Victorian Abortion Vote

MPs urged to give women choice on abortion

“A pro-choice group wants State Government MPs to support the most liberal of three options proposed by the Law Reform Commission to decriminalise abortion.”

ABC News

Latest Sex Scandal Op-Ed

Why Tania has every reason to be angry

“I have to say I’ve never thought much of Tania Zaetta. That’s not to say I don’t like her, I just never really knew who she was.”

News.com.au

Finally someone has something sensible to say about this latest “sex scandal”. 

 

First Woman Bishop

First woman bishop faces curly questions

“Australia’s first female Anglican bishop says she will be happy to tour Australia encouraging women to become priests, but she’s unlikely to visit Sydney any time soon.”

The Age

Nice to see the Anglican Church in Australia catching up with the rest of the world. Sadly though I don’t think the Sydney Diocese will be jumping on that bandwagon anytime soon. 

Government to Sign UN Protocol

Govt to sign UN protocol on women’s rights

“The Federal Government says steps are being taken to sign a United Nations protocol that aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women.”

ABC News

About bloody time!

Sex Ed in Schools

Sex education and public edification

“Children love the idea that they harbour secret knowledge of the strange world of adults. They enjoy making us squirm. It is understandable when you spend most of your time being told what to do by people bigger than you, whose priorities have little to do with your own.

I’m not surprised that my sons have developed an interest in human sexuality, however innocently expressed. I remember having the same giggly conversations in the playground. Apart from offering information when they ask for it, I ignore their banter and occasionally go off for a quiet laugh in the corner.”

Sydney Morning Herald

Indigenous Women and Domestic Violence

Remote women live with violence

“THE alarming rate of domestic violence in Aboriginal communities has been exposed, with research showing indigenous women are almost 70 times more likely to be bashed and require hospital treatment for head injuries than non-indigenous women.”

The Australian

More Women Commiting Crimes

Girls Gone Wild

“NOT long ago, the women in Victorian prisons were there largely because of drug or property-related crimes.

But that picture is slowly changing, with a rising number of women being convicted for assault and other violent crimes.”

The Age

Absurd Age Op-Ed

Too poor to shave

“Recently named FHM’s hottest woman in the world, Megan Fox has revealed things weren’t always so rosy for her.

In fact, the star says she used to be so poor she didn’t have enough money to shave her legs.”

The Age

Odd that some would consider a woman not shaving her legs to be newsworthy, even odder that it than becomes fodder for an op-ed piece. I’m so over society feeling compelled to comment on what women do with their bodies.

Women in Sports Editorial

Culture’s vultures miss point

“I don’t think sport should be excluded from access to the public purse because professional leagues generate massive revenue through television rights, sponsorship, ticket sales and merchandise.”

Sydney Morning Herald

Budget Wrap Up

Below are all articles relating to the lastest Federal budget which can probably be aptly described as taking from the drunk to give to the toddlers.

The Good

I was really happy to see the introduction of means testing for the baby bonus and for Family Tax Benefit (B) because I just don’t think it’s possible to defend giving tax breaks to wealthy families and I think that the cut-off rate was high enough as to be sufficently inclusive for lower-middle income families given the increasing cost of living. It was also really great to see the Federal Government putting their money where their mouth is and investing in the education system.

The Bad

I was disappointed to see that the Federal Government weren’t spending more on indigenous issues, particularly health and education and that there wasn’t going to be any emergency funding allocated to tie students’ associations over until a new funding system is put into place, particularly as both Julia Gillard and Kate Ellis had been so positive and forthcoming in assuring students that they weren’t going to be forgotten.

The Ugly

Alcopops, a word I’m sure everyone is well and truly sick of. The tax on alcopops was never intended on preventing binge drinking, it was always going to be used as blatant revenue raising and it’s being spun in an incredibly patronising and I think sexist fashion, the Federal government riding in on it’s white horse to save young women from themselves with a tax. I call bullshit.

Macklin forced to defend underspend claims in NT

Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin was today forced to defend the government against criticism that it was vastly underspending its predecessor.

Falling short: Indigenous budget spending

The Rudd government has committed a total of $1.2 billion over five years for a range of measures aimed at closing, within a generation, the 17-year gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.

Australian Greens senator Rachel Siewert said that was inadequate.

“I’m dismayed that despite the rhetoric from the government on closing the gap, the commitment of funds in this budget simply won’t do it,” she said.

16,000 families set to lose baby bonus

ABOUT 16,000 high-income families are set to lose the baby bonus, with the federal government means testing the scheme from the beginning of 2009.

Won’t somebody think of the Cougar drinkers?

Brendan Nelson will. And he’s not taking the p-ss. Instead of standing up for stay-at-home mums or solar panels, the Opposition Leader has sided with ‘ute men’ and underage drinkers.