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Despite some key milestones since 2000, Australia still has a long way to go on gender equality

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> Australia has a gender problem. Despite social, economic and political reform aimed at improving opportunities for women, gender gaps are increasing and Australia is falling behind other countries. The World Economic Forum currently places Australia 24th among 146 countries, down from 15th in 2006. At the current rate of change, the forum suggests it will take <a href="https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2024/">more than 130 years</a> to achieve gender equality globally. Australia has taken important steps forward in some areas, while progress in other areas remains painfully slow. So how far have we come since 2000, and how much further do we have to go? <h2>The good stuff</h2> There are now more women in <a href="https://www.aigroup.com.au/resourcecentre/research-economics/factsheets/factsheet-gender-and-the-australian-labour-market/#:%7E:text=Female%20labour%20market%20participation%20was,gender%20participation%20gap%20of%208%25.">the labour market</a>, in <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/measuring-what-matters/measuring-what-matters-themes-and-indicators/cohesive/representation-parliament">parliament</a>, and leading <a href="https://www.forbes.com.au/lists/people/women-of-the-asx/">large companies</a> than at any other time. Over the past 25 years, there have been major social and political milestones that indicate progress. These include the appointment of Australia’s first female governor-general in 2008 and prime minister in 2010, the introduction of universal paid parental leave in 2011, a high-profile inquiry into workplace sexual harassment in 2020, and new legislation requiring the public reporting of gender pay gaps in 2023. <h2>Timeline of equality milestones</h2> <ul id="timelineList"> <li> <h2>2000</h2> Child Care Benefit introduced, subsidising cost of children for eligible families </li> <li> <h2>2008</h2> First female Governor-General (Dame Quentin Bryce) </li> <li> <h2>2010</h2> First female Prime Minister elected (Julia Gillard) First Aboriginal woman from Australia elected to UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (Megan Davis) Australia’s first national paid parental leave scheme </li> <li> <h2>2012</h2> Julia Gillard misogyny speech Workplace Gender Equality Act becomes law, Workplace Gender Equality Agency established </li> <li> <h2>2013</h2> Dad or Partner Pay Leave commenced </li> <li> <h2>2016</h2> First Indigenous woman elected to House of Representatives (Linda Burney) </li> <li> <h2>2017</h2> Launch of Women’s Australian Football League #metoo movement spreads globally to draw attention to sexual harassment and assault </li> <li> <h2>2020</h2> Respect@Work National Inquiry into sexual harassment in the Australian workplace chaired by Kate Jenkins released. </li> <li> <h2>2021</h2> Grace Tame named Australian of the Year for her advocacy in sexual violence/harassment campaigns Independent review into Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces launched </li> <li> <h2>2022</h2> National plan to end violence against women is finalised </li> <li> <h2>2023</h2> Closing the Gender Pay Gap Bill passes parliament </li> <li> <h2>2024</h2> Superannuation on government-funded paid parental leave from July 1, 2025 Parental leave to be increased to 26 weeks from July 2026. </li> </ul> There are, however, other areas where progress is agonisingly slow. <h2>Violence and financial insecurity</h2> Women are <a href="https://www.wgea.gov.au/newsroom/wgea-bcec-gender-equity-insights-2024-report">more likely</a> to be in casual and part-time employment than men. This is part of the reason women retire with <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-21/carer-credits-proposal-aims-to-reduce-superannuation-gap/10826246">about half</a> the superannuation savings of men. This is also linked to financial insecurity later in life. Older women are among the <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/age-discrimination/projects/risk-homelessness-older-women">fastest-growing groups</a> of people experiencing homelessness. The situation for First Nations women is even more severe. The <a href="https://www.niaa.gov.au/news-and-media/closing-gap-report-released">most recent</a> Closing the Gap report indicates First Nations women and children are 33 times more likely to be hospitalised due to violence compared with non-Indigenous women. They are also <a href="https://theconversation.com/indigenous-women-are-dying-violent-preventable-deaths-endless-inquiries-wont-help-unless-we-act-244815">seven times more likely</a> to die from family violence. Improving outcomes for Indigenous women and children requires tackling the long-term effects of colonisation, removal from Country, the Stolen Generations, incarceration and intergenerational trauma. This means challenging not only gender inequality but also racism, discrimination and violence. At work, <a href="https://www.wgea.gov.au/publications/employer-gender-pay-gaps-report">the latest data</a> from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency suggests the gender pay gap is narrowing, with 56% of organisations reporting improvements. On average, though, the pay gap is still substantial at 21.8% with women earning only 78 cents for every $1 earned by men. This totals an average yearly shortfall of $28,425. There are also some notable organisations where the gender pay gap has widened. <h2>The burden of unpaid work</h2> Another measure of inequality that has proved stubbornly slow to change is women’s unequal responsibilities for unpaid domestic and care work. Without real change in gender divisions of time spent on unpaid housework and care, our capacity to move towards equality in pay gaps and employment is very limited. Australian women undertake almost 70% of unpaid household labour. