.”

Samaras (who formerly worked for the Labor Party) believes the cost-of-living crisis is a “punch in the guts” for the “yes” campaign.

Bearing in mind the referendum must win four states as well as a national majority, Samaras also warns that Western Australians are “starting to develop a view this is an east coast thing”.

A survey in June by the ACM newspaper group of more than 10,000 (self-selecting) readers found only 38% support for the Voice, and 55% opposition (7% undecided). More than seven in ten people felt the government hadn’t done enough to explain the voice to the community. The survey does not have the statistical rigour of a poll, but its base of 14 daily newspapers taps into major regional centres in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania (including Canberra, which is more progressive than elsewhere). So its finding is concerning for the “yes” case.

The Voice has backing from an impressive range of sporting, faith and community organisations, and strong support in the business sector, including from mining companies. Initially, this seemed a significant plus. But now there are doubts, with some fears ordinary people might react to what they see as “elites” telling them what to do.

Dutton has doubled down on his attacks on businesses that have endorsed and in some cases donated to the “yes” campaign. Homing in on Wesfarmers’ donation, he said: “I think the $2 million would be better off reducing prices in their supermarkets or reducing prices at Bunnings. When I go to Bunnings, I want to pay less for my goods, not more. […] Every time I hand over my credit card or cash at Bunnings, or at Coles, I don’t want part of that money going to an activist CEO.”

Whether Wesfarmers or similar firms donate to the Voice campaign is not going to make any difference to their prices. But that doesn’t mean the line won’t resonate with some voters.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has yet to announce the date for the referendum vote, continuing to repeat that it will be in the last quarter of the year. It’s a moot point whether the intensifying campaign will be to the advantage of the “yes” vote. Will the “soft voters” become increasingly irritated by anything that doesn’t relate to cost-of-living issues?

In retrospect, the referendum vote ideally should have been held earlier, even if the government had to face accusations of rushing it. Prospectively, the race is still there to be won by the “yes” case, but the government would also be wise to have a plan for handling the serious consequences of a loss.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Stella Assange’s comments, made at the National Press Club on Monday, come after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton both agreed in recent weeks that Assange’s case should be resolved. 

“This is a political case and it needs a political solution,” Stella Assange told the National Press Club.  

Julian Assange has spent more than 1,500 days in high-security prison in London, facing a threat of being extradited to the United States, where he faces a sentence of 175 years. He faces espionage charges for leaking classified military documents.

Jennifer Robinson, Assange’s lawyer, insisted that Assange has not committed a crime. She also did not rule out a plea deal with US prosecutors to secure his release.

Stella Assange said that if her husband is extradited, “he will be buried in the deepest, darkest hole of the US prison system, isolated forever”.

“That is what is done to defendants in so-called national security cases, even before trial,” she said.

“A 175 year sentence is a living death sentence. A prospect so desperate that the English court found that it would drive him to take his own life, rather than live forever in hell.  We must do everything we can to ensure that Julian never, ever, sets foot in a US prison. Extradition in this case is a matter of life and death.”

In her address, Stella Assange described what Julian’s life in London’s Belmarsh prison is currently like. “I can tell you exactly what Julian is doing right now. It is 3am in London. Julian is lying in his cell, probably awake and struggling to fall asleep. It’s where he spends 22 hours a day, every day,” she said. “Julian’s cell is about three by two meters.”

“He has spent 1502 days in a prison cell, with no end in sight, and no way of knowing how many days to count down to a release. Julian will be in that cell indefinitely until he is released.”

She also described taking the couple’s two children to visit their father in prison, standing in endless queues, being sniffed by dogs, and sitting across from him with a heavy table between them. 

“At the table, Julian and I are allowed to embrace hello and goodbye. I am allowed to hold his hand across the table. The children climb on him and he reads them stories.”

In a recent significant development, Australia’s high commissioner to the United Kingdom, Stephen Smith, visited Assange at Belmarsh prison in April. It marked the first time an Australian diplomat has visited Assange since 2019.

Meanwhile, in Question Time on Monday, independent MP Andrew Wilkie asked Anthony Albanese why he had not met with Stella Assagne during her visit to parliament house.

“A priority for us is not doing something that is a demonstration, it is doing something that produces an outcome,” he said in response.

Stella Assagne said it is up to the Australian government to secure her husband’s release and stop his extradition to the United States.

“It is important to recognise that Australia plays an important role and can secure Julian’s release,” she said. “Julian’s life is in the hands of the Australian government. It is not my place to tell the Australian government how to do it, but it must be done. Julian has to be released.”

