RePress

RBA cash rate unchange

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 04:21:00 +0000

At its meeting today, the Board decided to leave the cash rate unchanged at 1.50 per cent.

Conditions in the global economy are continuing to improve. Labour markets have tightened further and above-trend growth is expected in a number of advanced economies, although uncertainties remain. Growth in the Chinese economy is being supported by increased spending on infrastructure and property construction, with the high level of debt continuing to present a medium-term risk. Commodity prices have risen recently, although Australia's terms of trade are still expected to decline over coming years.

Wage growth remains low in most countries, as does core inflation. Headline inflation rates have declined recently, largely reflecting the earlier decline in oil prices. In the United States, the Federal Reserve expects to increase interest rates further and there is no longer an expectation of additional monetary easing in other major economies. Financial markets have been functioning effectively and volatility remains low.

The recent data have been consistent with the Bank's expectation that growth in the Australian economy will gradually pick up over the coming year. The decline in mining investment will soon run its course. The outlook for non-mining investment has improved recently and reported business conditions are at a high level. Residential construction activity remains at a high level, but little further growth is expected. Retail sales have picked up recently, although slow growth in real wages and high levels of household debt are likely to constrain future growth in spending.

Employment growth has been stronger over recent months and has increased in all states. The various forward-looking indicators point to solid growth in employment over the period ahead. The unemployment rate is expected to decline a little over the next couple of years.

Wage growth remains low. This is likely to continue for a while yet, although stronger conditions in the labour market should see some lift in wages growth over time. Inflation also remains low and is expected to pick up gradually as the economy strengthens.

The Australian dollar has appreciated over recent months, partly reflecting a lower US dollar. The higher exchange rate is expected to contribute to the subdued price pressures in the economy. It is also weighing on the outlook for output and employment. An appreciating exchange rate would be expected to result in a slower pick-up in economic activity and inflation than currently forecast.

Conditions in the housing market continue to vary considerably around the country. Housing prices have been rising briskly in some markets, although there are signs that conditions are easing, especially in Sydney. In some other markets, prices are declining. In the eastern capital cities, a considerable additional supply of apartments is scheduled to come on stream over the next couple of years. Rent increases remain low in most cities. Investors in residential property are facing higher interest rates. There has also been some tightening of credit conditions following supervisory measures to address the risks associated with high and rising levels of household indebtedness. Growth in housing debt has been outpacing the slow growth in household incomes.

The low level of interest rates is continuing to support the Australian economy. Taking account of the available information, the Board judged that holding the stance of monetary policy unchanged at this meeting would be consistent with sustainable growth in the economy and achieving the inflation target over time.

Media responsibility in suicide reporting in light of Libby Bell reports

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 04:19:00 +0000

In light of media reports about the death of Libby Bell, and in consideration of the National Media Initiative Mindframe recommendations on best practice reporting of suicide and mental health, Kids Helpline would like to remind Australian media that Kids Helpline is available to children and young people experiencing bullying, mental health and other concerns 24/7.

Kids Helpline is Australia’s only national 24/7 counselling and support service specifically for children and young people aged 5 to 25 years.

www.kidshelpline.com.au or free call 1800 55 1800.

Please include Kids Helpline’s contact details at the end of coverage and articles where appropriate.

Media responsibility in suicide reporting in light of Libby Bell reports

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 04:19:00 +0000

Kids Helpline is Australia’s only national 24/7 counselling and support service specifically for children and young people aged 5 to 25 years.

www.kidshelpline.com.au or free call 1800 55 1800.

Please include Kids Helpline’s contact details at the end of coverage and articles where appropriate.

Media responsibility in suicide reporting in light of Libby Bell reports

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 04:19:00 +0000

Kids Helpline is Australia’s only national 24/7 counselling and support service specifically for children and young people aged 5 to 25 years.

www.kidshelpline.com.au or free call 1800 55 1800.

Please include Kids Helpline’s contact details at the end of coverage and articles where appropriate.

Media responsibility in suicide reporting in light of Libby Bell reports

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 04:18:00 +0000

Kids Helpline is Australia’s only national 24/7 counselling and support service specifically for children and young people aged 5 to 25 years.

www.kidshelpline.com.au or free call 1800 55 1800.

Please include Kids Helpline’s contact details at the end of coverage and articles where appropriate.

Statement from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia Chairman of the Board

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 02:47:00 +0000

Wednesday, 9 August 2017 (Sydney): At its scheduled meeting on Monday and Tuesday of this week, the Board of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia considered in detail the allegations in the statement of claim served last week on the Bank by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC).

The Board acknowledges the significance of the allegations, recognises the high degree of public interest in this matter, and that this issue impacts the reputation not only of the Bank but of the industry more broadly. Accordingly, to accompany the release of our full year results, the Board is today providing a public update on its discussions and actions.

Commonwealth Bank takes its legal and regulatory obligations very seriously, including its role in working with AUSTRAC, other agencies and law enforcement bodies, to fight crime. It is committed to maintaining a strong, co-operative working relationship with AUSTRAC.

Significant progress has been made on a program of action focussed on strengthening its policies and processes relating to its obligations under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act. Since the second half of 2015, when the alleged issues relating to Threshold Transaction Reporting (TTRs) in the Intelligent Deposit Machines (IDMs) were brought to the Board’s attention, progress on the program of action includes:

· Promptly fixing the coding error relating to the IDM TTRs.

· Changing senior leadership in the key roles overseeing financial crimes compliance, compliance more broadly, and operational risk.

· Recruiting more than 50 financial crime compliance professionals.

· Strengthening our Know Your Customer (KYC) processes with a specialist hub providing consistent and high-quality on-boarding of customers, delivered at a cost of more than $85m.

· Upgrading the financial crime technology used to monitor accounts and transactions for suspicious activity. The new technology will be fully delivered over the next twelve months at a cost of approximately $40m.

· Commencing the upgrade of additional fraud monitoring technology, for use by the team that provides further security assurance to customers by identifying any fraudulent activity.