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/how-australians-use-their-time/latest-release">time use data</a> show that of those who participate in domestic labour, women spend an average of 4.13 hours per day on unpaid domestic and care work, compared with men’s 2.14 hours. This gap equates to more than a third of a full-time job. If we add up all work (domestic, care and paid), mothers have the longest working week by about 10 hours. This has changed very little over time. These charts, based on analyses of data from the Households, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) study, show what drives this gap. Women respond to increased demand for care and domestic work by doing more, while men do not. Parenthood significantly increases the time women spend on unpaid care and housework, while also reducing their time in employment. <hr /> <iframe id="115GU" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: 0;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/115GU/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <hr /> Men increase their time in unpaid care after a birth, but the jump is minor compared with women, and there is no change to men’s employment hours. Not surprisingly given these patterns, parenthood is associated with substantial declines in women’s <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/research/research-reports/employment-patterns-and-trends-families-children">employment hours</a>, earnings, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/4/275">career progression</a>, and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jomf.12531">mental health and wellbeing</a>. <h2>The way forward</h2> Current policy priorities primarily incentivise women to remain in employment, while continuing to undertake a disproportionate share of unpaid family work, through moving to part-time employment or making use of other forms of workplace flexibility. This approach focuses on “fixing” women rather than on the <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-psych-032620-030938">structural roots of the problem</a>. There is limited financial or cultural encouragement for men to step out of employment for care work, or reduce their hours, despite the introduction of a two-week Dad and Partner Pay scheme <a href="https://www.wgea.gov.au/parental-leave">in 2013</a> and more recent changes to expand support and access. Fathers who wish to be more actively involved in care and family life face significant financial barriers, with current schemes only covering a basic wage. If one member of the family has to take time out or reduce their hours, it usually makes financial sense for this to be a woman, given the gender earning gap. The benefits of enabling men to share care work will not only be improvements for women, but will also improve family relationships and outcomes for children. <a href="https://theconversation.com/roses-are-red-violets-are-blue-ill-stay-forever-if-you-scrub-out-the-loo-72793">Research shows</a> relationship conflict declines when men do more at home. Time spent with fathers has been found to be especially beneficial for children’s <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-48232-001">cognitive development</a>. Fixing the gender problem is not just about helping women. It’s good for everyone. Gender inequality costs the Australian economy <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/business/the-us225-billion-a-year-australia-could-benefit-from-with-a-focus-on-women/">$225 billion annually</a>, or 12% of gross domestic product. Globally, the World Bank <a href="https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/fd676a12-7ee4-5c6a-ab2b-83365ed25bf1/content">estimates</a> gender inequality costs US$160.2 trillion. We can’t afford to slip further behind or to take more than a century to fix the problem. <hr /> This piece is part of a series on how Australia has changed since the year 2000. You can read other pieces in the series <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/first-quarter-of-the-century-series-172070">here</a>.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/250250/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janeen-baxter-611570">Janeen Baxter</a>, Director, ARC Life Course Centre and ARC Kathleen Fitzpatrick Laureate Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/despite-some-key-milestones-since-2000-australia-still-has-a-long-way-to-go-on-gender-equality-250250">original article</a>. Image: </div>