“I place hope in Anthony Albanese’s will to make it happen. I have to. This is the closest we have ever been to securing Julian’s release and I want to encourage and do everything in my power to help that happen.”

You can read Stella Assange’s full speech here:

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Indeed, both leaders retained their positivity about the other side during their concession and victory speeches, with former premiers Dominic Perrottet praising the former opposition leader Chris Minns and the “race to the top” that he saw in the campaign, describing it as “politics at its best” and saying Minns “will make a fine 47th premier of NSW. 

On the other side, Minns thanked Perrottet during his victory speech and declared “this election campaign perhaps uniquely was a model of respect and civility and neither party took the low road. Neither political party took the low blow.”

It was also noticeable in the separate interviews Women’s Agenda had with both of them in the final week of the campaign. Neither attacked the opposite side, even when they had the opportunity to. Neither said a negative word about anyone. 

Of course, that’s not to say the NSW state election was all kindness. Plenty of candidates, residents and columnists have fallen into their gutter during the campaign, and now in the aftermath.

Federally, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised a “kinder” Australia when the 47th Parliament sat for the first time in July 2022. He sought to legislate and promote a more “family-friendly” environment for representatives. 

The tone certainly has shifted. But as Question Time proves over and over again, there is still work to do. 

Just yesterday, the opposition claimed that Labor MP Sam Rae yelled across the chamber, “at least I have my own children” – while Liberal MP Angie Bell was speaking about the childcare bill. Rae denies making the remarks but concedes he did interject. 

And outside of parliament, the choices politicians make on the commentary they share with the media, as well as the events they choose to attend, highlight how the rhetoric of kindness can be quickly overcome by “race to the bottom” actions. 

Most disturbing are the anti-trans rallies that have occurred in various parts of the country, that saw wannabe and actual politicians attending – as well as some Neo Nazis. 

On Monday, Victorian Liberal lead John Pesutto saw his leadership questioned after his push to expel MP Moira Deeming from the party room – following her attendance at the anti-Trans rally — failed. Instead, Deeming was suspended for nine months. And within hours of the party room meeting that determined the results, Deeming tweeted to organisers of the rally to “not worry” because she didn’t “condemn” them during the process. 

Last week, the anti-trans rally arrived in Canberra – although the small and pathetic turnout was drowned out by the much larger pro-trans group that arrived. 

It’s hard to believe we’re talking so much about Nazis in 2023. It’s hard to believe we still need to discuss banning Nazi salutes and take a stronger stand on Nazi symbols across Australia. 

It’s hard to understand how much hate can be thrown at the already marginalized trans community, and what those who seek to tear down and attack this community are so fundamentally afraid of. 

The “race to the top” claimed in the NSW election must translate into all areas of politics and the community, across all parties and well onto the backbenchers at the state and federal level. It’s clear, we need it.

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The parade marked the biggest event of the Sydney WorldPride and Mardi Gras Festival, marking the 50th anniversary of the first Gay Pride Week in Australia, and the 5th anniversary of the marriage equality vote.

More than 12,500 people marched on Saturday night on top 200 floats, marching for self-expression and equality under this year’s theme Gather, Dream, Amplify. 

Here, we look at the highlights from the 45th Mardi Gras parade in Sydney.

First PM to march

Anthony Albanese became the first sitting prime minister to march in Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday night when he led the Rainbow Labor float alongside Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns.

It was a significant achievement, one which Albanese described as “unfortunate” to ABC reporter Jeremy Fernandez. “It’s unfortunate that I am the first but this is a celebration of modern Australia,” he said.

“We’re a diverse, inclusive Australia and that’s a good thing. People want to see that their government is inclusive and represents everyone, no matter who they love, no matter what their identity, no matter where they live. We need to be a country that respects everyone for who they are.”

“We need to pay tribute tonight and think about the 78ers,” he added, referring to the original activists who marched in the first Mardi Gras in Sydney in 1978. “… who were thrown in jail for the simple fact of who they were, because they happened to be gay or lesbian.”

“It is five years since marriage equality. That was a demand that wasn’t there 45 years ago. We need to continue to argue for equality.”

Albanese had also marched back in 1983 when he was a student at Sydney University, and estimates this year to be the 35th time he has marched. 

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A post shared by Jeremy Fernandez (@jeznews)

First time medical colleges unite to march 

The inaugural Pride in Medicine advocacy group marched for the first time over the weekend — bringing together members from several medical colleges including Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM). 