The Board has established a dedicated sub-committee of four directors that will oversee the response to AUSTRAC’s statement of claim and the on-going execution of the program of action.

In terms of addressing accountability for the issues raised by the statement of claim, the Board’s immediate action has been to reduce to zero the Short-Term Variable Remuneration outcomes for the CEO and Group Executives for the financial year ended 30 June 2017, as well as reduce fees for non-executive directors by 20 per cent during the current 2018 financial year.

This reflects our view that the Board, CEO and Group Executives take ultimate collective responsibility for the reputation of the Bank. As the Board considers the substance of AUSTRAC’s claims, it will take an active role in addressing any further management accountability for the alleged actions or omissions. The Board notes that it has no reason to believe that the allegations arose from deliberate or unethical behaviour, or any commercial motive.

The Board’s actions reflect the focus we are taking on improving the trust among people, customers, businesses and communities that the Bank exists to serve.

Catherine Livingstone AO

Chairman

Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Auckland airport will carry out its own review of the events surrounding yesterday’s death of Aviation Security Service dog Grizz.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 19 Mar 2017 02:34:00 +0000

Auckland Airport has announced that it will carry out its own review of the events surrounding yesterday’s death of Aviation Security Service dog Grizz.

The event was difficult for the whole airport team, particularly for the agencies and staff who tried to do everything they could to capture the dog. Everyone involved in airport operations understands how important working dogs are to the safe and secure operation of airports.

The Emergency Operations Centre team, which includes representatives of the border agencies, airlines, ground handlers and New Zealand Police, made their difficult decision only after they exhausted all the viable options available to them.

We understand and acknowledge the strong community response to the decision, and our thoughts continue to be first and foremost with the Aviation Security Service dog handler, his colleagues, and all those who were involved in yesterday’s events.

Auckland Airport will be conducting its own review of the events and will liaise closely with the Aviation Security Service, which is also conducting a review.

Reserve Bank sees risks equally balanced

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 11:01:00 +0000

Risks around future Official Cash Rate movements are equally weighted, reflecting balanced risks around inflation, Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler said today in a speech.

Speaking to Craigs Investment Partners’ Investor Day in Auckland, Mr Wheeler noted that the Bank’s February Monetary Policy Statement included a neutral bias with an unchanged OCR track until late 2019.

Expanding on the main risks around the interest rate projections, Mr Wheeler said: “In effect, there is an equal probability that the next OCR adjustment could be up or down. We consider the balance of risks for the global outlook to be downside. For the domestic economy, there is some potential upside for output growth if migration and commodity prices turn out to be stronger than forecast, but the risks around inflation look balanced.

“This means that if the economy were to develop in line with the Bank’s economic projections, which are based on several assumptions, then the OCR would remain at its current level over the next two years.

“However, small open economies such as New Zealand are hit by multiple shocks and the Bank assesses whether these, or a combination of them, warrants a change in monetary policy.”

While the outlook for global growth has improved over the past six months due to rising commodity prices and stronger business and consumer sentiment, several major sources of uncertainty exist in Europe, China and the United States. The balance of risk in the global economy is on the downside.

“Many of the risks in these regions are well known, and already reflected in relative prices such as interest rates, exchange rates and commodity prices. The greatest source of uncertainty relates to the US Administration policies in respect to its ‘America first’ policy platform. Although a substantial US fiscal stimulus could be positive for growth in the global economy, the prospect of a marked increase in protectionism – coming at a time when global trade is growing slowly and trade disputes are increasing – would be expected to have sizeable impacts on the global economy.”

Domestically, there are several uncertainties around the economy, including the future path for commodity prices, the exchange rate, migration, the housing market, and household saving.

“The greatest source of uncertainty currently lies around the housing market and the possibility that imbalances in the housing market might deteriorate. Fortunately, house price inflation has moderated substantially in recent months, but it’s too early to say whether this moderation will continue.

“Another risk is that the exchange rate remains higher than projected in the MPS, suppressing tradables inflation and net exports. As we indicated in the MPS, whether monetary easing would be required to offset this would depend on the factors driving the exchange rate (e.g. weaker global growth, higher commodity prices) and how domestic capacity pressures were changing.

“Our assessment is that the risks around the OCR are equally weighted.”

AIME show floor features set to inspire with Oxygen Bar, ‘Streets of Melbourne’ and AIME Community Hub

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 18 Feb 2017 09:44:00 +0000

The Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME), 21 – 22 February, is thrilled to announce exciting show floor highlights that will celebrate its 25 year history, and immerse visitors into the culture that is AIME.

This year’s show will see the return of the successful AIME Community Hub, decorated in the iconic purple and silver accents to highlight the anniversary. The Hub is the perfect place for visitors to get connected, recharge both themselves and their devices, gather information, and view live footage from around the show floor. The Hub will feature a dedicated photo booth and an interactive ‘Post-it Note’ wall, which lets visitors share their AIME moments and inspirations. This year AIME has partnered with Microhire, who will provide an innovative video wall and interactive social media broadcast that will post live updates at the HUB for a truly immersive experience for guests.

AIME has once again partnered with with Clifton Productions and exponent, to create the AIME Knowledge Lounge, a unique educational environment that provides two full days of learning opportunities, easily accessible on the show floor and open to all attendees free of charge.

The Hyatt Regency Lounge has been designed to encourage people to connect by offering Confident, Clever and Energetic experiences. An oxygen bar will provide the revitalising effects of pure oxygen in a variety of flavours, helping to rejuvenate and energise visitors, while a juice bar will provide healthy refreshments.

Celebrating the local and international guests, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) is hosting a food fair called ‘Streets of Melbourne’ that will highlight locally sourced produce, local delights and delicious food accessible to all visitors.

Be Challenged will showcase a range of activities and programs aimed to engage visitors and encourage them to learn something new. From the latest gamification technology to experiencing the thrills of playing in an Orchestra, visitors will have the opportunity to join in the latest in interactive team building activities.

