How Paid Parental Leave Is Changing
If you’re going to pop a baby this year, then you might be eligible for some new and improved paid parental leave. This is because the Federal Government has made some positive changes to the scheme.
As of July 1, either parent will be able to be the first person to receive their paid parental leave cash. This change will make the system more flexible, which is exactly what you need as a new baby-owner.
What’s more, parents will now be able to access this scheme in multiple blocks. For instance, a new dad could take one day of paid parental leave, go to work for a while, and then take seven more days of paid parental leave.
“Improving paid parental leave is a critical, nation-building reform. Paid parental leave is vital for the health and wellbeing of parents and their children,” said our Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth.
“We know that investing in paid parental leave benefits our economy. And we know that done right, paid parental leave, both Government and employer schemes, can advance gender equality. Around 180,000 Australian families take up this benefit each year, and they will now be able to share their entitlement in the way that best suits their circumstances.”
Who Sunk the Iconic Pride of the Murray Paddlewheeler?
Early on March 7, a kayaker in Queensland’s Longreach contacted the police. This is because they had rowed past a sunken 98-year-old paddlewheeler, the Pride of the Murray. It shouldn’t need to be said, but the Pride of the Murray wasn’t meant to be underwater.
The police are currently investigating this sinking and considering that it could be the result of criminal activity.
As Allan Cook, a Longreach Major Organised Crime Officer said, “There would be no circumstance that we would be looking at that would suggest this would be a natural event, so we have to treat it as suspicious.”
Meanwhile, Outback Pioneers, the owners of Pride of the Murray, are very disappointed that their paddlewheeler sank. The tourism season is just around the corner, and this craft would have been a boom to their business.
Outback Pioneers’ Marketing Manager, Nicki Lloyd, said, “The tour season finished last October, over the summer, we have been running safety checks.”
“Over the weekend, it was visited and there were no signs of anything untoward, it was an absolute shock.”
However, Lloyd is hopeful that the Pride of the Murray can be saved. A salvage team is coming to retrieve the boat from the river.
“They will start the salvage, and once the boat is out of the water, everyone will learn a little more about what’s happened,” said Lloyd. “We will get her back restored and back on the water, we have every faith that will happen.”
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Who Is Stanning the Super Changes? This Poll Tells All
It’s been all over the news, but the Federal Government wants to make some changes to our superannuation system. These folks are planning on making it so that Aussies with over $3 million worth of superannuation receive fewer tax concessions. This is because our gov wants our super system to be focused on helping people through retirement, instead of being a tax haven for the rich.
The government’s proposal has created a flock of opponents, most alleging that Australia doesn’t want this change.
However, despite what these fearmongers claim, many Aussies are in favour of such a reform. According to a Guardian poll of 1141 voters, 50% like this super reform. 31% are undecided, and only 19% oppose it.
Additionally, if enough of the public is onboard, this change has a bigger chance of really happening, since it wont come into play until after the next election.
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