Legal

"It's not our way": Young Indigenous woman speaks out against Acknowledgment of Country

A young Indigenous woman has sparked controversy by criticising the Acknowledgement of Country, claiming the practice is 'made up' and not representative of Indigenous Australian culture. Kiescha Haines Jamieson was asked on social media whether the formal observation is an 'actual traditional practice' or a 'modern white saviour thing'. 'It is a made up protocol by Reconciliation Australia,' she claimed. 'It's not culture. It's not our way.' The Acknowledgement of Country is a relatively recent practice, emerging in the 1990s during what the Keating Government called 'the Reconciliation Decade'. It was formalised as part of efforts to improve Indigenous-state relations, with former Labor senator and Yawuru man Pat Dodson playing a key role in its establishment. 'The work of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation encouraged strangers to recognise country, then, as people got stronger, the welcome developed,' Dodson explained. The practice is distinct from a Welcome to Country, which is a ceremony performed by a traditional owner to formally welcome visitors to their land. Acknowledgement of Country, by contrast, is often delivered by non-Indigenous people or organisations to recognise traditional owners. Ms Jamieson argued that the practice has now been 'institutionalised to make people think that it is our culture'. Her comments resonated with some social media users, who agreed that the protocol was 'made up'. 'Finally someone with the guts to tell the truth,' one user wrote. However, others pushed back, arguing that acknowledging country has deep cultural significance for some Indigenous groups. 'It's a traditional thing for our mob, but not as grand as it's shown on TV,' one commenter noted. 'It's not really a welcome, it's more like a way to notify the spirits and ancestors that mob are travelling.' Another person added: 'You don't speak for all mobs and you don't speak for mine.' Yawarllaayi/Gomeroi elder Barbara Flick Nicol has previously stated that welcoming and acknowledging visitors has existed for thousands of years in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. 'It's always been something that we did as a people, understanding and observing the fact that when you are in somebody else's country, that you acknowledge them,' she told NITV in 2020. Ms Flick Nicol said that formal acknowledgments began appearing in New South Wales after the landmark Mabo decision in 1992, with councils raising Aboriginal flags and formally recognising traditional owners at meetings and conferences. Former federal politician and Wiradjuri woman Linda Burney, who was involved in the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, defended the practice, saying it evolved organically. 'It wasn't strategised or planned. Once it got out to civic life it was something that people saw as an important way to tell the truth of the Australian story,' she said. Images: Instagram

Legal

Grief as European royal passes away at just 46

Archduchess Estelle de Saint-Romain of Austria has passed away at the age of 46. A statement published in Le Figaro's Carnet du Jour confirmed that Estelle Lapra de Saint-Romain, wife of Archduke Carl Christian of Austria, died on March 4, 2025. Her family laid her to rest at the Monastère de Cimiez in Nice, France, a week later. "Her husband, Archduke Carl Christian, their children, her parents, and her in-laws are deeply saddened to announce that Archduchess Estelle of Austria, née Lapra de Saint Romain, was called to God on Tuesday, March 4, 2025," the statement read in translation. The cause of death was not disclosed, though reports indicate she had previously been diagnosed with cancer. Born in 1979, Estelle married Carl Christian in 2007. He is the great-grandson of Emperor Charles I of Austria, the last ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Together, they had five children: Zita, 17, Anezka, 15, Anna, 12, Paola, 10, and Pier-Georgia, 4. The funeral service, attended by several European royals, took place at the historic Monastère de Cimiez. Among those in attendance were Belgium's Princess Astrid, Luxembourg's Princess Marie-Astrid, the Duke of Castro, and Ferdinand of Habsburg. Brother Antonio Basso led the ceremony, remembering Estelle for her "loving wisdom" and recalling how she and her family regularly attended Mass at the monastery. Despite the dissolution of the Austrian monarchy in 1918, the Habsburg family remains prominent in European society. Estelle and Carl Christian’s wedding in 2007 attracted significant attention, with crowds gathering to witness the event. Three hundred distinguished guests attended, including Princess Astrid, Liechtenstein’s Prince Gundakar, and Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoléon. Carl Christian, the eldest son of Archduke Rodolphe de Habsbourg-Lorraine and Archduchess Marie-Hélène, née Baroness de Villenfagne de Vogelsanck, is part of an extensive noble lineage. His cousin, Archduke Karl von Habsburg, is the current head of the Austrian Imperial House. Archduchess Estelle’s passing marks a great loss for the Habsburg family and the European aristocracy, as she is remembered for her grace, devotion, and dedication to her family and faith. Image: Instagram