More than 60 doctors, fellows and medical students donned in sequinned scrubs joined the festivities on the Pride in Medicine float, representing the group’s LGBTQIA+ doctors, medical students and allies. 

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A post shared by Pride in Medicine – Australia & Aotearoa NZ (@prideinmedicine)

“We are proud to support this float by the Pride in Medicine group, who do so much to provide a supportive community for medical practitioners,” RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins said.

 “LGBTQIA+ people still experience prejudice, and still experience worse health outcomes. There’s no excuse for that in 2023. Doctors take an oath against discrimination in healthcare and for support of their peers. We have a duty to end that health inequality and ensure all staff are welcomed in our workplaces.”

“We’re on a journey of change at the RACGP and have been working hard to build an inclusive culture, and supporting our LGBTQIA+ members, staff and the communities in which they operate is an important part of that.”

Pride in Medicine vice-president and treasurer Associate Professor James Lee believes no one should hide or suppress their identity. 

“Many doctors and medical students still feel unable to be true to their LGBTQIA+ identity in the healthcare setting, and so do many of our patients,” Lee, who is a endocrine surgeon in Melbourne, said.

“For LGBTQIA+ patients, this can lead to poorer health outcomes and experiences. We want to help close this gap, so all doctors and medical students can bring their authentic selves to work and all patients can seek timely care without fear of discrimination or judgement.”

“Pride in Medicine supports current and future doctors to create that world by providing a community that can hear and understand their challenges, guide them and advocate for them and their patients.”

Associate Professor Ruth McNair, a GP academic and Chairperson of the Pride Foundation Australia noted the ways LGBTQIA+ community face substantial health inequalities. 

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“Mental health is a major area – there is a particularly high suicide risk, which is worse for subgroups such as trans and non-binary people, those with disabilities, and young people,” she said.

“They also face higher cancer risk factors and possibly higher prevalence of some cancers, more harmful substance use and a greater burden of STIs among subgroups such as men who have sex with men and transgender people. People with intersex variations are still experiencing unwanted surgeries, infertility and discrimination.”

“The major contributors to these differences are a wide range of experiences of trauma, including family rejection, school bullying, workplace discrimination, family violence, abuse within society, marginalisation.”

Professor McNair believes that many people are still afraid of discrimination in health care settings, which prevents people from seeking help and leads to later presentation of illness.

“This is all totally preventable by simply educating ourselves as doctors and other health professionals,” she added.

“Things are improving slowly, but our LGBTQIA+ patients are rightly impatient for improvement and a fully inclusive healthcare system.”

Federal senator Lidia Thorpe protests police violence at parade

Former Greens senator Lidia Thorpe staged a solo protest against police brutality on Saturday night when she walked behind the NSW Police float shouting “f*** the police”, before lying on her back on the concrete road. 

Two police officers approached Senator Thorpe as the parade was momentarily interrupted. 

She rose to her feet and spoke with the Mardi Gras crew and NSW Police, who later said the Independent senator was removed by parade organisers for “breaching the terms of her participation”.

Senator Thorpe was escorted away by police officers, though not arrested. Before her protest, she’d marched with the No Pride in Genocide float. 

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A post shared by Senator Lidia Thorpe (@senatorthorpe)

“While we respect the individual’s right to protest, interrupting the parade in this way has significant implications for the safety of our participants and audience,” a spokesperson from NSW police said.

The following morning, Senator Thorpe took to social media to explain her protest. 

“Black and brown trans women started the first pride march as a protest against police violence,” she wrote. 

“Today, we still face violence from police. Proud to have joined the #PrideInProtest float in Sydney to say #NoPrideInGenocide, #NoPrideInPrisons, and #NoCopsInPride.”

This morning, NSW police confirmed it will not charge Senator Thorpe for her actions on Saturday night. 

Pride in Protest’s spokesperson Mikhael Burnard told The Guardian “the oppression of queer people and the oppression of Indigenous people and refugees are one and the same fight”.

“The global queer community needs to actively defend queer and trans people, needs to challenge such rhetoric in political and social spaces and it needs to fight back against this transphobic and fascist creep,” he explained in another recent interview. 

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But last night, Taryn Brumfitt achieved just that; with the Prime Minister and the nation celebrating the leader’s significant work promoting body positivity in widely acclaimed documentaries, books and speeches over the past ten years.

It all started in 2013, when Brumfitt posted a photo on Facebook that went “seriously viral”. It sparked a rapid conversation that led into a global movement.