Ian Wainwright, Event Director – AIME, Reed Travel Exhibitions commented on why these features strengthen visitor experience.

“This year we focused on enhancing the visitor experience by providing opportunities to engage and interact with technology and creating a fun collaborative atmosphere for networking. Everyone involved in AIME becomes truly immersed in the experience of doing business, being inspired, making connections, and engaging and interacting with exhibitors.

“AIME 2017 is sure to cater to all our visitor’s needs, and features a few surprises to make it even more memorable. Beyond connections, AIME is about celebrating our community, our powerful meetings and events industry and of course, our 25th birthday,” said Mr Wainwright.

www.aime.com.au/Register-2017

MORE THAN 1 MILLION AUSSIE KIDS IN POVERTY, TEACHERS FORCED TO HELP BUY BASIC SCHOOL SUPPLIES, SURVEY REVEALS

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 06:13:00 +0000

Australian teachers are spending hundreds of dollars from their own pockets on basic school supplies for students because of widespread poverty affecting Australian children, new data reveals.

A recent survey sample of teachers from a broad cross section of primary schools in Australia showed 92 per cent had purchased essential classroom materials with their own money, 69 per cent of whom spent up to $500 on classroom and student stationery supplies in the past year.

The survey was conducted by leading teaching innovation company Education Changemakers and Australian stationery brand, Yoobi, which operates on a very simple premise: for every Yoobi item purchased, another Yoobi item is donated to a child or classroom in need in Australia through The Smith Family.

Yoobi is a socially conscious business which addresses an often-forgotten problem experienced in disadvantaged families. The Australian Council Of Social Service (ACOSS) Poverty Report 2016 showed that this back to school season 1.1 million children and young people * will be living in poverty across Australia and won't be able to afford what they need for school.

When putting food on the table is a struggle, many of these children will start the school year without the basic items they need to participate in class or complete assigned homework. As a result, many Australian school teachers are taking on a personal financial burden in order to ensure their students don’t suffer.

The survey found that:

· 92% of Australian teachers have bought essential classroom materials out of their own pocket in the past year.

· 91% of Australian teachers have worked with students that haven’t had access to basic school supplies at home.

· Individually, almost one third (27%) of Australian teachers are spending more than $500 of their own money each year on classroom and student stationery supplies.

· Almost half (47%) spend between $100 and $500 a year and 1 in 10 (10%) will spend upwards of $1,000 per year out of their own pockets.

The issue was commonplace across the survey sample, with teachers surveyed from all states in Australia in both metropolitan and regional/rural areas.

Mr Kalish said that with enough public support, the ‘You Buy, Yoobi Gives’ approach could go a long way in remedying the problem. In just 12 months of operation in Australia, Yoobi has already donated enough school supplies to cover 24,000 school children for an entire school year; that’s over 330,000 Yoobi items. In the US where the brand originally launched in 2014, the number of children impacted has reached over 2 million.

“We like to think of Australia as the lucky country – and in many ways it is – but that image obscures the facts that 91% of Australian teachers say they have worked with students that haven’t had access to basic school supplies at home,” Kalish said.

“Especially at this very busy Back to School period, we are urging parents to consider choosing Yoobi over other similar brands to help provide basic school supplies to less fortunate students, while stocking up on the essentials for their own kids for the year ahead. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Kalish said Yoobi had seen fantastic success in its first year , not only because of its one-for-one “give” model, but because of the bright, happy and colourful style of its products, most of which retail between $3 and $10.

“Recent price comparisons show Yoobi is still one of the most cost-effective stationery brands in the market, in some cases costing less than half that of its nearest competitors,” he said.

“Shopping for back to school items is always a time of excitement and anticipation as kids get ready to head into another school year, but unfortunately, that isn’t the case for all Australian kids. Yoobi is about levelling the playing field by providing fundamental access to school supplies for children in need and with the help of the back to school shopping public, we are well on track to achieve our goal of providing to 100,000 kids in the next year.”

Greyhound racing ban a courageous move

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 10:15:00 +0000

The peak body for veterinarians has supported the move by New South Wales to ban greyhound racing, while also expressing concern about the animals affected.

President of the Australian Veterinary Association, Dr Robert Johnson, said while they move forward with this ban, there needs to be assurances for the welfare of the dogs involved.

“As the Premier noted, the phasing out of the industry will affect many people and communities that rely on this industry and we want to be sure that transition arrangements will support their needs as well as the greyhounds.

“We would encourage any other state or territory considering such an action to consult with the AVA so we can help to develop an effective plan that supports greyhounds during the transition,” Dr Johnson said.

AVA spokesperson Dr David Neck said it will be a considerable challenge to care for the greyhounds during the transition and ensure their welfare is not compromised.

“There needs to be an adequate timeframe to appropriately phase out the industry while not compromising the welfare of the dogs. The veterinary profession is certainly willing to help these efforts and work with stakeholders.

“We encourage families to consider rehoming a greyhound as they can make wonderful pets. No one wants to see greyhounds euthanased as a result of this decision, and we sincerely hope this can be avoided,” Dr Neck said.

KOJO Secures Creative Account for Racing Victoria

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 10:02:00 +0000

Racing Victoria (RV) has appointed creative services business KOJO to develop creative strategy and execution across all channels for the 2016 Spring Racing Carnival.

The appointment builds upon a successful 12-month partnership, where KOJO was engaged to develop an integrated content and social strategy for the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival and the 2016 Relaxed Racing campaign.

Sarah Stewart, RV Marketing Manager, commented on KOJO’s appointment to lead the overarching creative strategy that will set the tone of this years’ Spring Racing Carnival – Australia’s biggest horse racing event.

“This year we have taken a different approach by bringing KOJO on board to further develop our customer-led strategy including creative design and execution across all mediums with an increased focus on digital channels. This integrated approach will ensure a bold and imaginative strategy is reflected across the entire customer journey, maximising our audience’s engagement in the Spring Racing Carnival, the highlight of Australia’s sporting, social and fashion calendar.