Caring

Amid claims of abuse, neglect and poor standards, what is going wrong with childcare in Australia?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> On Monday, an ABC’s Four Corners <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-17/betrayal-of-trust/105063150">investigation</a> reported shocking cases of abuse and neglect in Australian childcare centres. This included examples of children being sexually abused, restrained for hours in high chairs, and fed nutritionally substandard meals such as pasta with ketchup. While acknowledging there are high-quality services operating in the community, the program also showed how centre-based childcare is big business, dominated by for-profit providers, who may not be meeting regulatory standards. What is going wrong with childcare in Australia? <h2>Differing levels of quality</h2> Data from Australia’s childcare regulator <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-02/NQF%20Snapshot%20Q4%202024%20FINAL.pdf">consistently shows</a> for-profit childcare services are, on average, rated as <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-02/NQFSnapshot_Q4_2020.pdf">lower quality</a> than not-for-profit services. Of those rated by regulators, 11% of for-profit long daycare centres are not meeting national minimum quality standards (they are just “working towards”). This compares with 7% of not-for-profit centres not meeting minimum standards. There are 13% of for-profit centres exceeding the standards, compared to 28% of not-for-profits. Inquiries suggest this divergence is due to staffing levels, qualifications and pay. In 2023, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/inquiries-and-consultations/childcare-inquiry-2023/december-2023-final-report">found</a> large for-profit providers spend significantly less on staffing than not-for-profit providers. Large for-profit providers <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/inquiries-and-consultations/childcare-inquiry-2023/september-2023-interim-report">have a higher proportion of part-time and casual staff</a> than not-for-profits. They also employ less experienced early childhood teachers. On top of this, they are more likely to use award rates of pay, which are typically lower than enterprise agreement rates. Lower pay and less job security is related to higher turnover of staff, which makes it <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-chaos-has-shed-light-on-many-issues-in-the-australian-childcare-sector-here-are-4-of-them-174404">difficult for educators to establish and maintain</a> the trusting relationships with children and families that underpin high quality. Despite this, the federal government continues to support for-profit services through <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/early-childhood/providers/child-care-subsidy">childcare subsidies</a>. These subsidies are designed to help families with the costs of childcare. But they do not stop some providers increasing their fees. The ACCC <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/changes-proposed-to-make-childcare-affordable-and-accessible-for-all-families">found a consistent pattern</a> of increased government subsidies leading to higher out-of-pocket expenses for families, due to subsequent fee increases. <h2>It hasn’t always been like this</h2> Childcare subsidies haven’t always worked in this way. “Operational subsidies” were introduced in 1972 through the historic <a href="https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/cca197275/">Child Care Act</a>, which set the precedent for Australian governments to fund childcare. This aimed to support women’s workforce participation through an expanded, high-quality childcare sector. Subsidies at the time were only available to not-for-profit services and required the employment of qualified staff, including teachers. In these ways, Commonwealth funding positioned childcare as a public good, like school education. Then, in 1991, federal government subsidies were extended to for-profit providers. This prompted dramatic changes in the childcare landscape, leading to a dominance of for-profit centres. Today, more than 70% of all long day-care centres are <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/childhood/report/childhood-volume1-report.pdf">operated