The image/s flipped the ‘before and after’ phenomenon on its head, showing a heavier Brumfitt in the ‘after’ position.

Brumfitt successfully leveraged this exposure, understanding the acute importance of advocating for women and girls weighed down by social pressure to look a certain way.

In ten years, Brumfitt has released two award-winning documentaries with a third film to be released this year. Her first film, ‘Embrace‘ — viewed by more than 45 million people worldwide– was applauded for inspiring us to change the way we feel about ourselves and think about our bodies. 

This led into ‘Embrace Kids’, released last year; an energetic exploration of the relationship children have with their bodies, covering areas such as social media, disability, gender identity, representation and diversity.

She was also the executive producer for The Last Daughter which will be released later this year– a film centring on a young, Aboriginal woman and her struggle for cultural belonging.

Brumfitt has also released three bestselling books — Embrace Yourself, Embrace Your Body, and Embrace Kids. She has given more than 100 keynote addresses, made 1000+ media appearances and been recognised by international advocacy groups including UN Women, Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls and the Geena Davis Institute.

Her social media following now sits upwards of 500,000.

Critically, and as she told the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last night, she has no intention of slowing down. Only minutes after winning the accolade, she’d requested a meeting with the government about the “paediatric health emergency” spurring suicide, depression, eating disorders, anxiety and steroid use, adding that body image was the number one concern for 70 per cent of Australian school children.

“Every adult is a role model to a child, and I’m not here to shame you or make you feel bad. I’m here to ask you to shift the way you think,” she said.

“Little Aussies describe their bodies as strong and energetic and powerful, and they have genuine love for all the things their bodies can do. 

“This gives me hope that we can get in early and block the shame and despair.”

Brumfitt also acknowledged that what we have learned to hate can be just as easily unlearned.

“We weren’t born into the world hating our bodies, this is something the world has taught us,” she said.

“Body-shaming is a universal problem, and we have been bullied and shamed into thinking our bodies are the problem.

“What if, instead of spending precious time and energy at war with their bodies, our young people were free to become the leaders, big thinkers and game changers the world needs more of right now?”

She added that promoting a healthy body image was not about encouraging obesity.  

“It’s about the way that we feel about all of ourselves: our skin colour, our height, our age, our gender, our unique selves — and it is learning to move, nourish, respect and enjoy our bodies.

“Because you can’t look after something you don’t love.”

Addressing attendees at the start of the awards ceremony, the Prime Minister said Brumfitt and the other nominees represent the best of Australia.

“We gather tonight, on the eve of our national day, to honour and celebrate those who represent the very best of our national character,” he said.

“Global stars and local heroes. Young Australians and those rich in years. People of all backgrounds and from every part of our continent.

“A diverse group, united by a common quality: they inspire us.

“They inspire us by living and serving and upholding our nation’s values: our compassion and generosity, our courage and initiative, our ingrained sense of fairness and our deep belief in service to community.”

Tom Calma AO, a public human rights activist and one of the chief architects of a Voice to Parliament, was named Senior Australian of the Year, while Socceroo Awer Mabil became Young Australian of the Year for his refugee support organisation, ‘Barefoot to Boots’.

The founder of Western Sydney-based charity Turbans 4 Australia, Amar Singh, was named Australia’s Local Hero on the 20th anniversary of the award.

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The bill was passed through the House of Representatives on Monday and looks to implement some key legislative changes that were recommended by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins in her 2020 Respect@Work report.

The most prominent change will place a “positive duty” on employers to take reasonable and proportionate steps to eliminate sex discrimination and sexual harassment from their workplace.

The Human Rights Commission will also be given new powers to enforce this positive duty, making sure employers meet the obligations. The legislation also expressly prohibits conduct that would result in a “hostile work environment” on the basis of sex.

The changes will also see Commonwealth public sector organisations report to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency on gender equality indicators.

“With this bill, we recognise that achieving women’s economic equality includes making sure women are safe at work,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told parliament on Monday.

“We must never accept sexual harassment as either inevitable or unavoidable. It is anything but.

“Nor should we be tempted by the dangerous fiction that we are somehow incapable of improvement. That we have come this far as a society, and that’s it.

“Let’s make these changes and move forward with our national story.”

Independent MP Dr Monique Ryan attempted to move an amendment to the government’s bill on Monday for a “fair access” costs model, to help victims of sexual harassment access justice without taking a massive financial hit.

Her amendment, which was not supported by the government and did not pass, said that the people or organisations found to have engaged in discrimination or sexual harassment should pay the legal costs of the applicant.