“The appointment follows on from the success of KOJO’s strategic approach, the quality of the team’s work and ability to bring the Spring Racing Carnival’s unique stories to life,” said Ms Stewart.

Stephen Lord, Chief Strategy Officer at KOJO recognises the need for brands to think differently to engage target markets across both traditional and contemporary platforms.

“In the past year, KOJO has seen increasing interest from clients in our creative approach, leading customers on a memorable journey across a range of integrated channels ensures they engage and embrace brands. At KOJO we merge strategy, creativity, production experience and technology to truly inspire audiences. Our approach to marketing, communications and advertising is about partnering with confident brands to push the boundaries and communicate their stories like never before, all in order to create memorable experiences that deliver great business outcomes.

“We are excited by the opportunity to extend our partnership with Racing Victoria. We look forward to bringing the Spring Racing Carnival brand to market, securing its position as the leading sport and entertainment event in Australia,” said Mr Lord.

The Spring Racing Carnival officially launches on September 1 and includes 45 feature race days across Victorian city and country racecourses concluding with the Ballarat Cup on 19 November.

Better animal welfare top of election agenda for vets

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 11:57:00 +0000

The Australian Veterinary Association’s (AVA) 2016 federal election policy platform is calling for the new government to improve its animal welfare framework.

AVA President, Dr Robert Johnson said that the community expects to consume food sourced from production systems with high welfare standards.

“Australians expect their government to take an active role in ensuring our country’s food production systems promote high animal welfare standards.

“The Australian government needs to dedicate resources to a new national framework, including the development of animal welfare standards that consumers can trust,” he said.

The AVA’s Better animal welfare, productivity and biosecurity policy platform highlights the need for the Australian government to resume its national leadership and investment in animal welfare, and better regulation of livestock export.

“We believe the Export Supply Chain Assurance Scheme should be reviewed regularly and animal welfare standards should be continuously improved over time, with the involvement of veterinarians.

“We also believe that the animals’ welfare can only be assured during their voyage with a truly independent veterinarian on every live export vessel who can report on animal health and welfare without fear or favour.”

The AVA’s policy platform also makes recommendations about other issues that need addressing on the national agenda including:

Increased funding for fighting antimicrobial resistance
Better livestock disease surveillance and response by employing more veterinary staff in key animal health and biosecurity areas
Targeted investment in higher education.

Dr Johnson said that veterinarians are uniquely qualified to ensure the safety of the food we eat, guard access to export markets, and care for those companion animals that are valued family members. However, he warns that if we are going to be able to have the right number of vets with the right skills in the right places in the future, the government needs to address this now.

“The future sustainability of the veterinary workforce is under threat. Investment in veterinary education is poorly targeted resulting in a workforce that is growing at an unsustainable rate.

“Veterinary education is one of the most expensive courses. There needs to be a commitment to prevent construction of any new veterinary school or expansion of existing facilities that are designed to enable a university to increase its intake so there’s more efficient use of government resources.

“Increases in veterinary degree student fees should also be limited, to be in line with potential earnings,” Dr Johnson said.

Australians are Not Prepared for a Stormy Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 11:54:00 +0000

A new survey reveals that 68 per cent of Australians don’t have a flood disaster plan in place. And a further 35 per cent of people would have nowhere to live if their house was flooded.

The data, released by ServiceSeeking.com.au, surveyed more than 4,000 people following the recent bout of stormy weather in which parts of Australia have been affected by flooding and severe rain.

ServiceSeeking.com.au CEO Jeremy Levitt says this past month’s severe storms along the east coast should serve as a reminder for all households to prepare a disaster plan.

“Most of us naively think what we see on the news will never happen to us. But no-one is immune from bad luck when it comes to natural disasters and we all should make some preparations to lessen the heartache if that bad luck does swing our way.

“At the very least, check your insurance policy to see if there are any exclusions and talk with your neighbours to formulate a plan so you can help each other out.”

Twenty per cent of people with home and contents insurance admit their contents insurance would not cover them in the event of a natural disaster completely destroying their home and all they owned.

Mr Levitt said: “Many people think they’re covered when they take out basic insurance, but they are often left financially distraught in the wake of a natural disaster. In peak storm season like we’re experiencing now, it’s a good idea to check your policy and upgrade if you think you’re lacking.”

While dealing with damage to your property would be stressful enough, 60 per cent of people admit their photos are not backed up in the cloud and are at risk of losing their precious memories in a natural disaster.

This survey collected the responses from more than 4,000 ServiceSeeking.com.au customers last week.

KidsRights Index 2016: countries falling short on children’s rights

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 12:17:00 +0000

KidsRights, the international children’s rights foundation, in collaboration with Erasmus University, has today published the KidsRights Index 2016. The Index is an annually updated global ranking that charts the extent to which countries worldwideadhere to and are equipped to improve the rights of children. This year’s list underlines that, worldwide, countries are falling short on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

KidsRights urges all 163 countries analysed in the Index to increase efforts to combat discrimination against minority groups of children and youth especially. Vulnerable and marginalised children, including refugee children, migrant children, disabled children, street children andindigenous children, are still widely discriminated against. Another area in need of improvement is the much needed cooperation between the state and civil society, which is still underdeveloped in various countries. KidsRights is especially alarmed by the increased threats posed to the safety of children’s rights defenders, journalists and civil society activists. In too many countries such practitioners are being harassed,threatened, abused or jailed.

Moreover, many countries fail in facilitating true child participation. Marc Dullaert, founder and chairman of the KidsRights Foundation,urges countries to do more in this respect: “Not a single one of the 163 countries analysed in the Index achieved the highest possible score on child participation. This means that the views of the 2.2 billion children on this planet are not being heard adequately regarding issuesthat affect them directly. KidsRights strongly urges all countries to increase efforts to ensure that the views of children are properlyrespected.”