by private providers</a>. Between <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/childhood/report/childhood-volume2-supporting.pdf">2013 and 2023</a>, the number of for-profit long daycare services jumped by 60%, while not-for-profits only grew by 4%. <h2>Quality concerns</h2> There are <a href="https://www.startingblocks.gov.au/large-providers">25 large long daycare providers</a> in Australia and of these, 21 are run for profit. Large for-profit providers impact sector quality in several ways. Many have disproportionately high numbers of staffing waivers, granted by regulators, permitting them to operate centres without the required number of qualified staff. According to unpublished research by Gabrielle Meagher, as of October 2024, 11 large for-profit providers held waivers for a quarter or more of their services and five held waivers for more than a third. This compares to 15% of the sector overall. Large for-profit providers also serve investors as well as families. So there are extra <a href="https://academic.oup.com/qje/article-abstract/112/4/1127/1911721">incentives to cut costs</a> and maximise profits. The dominance of for-profit providers also makes them <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/world-politics/article/abs/institutional-sources-of-business-power/E9D9D945CB59843C4DF8CE4835350602">powerful players</a> in policy-making circles, as governments depend on them to provide an essential service. <h2>Why isn’t the system working?</h2> Given Australia has a <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework">regulatory and quality assurance system</a> for childcare services, why do we have these quality issues? As the Productivity Commission <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/childhood/report/childhood-volume2-supporting.pdf">found</a>, regulators are under-resourced, and inspections are infrequent. Services that repeatedly fail to meet the minimum standards are still allowed to operate, sometimes for more than a decade. Services are notified about upcoming inspections, potentially giving them time to give a false impression of their quality and safety standards. As Four Corners highlighted, poor-quality services, with bad pay and working conditions are driving good educators away from the sector. <h2>What next?</h2> The Albanese government recently passed legislation to “guarantee” eligible families <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/newsroom/articles/3day-guarantee-legislation-passed#:%7E:text=The%203-day%20guarantee%20will,each%20week%20for%20each%20child">three days of subsidised childcare</a> per week from January 2026. But families need more than access. They also require a guarantee this childcare will be high-quality and keep children safe. Even without the extra spending on the three-day guarantee, government spending on childcare subsidies <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/ACCC%20Childcare%20Inquiry-final%20report%20December%202023.pdf?ref=0&download=y">is due to reach nearly A$15 billion</a> by 2026–27. Thus there is also a corresponding duty to taxpayers to ensure these funds are going to high-quality providers. In the wake of the Four Corners report, the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/worldtoday/childcare-wrap/105066270">Greens are calling</a> for a royal commission into childcare. But we do not need this level of inquiry to tell us the current system needs fundamental change. Stronger regulatory powers, while important, will not be enough on their own. High-quality services need well-educated and well-supported staff. They also need governance and leadership that value educators’ expertise and enable consistently high standards.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/252493/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gabrielle-meagher-594155">Gabrielle Meagher</a>, Professor Emerita, School of Society, Communication and Culture, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marianne-fenech-228936">Marianne Fenech</a>, Professor, Early Childhood Governance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/amid-claims-of-abuse-neglect-and-poor-standards-what-is-going-wrong-with-childcare-in-australia-252493">original article</a>. Image: ABC </div>