“The Labor government’s Respect At Work bill seeks to end workplace sexual harassment. But neutral costs orders mean the financial risk for victims could prove too daunting,” Dr Ryan said.

“I believe that the bill must be strengthened so that this significant impediment to victims obtaining representation, and pursuing justice is removed.”

The Greens indicated they would seek to move the amendment in the Senate, where the government needs their support, as well as the support of one independent.

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Treasurer Jim Chalmers reiterated this intention with four central pillars: cheaper childcare for 96 percent of Australian families, an 8 week boost to paid parental leave, 1.7 billion to improve women’s safety policies and gender responsive budgeting to ensure that the gender impact of decisions remains central to parliamentary decision-making process.

Minister for Women, Senator Katy Gallagher said that the Government was committed to levelling the playing field for women across the board.

“Women are not an add-on in this budget. They are not a group of people that are nice to consider or include in the budget as a political fix like they have been under the former government,” she said. “Labor’s first Budget delivers on our election commitment to elevate the position of women in Australia through responsible and targeted investments, because we know that policies that are good for women are good for the economy.”

The full Women’s Budget Statement is available here, but below are the biggest takeaways:

WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EQUALITY 

The government will:

• Deliver a $531.6 million investment to expand the Paid Parental Leave scheme up to 26 weeks by July 2026–the biggest boost to Australia’s Paid Parental Leave scheme since it was created in 2011. The initiative will enable parents to spend more time with their children and share caring responsibilities more equally.
• Invest $4.7 billion over four years to make it easier and cheaper for parents to access early childhood education and care. 
• Provide families with First Nations children access to a minimum level entitlement of 36 hours per fortnight of subsidised early childhood education and care from July 2023. This will provide a strong foundation for First Nation’s children.
• Provide a $20.2 million investment to establish two new Expert Panels on Pay Equity and the Care and Community Sector in the Fair Work Commission. This will strengthen the Fair Work Commission’s capacity to hear and determine applications from female-dominated industries whose work is often undervalued and under-paid.
• Reform the workplace relations system to make gender equity an objective of the Fair Work Act 2009 and legislate a statutory equal remuneration principle.

WOMEN’S SAFETY 

To support the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-32 the government has committed an investment of over $1.7 billion, made up of: 

• $1.3 billion in funding for a range of targeted initiatives to address gender-based violence.
• $39.6 million in 2022-23 for additional support through the Escaping Violence Payment program, 
• $25 million over five years to trial innovative responses to address the behaviour of perpetrators; and 
• $12.6 million over two years to extend the program assisting Temporary Visa Holders who are experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence.
• $169.4 million for 500 frontline service and community workers to support women and children experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence, with support targeted to women and children in rural, regional and remote areas; First Nations people; the culturally and linguistically diverse community; women with disability; and the LGBTQIA+ community. 
• $83.5 million over 6 years for consent and respectful relationships education, to prevent violence before it begins and support young people to develop safe and healthy relationships.
• $42.5 million to implement all recommendations of the Respect@Work report. This includes $32 million to fund Working Women’s Centres in all states and territories, which provide free advice and assistance to women on issues including workplace sexual harassment, discrimination and wage theft. 
• $3.4 million to support the implementation of 10 days paid domestic and family violence leave.
• $3.0 million to restore funding to the National Family Violence Prevention Legal Service forum.
• $100 million for crisis and transitional housing options for women and children fleeing domestic and family violence and older women on low incomes who are at risk of homelessness, through the Housing Australia Future Fund.

WOMEN’S HEALTH AND WELLBEING

To support women’s health and wellbeing, the Government has pledged to:

• $26.2 million funding 12 new perinatal mental health centres across Australia. This will help around 2,880 expectant and new parents to access to the mental health support they need each year.
• $5.9 million towards expanding the pregnancy and postnatal guidelines for expectant parents, including target consultation and guidance for culturally and linguistically diverse and First Nations people. A further $13.9 million will be provided to increase the number of autopsies and investigations undertaken after a stillbirth.
• $22.5 million over 3 years from 2022–23 to build a dedicated Birthing on Country Centre of Excellence at Waminda, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service in Nowra, NSW. The Birth Centre will be operational by 2025–26 and will support best practice birthing on country services and support.

The post ‘A world leader on gender equality’: Labor government takes strong steps with first Budget appeared first on Women's Agenda.

