ACTU boss joins WorkCover criticism
“Working women could be the biggest losers in changes to South Australia’s workers’ compensation laws, says ACTU president Sharan Burrow… moves to reduce payments to some injured workers, would make the scheme the least generous in the nation.”
Indigenous maternal death rate alarming
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are almost three times more likely to die while pregnant, during labour or up to six weeks after giving birth than non-indigenous women.
And the system for reporting maternal deaths in Australia needs an overhaul, with inconsistent data collection between the states and territories undermining the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) efforts to provide accurate and timely statistics.”
Mothers at mercy of interest rates
“ALMOST half of Australian women aged 25-40 said they couldn’t afford their mortgage repayments if they took time off to have a baby.
An independent survey of 855 women found 49 per cent of those of typical child-bearing age would not be able to meet mortgage repayments if they were reduced to one salary.
“It’s become a case of baby or the house — and that’s a decision women shouldn’t have to make,” said consumer marketing expert Gillian Franklin, from the Heat Group.”
“A QUARTER of Australia’s working women say females are not treated equally in the workplace – and one in five of their male colleagues agree.In fact, nearly half of all men admit their workplace is a “bit of a boys’ club”, according to new research to be released today.”
Let’s file this under “O” for obvious.
Govt must act on maternity leave: survey
“Forty-five per cent of women say they are not in a position to meet their mortgage repayments if they take time off to have a baby without government funded maternity leave, a new survey shows.”
How much more evidence does the government need before they realise that paid maternity leave is important.
How women can restore super balance
“The Financial Literacy – women understanding money report also shows that 52 per cent of women find dealing with money is stressful, compared with 43 per cent of men. And 78 per cent have a superannuation fund, compared with 84 per cent of men.
The chairman of the foundation’s advisory board, Paul Clitheroe, said women were more likely to have time outside the paid workforce and lower incomes, which meant they would have less superannuation at retirement.”
Tax relief for working mums cautiously welcomed
“The Women’s Electoral Lobby has welcomed planned tax cuts for working mothers, but has questioned how many women will benefit from them
Chairwoman of the Women’s Electoral Lobby , Eva Cox, says “…I suspect the bulk of that’s going to come from the increase in the childcare rebate and the problem with that is, as soon as we start getting that through I suspect some of the private childcare centres will be raising their fees so that may disappear fairly quickly.”
It will interesting to see whether or not this will actually improve things for working mothers in the current economic climate. Any with more economic know-how then me care to enlighten us?
2 women becoming bishops in Australia
“Barbara Darling, ordained one of Australia’s first female priests in 1992, is about to become the second female bishop in the Church of England in Australia.”
It’s always nice to see a little progress.
Inflexible workplaces deter breastfeeding
“UNSUPPORTIVE work colleagues and inflexible bosses are causing women to stop breastfeeding, even when they return to work only part-time.
A study has that found part-time and casual female employees in Australia give up breastfeeding at the same rate as full-time workers.”
This kind of story makes me equally sad and frustrated. Sigh.
“The issue that really shocked her was the effect on women, who are waiting longer to have fewer children. The worst off, she found, were professional women who worked part-time because of family responsibilities.”
Three words-paid family leave.
Any thoughts?