After a century of Monday to Friday, could the 4-day week finally be coming to Australia?

<div class="theconversation-article-body">The reality of shorter working hours could be one step closer for many Australians, pending the outcome of the federal election. The Greens, who could control crucial cross bench votes in a hung parliament, have announced plans for a <a href="https://greens.org.au/news/media-release/greens-launch-4-day-work-week-election-policy">four-day</a> working week, with no loss of pay. They say the policy would alleviate stress and burn out, and increase women’s participation in the workforce. Earning the same money for fewer hours would appeal to most workers. But is it too good to be true? Could it really be rolled out cost free to all workplaces, especially to “client facing” companies and service providers? Or does research suggest the Greens could be onto something? <h2>The Greens’ plan</h2> The Greens’ policy would involve a new National Institute for the Four Day Work Week and a test case through the Fair Work Commission. A series of national trials would be set up in a number of different industries, whereby workers would work 80% of their normal hours, while maintaining 100% of their pay. According to Greens Senator Barbara Pocock, it’s a win-win for everyone: <blockquote> It can increase productivity, reduce absenteeism, improve recruitment and retention and give employees more time to manage their home life. This change will allow workers to create a working week that works for them. </blockquote> <h2>The 100:80:100 model</h2> The four-day work week being proposed in this instance is commonly regarded as the 100:80:100 model. It delivers 100% of the pay, for 80% of the hours, in <a href="https://www.4dayweek.com/news-posts/100-80-100-rule">return</a> for maintaining 100% of productivity. This is unlike other forms of shorter working weeks, which compress five days’ worth of work into four longer days. This obviously disadvantages some employees. Recent <a href="https://figshare.swinburne.edu.au/articles/report/Emerging_Four_Day_Work_Week_Trends_in_Australia_New_insights_based_on_interviews_with_Australian_firms_who_have_already_adopted_4DWW_arrangements_Preview_report_/26282311?file=47647063">research</a> conducted by Swinburne University of Technology involved interviews with ten Australian firms that have already adopted the 100:80:100 model. They were a mixture of small and medium sized private sector businesses, including management consulting firms, a shipping and logistics company, and recruitment and marketing agencies. The research underlined the potential for a range of positive outcomes for both employers and employees. Workers reported having better work-life balance, more time to complete “life administration” tasks, and more time to invest in hobbies, exercise, wellness and self-care. Bosses cited productivity gains, reduced sick days, and significant improvements in recruitment and retention rates. However, the 100:80:100 model is viewed with scepticism in some quarters. There is still doubt that productivity and output would be maintained, or in some cases improved, when workers are working one day fewer per week. Also, there could be costs associated with the implementation of this work model for front-line roles, such as retail, schools, hospitals and nursing homes. Additional workers may need to be hired, at extra expense, to cover the hours dropped by the existing workforce. <h2>100 years of working 5 days a week</h2> The year 2026 will mark the 100th anniversary of the five-day work week. It was car maker Henry Ford who <a href="https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/henry-fords-five-day-week/">reduced</a> the working week in the United States from six days to five. Other sectors and countries followed suit. This was at a time when the average life expectancy of Australian workers was just 55 and households typically only had one bread-winner. Despite the time saved by the many technological breakthroughs in the past 100 years – from the photocopier, desktop computer and fax machine, to the internet, mobile phones and AI – the average Australian is now <a href="https://futurework.org.au/report/taking-up-the-right-to-disconnect-unsatisfactory-working-hours-and-unpaid-overtime/">working longer hours</a> in paid and unpaid labour than ever before. The Greens point out Australian society is changing. More women and carers are either in the workforce or would be encouraged into the workforce by more flexible arrangements: <blockquote> yet we are constrained by archaic labour laws that see the fruits of our efforts swallowed up in profits for bosses and shareholders. </blockquote> The role of generative AI technologies in the workplace may also deliver benefits to workers. Separate Swinburne <a href="https://figshare.swinburne.edu.au/articles/report/Generative_AI_at_work_Empowering_employee_mental_wellbeing/27252948">research</a> has revealed an increasing expectation among workers that they will receive a share in the time saved by future technologies in the form of improved work-life balance and wellbeing gains. <h2>Time to enter the 21st century</h2> Earlier this year, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/jan/27/two-hundred-uk-companies-sign-up-for-permanent-four-day-working-week">200 UK companies</a> signed up to the 100:80:100 model, as part of a campaign to “reinvent Britain’s working week”. Large scale trials are also underway in <a href="https://4dayweek.io/country/canada">Canada</a> and several <a href="https://www.euronews.com/next/2024/02/02/the-four-day-week-which-countries-have-embraced-it-and-how-s-it-going-so-far">European</a> countries. The global interest in a shorter working week is not surprising, and has likely been fuelled by the COVID pandemic, which has caused workers and employers to re-imagine their working lives. If the Greens are in a position to leverage any balance of power after the coming election, it could be Australia’s turn to recognise the conventional five-day working week is no longer fit for purpose.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/252379/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-l-hopkins-255434">John L. Hopkins</a>, Associate Professor of Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/after-a-century-of-monday-to-friday-could-the-4-day-week-finally-be-coming-to-australia-252379">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Australia denied exemption from Trump tariffs