Pleasant State is one of four Australian and New Zealand businesses to win this year’s Trans-Tasman Innovation and Growth Awards, which were presented at the 2022 Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF) event taking place in Sydney this week. 

Founded by Queensland entrepreneurs Ami Bateman and Sian Murray in early 2020, Pleasant State makes non-toxic and zero-waste dissolvable cleaning bars. 

In the space of two years, Pleasant State products have made their way into more than 16,000 homes, and the business says it has saved more than 85,000 plastic bottles from entering landfill. Pleasant State raised more than $80,000 via an Indigogo crowdfunding campaign at the end of 2020 to fund new product development. 

As the winner of the consumer products category of the ANZLF awards, Pleasant State will receive a cash prize of $25,000, as well as an invitation to the Forum, which is being attended this week by politicians and business leaders. 

Australian tech company Seer Data and Analytics was also recognised in the awards, along with New Zealand companies Inhibit Coatings and oVRcome. 

Bateman says the Pleasant State team was honoured to be presented with the award by Australia and New Zealand’s prime ministers.

“We’re on a mission to prove that doing good is good for business, so winning an award that celebrates growth and innovation shows that we’re doing just that,” she said in a statement to SmartCompany. 

“As a bootstrapped, female-founded startup, our hope is that this inspires other women to do the same.”

Pleasant State achieved B Corporation status earlier this year and has committed to donating 2% of sales or 20% of profits (whichever is greater) to charity 1% for the Planet. 

This focus on sustainability is a key value of the business, with the founders previously telling SmartCompany they felt they “didn’t have a choice” but to forge ahead with their business plans, even when the pandemic hit. 

“We have an environmental crisis on our hands and if we don’t do something who will?” said Murray. 

This article was first published by SmartCompany.

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On social media, Albanese described Ardern as his “good friend” and posted photos of the pair looking decidedly chummy, watching the light display for the VIVID festival in Sydney.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Anthony Albanese (@albomp)

Ardern is the first foreign leader to be hosted by the new Australian government since the election in May, and by all accounts, it looks like it’s getting off to a great start.

The images Albanese posted last night got us thinking about what they would have talked about over dinner. So, we’ve put together some ideas of what might have gone down in conversation between the two leaders last night.

Finally! progress!

After a long nine years of a hardline right wing federal government in Australia, Ardern must be feeling pretty relieved for Australia to now be on a similar playing field to New Zealand policy-wise.

In fact, new Australian treasurer Jim Chalmers has already paved the way for Australia to approach policy more like New Zealand, promising a “wellbeing budget”, à la Jacinda Ardern.

A wellbeing budget looks at matters of public wellbeing, alongside economic figures and can help prioritise funding for issues like mental health and social inclusion.

That Australia now has a credible approach to climate change action would be a big relief for New Zealand, too.

Midnight Oil, Spiderbait and Powderfinger 

Posting to Instagram last night, Jacinda Ardern said that Albanese had gifted her Midnight Oil, Spiderbait and Powderfinger records on vinyl.

It’s no secret that Albanese is a long-time fan of Australian music, and he clearly wasted no time in getting Ardern up to speed on some Aussie classics.

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A post shared by Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern)

Scomo’s unrelenting stubbornness over NZ’s refugee settlement

Ardern has probably long wondered why the previous Australian government took nearly a decade to accept New Zealand’s offer to resettle 450 refugees who had been in detention on Nauru or in regional processing arrangements.

Ardern repeatedly made clear that the offer was always on the table, if only Australia would take it up. Sadly, the Morrison government only decided to take Ardern up on the offer in March 2022, just months out from the May election.

That awkward Ardern/Morrison joint press conference

Back in 2020, Ardern held a joint press conference with Scott Morrison in Sydney and brought up the contentious Australian deportation policy that she has been critical of for a number of years.

“Do not deport your people and your problems,” Ardern told Morrison in a strained moment during the press conference. She was referring to the policy that sees criminals without Australian ­citizenships deported to their countries of origin. The policy includes people from New Zealand, even if they have lived in Australia most of their lives.

“Australia is well within its rights to deport individuals who break your laws. New Zealand does the same. But we have a simple request – send back Kiwis. Genuine Kiwis,” Ardern continued. “I have heard countless cases of individuals who on any common sense test identify as Australians.”

“We will own our people. We ask that Australia stops exporting theirs.”

Who claims the win over pavlova, Russell Crowe and Crowded House…

Come on now, we all know the answer to those ones.

The post 5 things Jacinda and Albo (probably) talked about at dinner last night appeared first on Women's Agenda.