Overall ranking

Norway is the Index’s number one for the second year in a row. Runners up in 2016’s top ten are Portugal, Iceland, Spain, Switzerland, Slovakia, Ireland, France, Finland and Tunisia. Switzerland and Finland have replaced the Netherlands (now 13th) and Sweden (now 14th)respectively in the top ten. Worst performing countries overall in this year’s Index are Guinea, Angola, Lesotho, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Papua New Guinea, Chad, Afghanistan, Central African Republic and Vanuatu.

Mexico (102  37), Jamaica (103  51) and Colombia (123  60) deserve honourable mentions for having risen among the ranks significantly since last year’s Index. These countries score relatively high as they have improved significantly in fostering an enabling environment for children’s rights. All three countries improved on the best budget available for realising children’s rights and on adhering to the principle of best interests of the child. Brazil (43  107), the United Arab Emirates (39  78), the Dominican Republic (68  96) and Iraq (120  149) score remarkably poorly compared to 2015 and are urged to do more to foster the rights of their youngest generation.

Prosperity does not always guarantee children’s rights

Interestingly, economically better performing countries are not necessarily doing a better job when it comes to safeguarding the rights of children. Italy (81st), Canada (72nd) and Luxembourg (56th), for example, are urged to improve the infrastructures they have built for children’srights. These wealthy countries are in a position to invest in children’s rights, but fail to do so sufficiently. Tunisia (10th) and Thailand (21st) on the other hand deserve honourable mentions in that respect. Their high ranking in the Index relative to their economic status is to a large extent due to good performances in cultivating an enabling environment for children’s rights. Thailand for example scores well on their national legislation enabling children’s rights.

The KidsRights Index: why it matters

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is ratified by all of the world’s states but one: the United States of America. The adoption of theConvention 26 years ago marked a crucial step in improving children’s rights worldwide. However, there is still a considerable gap between the good intentions of policymakers and the actual effects policy has on the everyday lives of children. Take the UN Sustainable Development Goals, for example. The UN General Assembly adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015. They show yet more concrete attention for the position of children than the earlier Millennium Development Goals did. The scale and ambition of the SDG agenda present unprecedented opportunities to truly improve the daily lives of children and youths. Although the Index is not a direct tool for monitoring performances of individual countries regarding the SDGs, it does provide crucial insights into what is being done and where countries need to do better to guarantee children’s rights.

Young Australians plagued by mental health stigma

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 12:00:00 +0000

Startling new research has revealed the shocking role that “stigma” plays in preventing young Australians seeking help for mental health issues.

New research conducted by headspace in partnership with Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health reveals that 52 percent of young Australians with mental health problems are too embarrassed to discuss the problem and 49 percent were afraid of what others would think. Every year, a quarter of all young people will experience mental health issues and 1 in 4 of those will not seek the help that they need.

The research also revealed that a quarter (26%) of young people aged 12 – 25 would not tell anyone about a personal mental health issue and 22 percent would be unlikely or very unlikely to discuss it with their family doctor.

According to headspace CEO Chris Tanti stigma plays a major role in stopping Australian youth from seeking help for mental health issues. “Stigma can make it harder to ask for help and get support for mental health issues out of fear of being judged,” Mr Tanti said.

“The research shows that over half of young people who identified having a mental health problem in the last 12 months were embarrassed to discuss the problem with anyone and nearly half were afraid of what others would think.”

For headspace youth advocate Charlie Cooper, 21, fear of how his loved ones would perceive him initially stopped him from seeking life-changing help. “I struggled with anxiety for over a year before I spoke up. I worried about whether my family and friends would see me as ‘soft’, ‘incapable’ or ‘crazy’,” Charlie said.

“As soon as I spoke up, I realised it was all around me. Many of my closest friends were struggling with similar issues. It seems ridiculous now, but we really were struggling together in silence. As soon as I found the right help, my life improved dramatically, and it continues to do so every day.”

headspace chief medical officer Natalie Gray said that spending time and getting to know people impacted by mental health issues, hearing their stories and understanding their experiences helps to change negative attitudes, reduce fear and social distance. “The other is education – providing information and knowledge about mental health issues and the benefits of seeking help and seeking help early,” she said.

To combat the stigma associated with mental health, headspace is launching The Big Stigma campaign, encouraging people to talk openly and seek help for mental health issues and to tear down the stigma associated with mental illness.

headspace has built The Big Stigma, a life size representation of the stigma that surrounds mental health issues. It will be positioned in Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station from Monday 6th – 10th June. headspace is inviting the public to visit and to remove an information panel, which in turn reduces the size of the stigma. As the week progresses and more people get involved and remove panels the stigma becomes smaller.

The Big Stigma digital hub (www.thebigstigma.com.au) will provide a virtual stigma for people to tear down and share to social channels. This reaches out to people across Australia online with links to resources and tools for friends and family seeking to support youth with mental health issues.

By visiting The Big Stigma online or in person, Australians will be tearing down the Big Stigma surrounding mental illness and keeping the conversation about youth mental health alive.

Political leaders, mental health professionals, sportspeople, musicians and celebrities have committed to help tear down the Big Stigma. headspace expect Stand-up Comedian Dave Hughes, Rapper Dylan Joel, Singer-songwriter Kate Foxx, DJ Rodjar, Hannah from Little May and Fox FM’s Trav Roebuck who is the Facebook Live Host for the event.

Rake actor adds his support to Legal Aid campaign ahead of Sydney launch

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 18 May 2016 07:08:00 +0000

“Rake” actor Richard Roxburgh has added his support to a national campaign calling on the Federal Government to properly fund legal aid in Australia.

In a video message Roxburgh, who plays Sydney lawyers and colourful character Cleaver Greene in the popular ABC series, says that it’s important to highlight the legal aid crisis.

“Currently many Australians are forced into the situation of having to represent themselves against well-resourced corporations,” Mr Roxburgh said.