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> Australia has failed to win an exemption from Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on aluminium and steel, but the government has vowed to fight on for a carve out. The White House spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, told Australian media in Washington “there will be no exemptions” from the tariffs, which come into effect imminently. Pressed on why, she said “America First steel”. She said, “If they want to be exempted, they should consider moving steel manufacturing here”. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the government would continue to lobby for an exemption. He pointed out it had taken the Coalition government many months to win a carve out from tariffs under the first Trump administration. “Tariffs don’t make any sense, it’s an act of kind of economic self harm. We’ll be able to find other markets for our steel and our aluminium and we have been diversifying those markets. But we’re obviously really disappointed with this. "I would say, though, we’ll keep advocating to the United States on this issue. Last time around it was nine months before we got an exemption in relation to steel and aluminium out of the Trump administration in its first term. So, we’ll keep pressing the case, we’ll keep diversifying our own trade. But look, there’s no hiding this, we’re really disappointed with this decision.” Opposition deputy leader Sussan Ley said the government “just hasn’t done enough”. “All of the other leaders of the Quad and AUKUS, Japan, India, the UK, travelled to the US, and they had face-to-face meetings, and they did what they needed to do. They advocated fiercely in their country’s interests, but this prime minister has been nowhere to be seen.” But given no exemptions are being provided, a personal trip by the Albanese would likely have had little effect. The PM made the case for an exemption to the president in a call some weeks ago. In that conversation Trump indicated he would consider Australia’s case, but the government quickly became pessimistic about the administration giving it a special deal. BlueScope, while expressing disappointment, saw one silver lining. “BlueScope produces more than 3 million tonnes of steel per annum at its NorthStar BlueScope plant in Delta, Ohio. As the US tariffs come into effect the company expects to see the positive impact from an improvement in steel prices.” Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull this week predicted Trump would shy away from exemptions this time around. While some observers said Turnbull’s broad attack on Trump, whom he called a bully, could work against Australia’s lobbying, it almost certainly was irrelevant, given all representations were rejected. The Australian concern is less the direct impact of the tariffs – our exports of steel and aluminium to the US are limited – but the fallout from an international trade war that could be sparked by Trump’s policies.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/251623/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-grattan-20316">Michelle Grattan</a>, Professorial Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-like-everyone-else-fails-to-win-exemption-from-trumps-tariffs-on-aluminium-and-steel-251623">original article</a>. Image: Samuel Corum/CNP/Shutterstock Editorial </div>