He says that access to justice has to be for all Australians not just those with deep pockets.

“Cuts to legal aid funding by successive governments has created a situation where many Australians, including those living beneath the poverty line, are no longer eligible for legal aid,” he said.

Keep Australia safe from gun violence by signing our petition

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 10 Apr 2016 09:59:00 +0000

The Alannah & Madeline Foundation is calling on the Australian and state and territory governments to maintain the gun legislation, which was introduced in the aftermath of the Port Arthur tragedy.

The petition calls for the retention of the National Firearms Agreement 1996, which was enacted just months after the Port Arthur tragedy including the banning of all semi-automatic and automatic weapons in the community. It also calls on all governments to keep our firearm laws strong and to restrict dangerous guns like the rapid fire shotgun Adler A110.

Walter Mikac, whose daughters Alannah and Madeline and wife Nanette died with 32 others at Port Arthur, worked with then Prime Minister the Hon John Howard to introduce the legislation.

Since its enactment there has not been one mass shooting - four or more victims - in Australia. In the decade prior to Port Arthur there were 11 mass shootings.

Now, worryingly, 20 years after our nation acted to stop more firearm deaths, certain individuals and groups are calling for Australia's gun laws to be loosened. This risks putting our children in danger again.

Mr Mikac said there was no reason for Australians to own semi-automatic or automatic guns as legalising these weapons would only raise the risk of danger and death for more Australians.

He said it was his own personal goal, as well as the Foundation's, to ensure no one else experienced the trauma that he went through 20 years ago.

"A significant legacy and one of the only good things to come of the 1996 Port Arthur tragedy, the day I lost my wife and children, was the establishment of the National Firearms Agreement 1996 Mr Mikac said.

"The Alannah & Madeline Foundation opposes any changes to laws that could increase access to firearms and the affiliated increased risk of higher rates of homicides, suicide, or unintentional harms from the use of firearms."

Like Mr Mikac, US President Barack Obama has continually applauded the Australian Government's decision to enact tougher gun laws, calling on his own Congress to follow suit.

On October 1, 2015, President Obama made a point of naming both Australia and Great Britain as countries that have "crafted laws that have almost eliminated mass shootings".

Australia has been identified as a leader in reducing deaths through gun violence and changing the National Firearms Agreement would reverse all the good work that was done in the aftermath of the Port Arthur tragedy.

The Alannah & Madeline Foundation CEO Lesley Podesta said it was vital that as many people as possible signed the petition to ensure all Australians are kept safe from any further gun violence.

"It is essential that the gun laws introduced in 1996 are retained now and into the future for the safety of our children, their children and all generations to come," Ms Podesta said.

The petition can be signed at www.amf.org.au from April 8.

Australian laws failing to protect our bullied children

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 07:21:00 +0000

The effects of bullying can be traumatic and even fatal with many cases leading to mental health problems, substance abuse and suicide. Australian schools and parents persist with the fight against bullying in an attempt to protect their children, whilst most states continue to have outdated and inadequate bullying laws.

Bullying affects at least 26% of all Australian pupils, with a staggering 9% being bullied weekly. Rueben Cunningham, Co-founder and COO of national charity Angels Hope says “Most laws that are in effect are from decades ago and offer no real protection or recourse for the victims of bullying. With no solid examples of punishment being set, these problems will continue”.

Suicide is the top cause of death for 15-24 year olds in Australia and alarmingly, self-harming deaths go up 657% when comparing those between 12-13 and 14-15 years old.

The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (18^th March) sees schools across Australia taking a stand against the bully. To coincide with this, Angels Hope is calling for Australians in each state to sign the petition to strengthen the education and criminal law acts and to send a stronger message to bullies through punishable action and help eradicate the behaviour from our schools.

“Those who bully someone so severely that they are left with such low self-esteem and self-confidence that they take their own life need to be held accountable” says Cunningham. “Kids can’t stand up for themselves. If they fight back they’re suspended from school, if they don’t they end up with psychological disorders as an adult.”

With 53% of children accessing their first internet connected device before 10 years of age and half of 14-17 year olds accessing the internet through mobile phones, new technologies have provided bullies with new tools to hurt students in old ways. The evolution of bullying has made protecting children from the psychological impacts of bullying incredibly challenging.

This creates a worrying situation, Reuben tells us that “in the past, you could easily monitor your children’s internet activity by having computers in the lounge with the family. Today, children as young as 10 have smartphones and can fall victim to bullying without anyone in the family even knowing”.

Chris Merchant, a bully survivor recalls her experience, “My situation got so bad, I had to move out of my home town. After years of school bullying, no one would employ me and the police repeatedly ignored my complaints”. Chris now continues to suffer from severe anxiety disorder, years after the traumatic period that saw pupils and teachers bullying her.

According to Australian human rights, the government must ensure that every person under the age of 18 is protected from all forms of violence and are also required to implement special measures to protect children and young people who are more vulnerable to violence, harassment and bullying.

However, as state laws have not yet implemented stricter and harsher action against those who bully, it leaves our children defenceless in the face of the abuse that they encounter in the playground or online. With bullying, in all forms, estimated to cost the economy $36 billion annually and the lives of our children it’s time to take a harsher stand.

Angels Hope are running an online petition on their website www.angelshope.org.au for each state in Australia, to strengthen the fight against the bully. Some states require the current Education and Criminal Acts in each state to help protect those in need, while others need firmer wording and independent auditing.

Australians can also help in the fight against the bullies by donating at www.angelshope.org.au, where funds raised will go towards changing the state laws and the development of services to help those who are victims of bullying.

88% OF AUSTRALIAN PARENTS ADMIT THEY’RE UNABLE TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN WITH HOMEWORK

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 10:53:00 +0000

The average Australian parent finished high school at least 14 years ago, so it’s not surprising that 88% of mothers and fathers admit they’re unable to always help their children with school homework.

A new study from Yourtutor.com.au, an online tutoring service offering one-on-one expert study help, reveals that although one third of Australian children struggle with homework at least weekly, most parents aren’t able to offer a solution.

Lack of time, inadequate levels of knowledge, and an inability to afford support services were the main reasons for the barrier, with 62% of parents with teens stressing that times had drastically changed since they were their children’s age.

Jack Goodman, father of three and Founder of Yourtutor.com.au says, “While parents have the best intentions, they’re often not able to help and this can lead to stress and arguments within families. Luckily services in Australia are adapting to provide families with convenient and cost-effective solutions, such as YourTutor, which gives students assistance from accredited education professionals within minutes.”

It’s no surprise that maths and science are the two subjects stumping the highest number of parents; with 60% admitting these are their biggest struggle. 39% of mums and dads also revealed that they aren’t even able to understand primary level maths homework.

But before parents get too concerned, Mr Goodman adds, “STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) may be the hardest for parents to assist with, however a lot of the time they’re the simplest subjects for teachers and tutors to explain to students, so even if you aren’t able to help, there is always someone who is.”

YourTutor.com.au is a one-to-one tutoring service that connects students with some of the country’s best, brightest and rigorously screened teachers, lecturers and PhD students. The program is open six days a week from 3pm-midnight, giving students unprecedented access to education professionals when they need it most.

Founded in 2003, YourTutor.com.au has become the most trusted online tutoring and study help site in the education industry and was previously only available through Australian universities, TAFEs, schools, libraries and governments. Since 2015YourTutor.com.au has been accessible to every family around the country, helping Aussie children make the most out of their education.

New research finds Australians prioritise flexibility of hours over more pay

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 10:47:00 +0000

Australian workers are aspiring to maximise their free time in 2016 by outsourcing household chores and opting for flexibility of work hours over increased pay.

Airtasker’s third Future of Work study reveal that up to 38 per cent of Australians intend to outsource their chores to free up time in 2016. As a benchmark, around 30 per cent of Australians currently employ others to complete their housework.

Meanwhile, for the first time in the study series, the majority of workers (38 per cent) indicated that flexibility was more important to them than pay when looking for work.

The study serves as the first key piece of research tying together several workplace trends hinted at in 2015. Last year it was revealed that Sydney barrister Bridie Nolan spends up to $6500 a week outsourcing chores.

Meanwhile, tales of incredibly flexible work situations are also becoming increasingly common. KPMG management consultant Katie Drover reduced her workload down to four days a week in order to DJ on weekends.

The findings comes as part of Airtasker and Pureprofile’s third Future of Work study, which surveyed representative sample of 1002 Australians on work and life trends.

“The figures note a distinct shift in the mindset of the Australian worker. The idea of attaining a work-life balance is no longer about the amount of hours worked,” Airtasker CEO Tim Fung said.

“It’s is now all about getting the most out of your free time, and maximising your earning potential by working smarter.”

“Now that Australian workers can earn a sizeable, reliable income whilst maintaining a flexible lifestyle by working on sharing economy platforms, traditional employers will need to think about how they create an equally enticing work environment.

“Meanwhile, Aussie consumers are learning that they can get even more done by outsourcing their chores to locals in their neighbourhood - they’re creating free time whilst getting more done.”

The study also revealed:

Approximately 40 per cent of those surveyed indicated they would be looking for a new job in 2016, while around 80 per cent of people want to supplement their regular income in 2016.
Around 81.5 per cent agree that the the traditional employment model of the 9-5 office job is inflexible for workers in 2016 and into the future. Only 76.4 per cent agreed with this statement in 2015.
Of those that intend to outsource chores, the majority (52 per cent) said they would rid themselves of five hours or less of housework per week. Up to 8 per cent indicated they would outsource over 20 hours worth of chores.
Almost half (49.2 per cent) indicated that they are aware of Australia’s growing sharing economy movement. The figure represents a 4.4 per cent jump in awareness since the last Sharing Economy monitor in June 2015.
An increase in the number of Australians who have used a sharing economy service or app to earn extra income. This rose from 4.1 per cent in 2015 to 6.1 per cent in 2016.

To explore the data further, please visit Airtasker's Future of Work page.

cash rate unchanged at 2.0 per cent

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 03:38:00 +0000

The Reserve bank of Australia decided to leave the cash rate unchanged at 2.0 per cent.

Recent information suggests the global economy is continuing to grow, though at a slightly lower pace than earlier expected. While several advanced economies have recorded improved growth over the past year, conditions have become more difficult for a number of emerging market economies. China's growth rate has continued to moderate.

Commodity prices have declined further, especially oil prices. This partly reflects slower growth in demand but also very substantial increases in supply over recent years. The decline in Australia's terms of trade, which began more than four years ago, has therefore continued.

Financial markets have once again exhibited heightened volatility recently, as participants grapple with uncertainty about the global economic outlook and diverging policy settings among the major jurisdictions. Appetite for risk has diminished somewhat and funding conditions for emerging market sovereigns and lesser-rated corporates have tightened. But funding costs for high-quality borrowers remain very low and, globally, monetary policy remains remarkably accommodative.

In Australia, the available information suggests that the expansion in the non-mining parts of the economy strengthened during 2015 even as the contraction in spending in mining investment continued. Surveys of business conditions moved to above average levels, employment growth picked up and the unemployment rate declined in the second half of the year, even though measured GDP growth was below average. The pace of lending to businesses also picked up.

Inflation continues to be quite low, with the CPI rising by 1.7 per cent over 2015. This was partly caused by declining prices for oil and some utilities, but underlying measures of inflation are also low at about 2 per cent. With growth in labour costs continuing to be quite subdued as well, and inflation restrained elsewhere in the world, consumer price inflation is likely to remain low over the next year or two.

Given these conditions, it is appropriate for monetary policy to be accommodative. Low interest rates are supporting demand, while regulatory measures are working to emphasise prudent lending standards and so to contain risks in the housing market. Credit growth to households continues at a moderate pace, albeit with a changed composition between investors and owner-occupiers. The pace of growth in dwelling prices has moderated in Melbourne and Sydney over recent months and has remained mostly subdued in other cities. The exchange rate has continued its adjustment to the evolving economic outlook.

At today's meeting, the Board judged that there were reasonable prospects for continued growth in the economy, with inflation close to target. The Board therefore decided that the current setting of monetary policy remained appropriate.

Over the period ahead, new information should allow the Board to judge whether the recent improvement in labour market conditions is continuing and whether the recent financial turbulence portends weaker global and domestic demand. Continued low inflation may provide scope for easier policy, should that be appropriate to lend support to demand.

Auckland Airport welcomes new Emirates non-stop Dubai-Auckland daily service

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 10:48:00 +0000

Today’s announcement that Emirates will start a new non-stop service between Dubai and Auckland from 2 March 2016 means that Auckland Airport will now only be one stop away from the airline’s 53 European and Middle Eastern destinations.

Norris Carter, Auckland Airport’s general manager – aeronautical commercial, says, “The announcement of this new non-stop Emirates flight between Dubai and Auckland is great news for Auckland Airport and even better news for New Zealand.”

“This new flight will help to significantly increase the number of people travelling between New Zealand and Europe, India and of course the Middle East. It will help to further stimulate travel, trade and tourism with these important and growing markets.”

“Auckland Airport estimates this new service using a B777-200LR aircraft will provide an extra 194,180 seats per annum on the Dubai route and deliver an additional $125 million every year to the New Zealand economy.”

“We are particularly delighted that this new Dubai direct service will be in addition to the three Emirates A380 flights that already operate daily between Auckland and Dubai - via Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. These four daily flights will provide passengers with significant choice for their journeys, and the new non-stop Dubai service will reduce journey times by around three hours each way.”

“The new non-stop flight from Auckland to Dubai is estimated to take 17 hours and 15 minutes. That is only 20 minutes shorter than the current world record holder, a 17 hours and 35 minutes Emirates flight scheduled to start next month from Dubai to Panama City. Today’s announcement means Auckland Airport will have one of the world’s longest non-stop commercial passenger flights and exciting destinations such as Rome, Athens, Budapest, Warsaw and Vienna will only be a short six hour flight away from Dubai.”

“With a fleet of more than 230 aircraft, including 72 A380s, Emirates currently flies to over 140 destinations in more than 80 countries around the world, including 38 European destinations. It is a truly global airline and since its arrival in Auckland in 2003 it has experienced significant growth.”

“Auckland Airport looks forward to celebrating the arrival of the new non-stop Auckland-Dubai flight, and we wish Emirates well for their new service,” says Mr Carter.

Official Cash Rate unchanged at 2.5 percent

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 06:57:00 +0000

The Reserve Bank today left the Official Cash Rate unchanged at 2.5 percent.

Uncertainty about the strength of the global economy has increased due to weaker growth in the developing world and concerns about China and other emerging markets. Prices for a range of commodities, particularly oil, remain weak. Financial market volatility has increased, and global inflation remains low.

The domestic economy softened during the first half of 2015 driven by the lower terms of trade. However, growth is expected to increase in 2016 as a result of continued strong net immigration, tourism, a solid pipeline of construction activity, and the lift in business and consumer confidence.

In recent weeks there has been some easing in financial conditions, as the New Zealand dollar exchange rate and market interest rates have declined. A further depreciation in the exchange rate is appropriate given the ongoing weakness in export prices.

House price inflation in Auckland remains a financial stability risk. There are signs that the rate of increase may be moderating, but it is too early to tell. House price pressures have been building in some other regions.

There are many risks around the outlook. These relate to the prospects for global growth, particularly around China, global financial market conditions, dairy prices, net immigration, and pressures in the housing market.

Headline CPI inflation remains low, mainly due to falling fuel prices. However, annual core inflation, which excludes temporary price movements, is consistent with the target range at 1.6 percent. Inflation expectations remain stable.

Headline inflation is expected to increase over 2016, but take longer to reach the target range than previously expected. Monetary policy will continue to be accommodative. Some further policy easing may be required over the coming year to ensure that future average inflation settles near the middle of the target range. We will continue to watch closely the emerging flow of economic data.

Checking on vulnerable people in South Australia as temperatures soar

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 05:48:00 +0000

As South Australians swelter through extreme heat, Red Cross volunteers have begun calling up to 1,000 vulnerable people to check on their wellbeing and safety.

‘Through the Telecross REDi service, Red Cross volunteers call pre-registered clients to check on their wellbeing. Callers ask people how they’re coping and remind them of things they can do assist themselves through the extreme heat event,’ says Australian Red Cross Executive Director South Australia Helen Connolly. ‘Volunteers will call people throughout the day during the heatwave. If a call goes unanswered or if someone is in distress, an emergency procedure is activated to make sure they are safe.’

Red Cross volunteers phone clients on days when an extreme heat warning has been declared by the South Australian Government. The service first started in early 2009 when a heatwave in South Australia claimed many lives and hospitalised many more. Since then, Telecross REDi has provided assurance for clients, their families and carers, who know their loved ones will be contacted regularly during extreme heat events.

‘Extreme heat can be dangerous for anyone, but especially the elderly or people with pre-existing medical conditions,’ says Ms Connolly. ‘What most people don’t know is that more Australians have died as a result of heatwaves than any other natural hazard including floods, bushfires and cyclones. We are urging everyone to take the risks seriously and take extra care.

‘To reduce the risks you should avoid being outside in the heat of the day, do what you can to stay cool and stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. It is also important to think about friends, family and neighbours who might be in need of some extra assistance or care during the hot spell.’

Keen to give hope and comfort to vulnerable older people and others in need this Christmas? You can donate to our ‘one more gift’ Christmas campaign by phoning 1800 811 700 FREE or online at redcross.org.au. Your gift will help us transform lives in Australia and around the world.