Legal

Prince Robert of Luxembourg announces youngest son's death

Prince Robert of Luxembourg has announced the heartbreaking loss of his youngest son, Frederik, at the age of 22. Frederik is Prince Robert's youngest son with wife Princess Julie of Nassau. According to a statement shared on the <a href="https://polgfoundation.org/frederik/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLG Foundation's</a> website, Frederik died on March 1 in Paris, France, from POLG Mitochondrial disease, a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive multiple organ dysfunction and failure. "It is with a very heavy heart that my wife and I would like to inform you of the passing of our son, The POLG Foundation Founder and Creative Director, Frederik," the statement, written by Robert began. Frederik, was born in Aix-en-Provence, France, on March 18, 2002, with POLG Mitochondrial disease, but was only diagnosed at the age of 14. He and his father later co-founded the POLG Foundation, with Frederik serving as Creative Director while Robert served as Chair. "Last Friday, February 28th, on 'Rare Disease Day', our beloved son called us in to his room to speak to him for one last time," the statement continued. "Frederik found the strength and the courage to say goodbye to each of us in turn." That included his brother, 27-year-old Prince Alexandre, his sister, 29-year-old Princess Charlotte and her 27-year-old husband, Mansour Shakarchi. Frederik also said his final goodbyes to his father's sister, Princess Charlotte, her husband Marc Victor Cunningham, and their three children: Charly, Louis, and Donall. "He had already spoken all that was in his heart to his extraordinary mother, who had not left his side in 15 years," Robert continued. "After gifting each of us with our farewells – some kind, some wise, some instructive – in true Frederik fashion, he left us collectively with a final long-standing family joke. "Even in his last moments, his humour, and his boundless compassion, compelled him to leave us with one last laugh….to cheer us all up." Prior to his other goodbye messages, Robert said, Frederik asked him: "Papa, are you proud of me?" "He had barely been able to speak for several days, so the clarity of these words was as surprising as the weight of the moment was profound," Robert wrote. "The answer was very easy, and he had heard it oh so many times, but at this time, he needed reassurance that he had contributed all that he possibly could in his short and beautiful existence and that he could now finally move on." "Frederik knows that he is my Superhero, as he is to all of our family, and to so very many good friends," Robert continued, noting how his son "was born with a special capacity for positivity, joy, and determination." "When he was little, I would always say that if there is one child of ours that I would never need to worry about, it was him," he continued. "He has social skills like no other, an amazing sense of humour, an emotional intelligence and compassion that were off the charts, a sense of justice, fairness and decency that knows no bounds. He was disciplined and organised beyond belief. " "Frederik is particularly headstrong (at times, I might have used the word stubborn). This serves him well. I cite him as being here in the present because I know that, though physically absent, he is still here, inspiring us and pushing us forward. His mission is not complete, and we all have much work left to do." Robert then thanked their family for their "messages of support and love", before asking those reading the tribute to volunteer with or donate to the POLG Foundation in Frederik's memory. "With our Superhero's help we hope to turn our deep grief into positive results and therewith follow his unwavering example," he wrote. "His ultimate message is one of hope, compassion, and resilience! We are all so very proud of you, Frederik. I am so very proud of you! We love you!" Images: The POLG Foundation

Caring

Gene Hackman's cause of death revealed

The cause of death of legendary actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, has finally been confirmed, more than a week after they were <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/sad-new-details-emerge-in-gene-hackman-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discovered in their Santa Fe home</a>. The couple was found deceased in their residence on February 26, prompting an investigation by authorities. Dr Heather Jarrell, Chief Medical Examiner for New Mexico, disclosed at a press conference that Hackman succumbed to cardiovascular disease, with advanced Alzheimer’s disease being a significant contributing factor. His wife, Betsy Arakawa, died around seven days earlier from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare infectious disease contracted through exposure to rodents and their excrement. Authorities found evidence of rodent intrusion in the couple’s home, believed to be the source of Arakawa’s infection. Based on her movements and email communications, Dr Jarrell determined that Arakawa likely passed away on February 11, while Hackman is believed to have died on February 18. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed that Hackman was likely at home with his deceased wife for seven days before his own death. Dr Jarrell noted that Hackman was in "very poor health", and it was unclear how he managed in his final days without his wife's assistance. Given his advanced Alzheimer’s, Jarrell suggested that it was possible he was unaware that his wife had passed away. “There was no food in his stomach, which means he had not eaten recently, but he had no evidence of dehydration,” she stated. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a severe and often fatal respiratory disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, it begins with flu-like symptoms and rapidly progresses to serious lung and heart complications. The best prevention is avoiding contact with rodents and properly managing rodent-prone areas. Dr Jarrell’s findings confirmed that Hackman had severe heart disease, with evidence of multiple prior heart attacks and chronic high blood pressure. A full-body post-mortem examination showed no signs of trauma. He tested negative for COVID-19, influenza and other respiratory illnesses, as well as hantavirus and carbon monoxide poisoning. Similarly, Arakawa’s autopsy revealed no external or internal trauma. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of hantavirus, ruling it as the cause of her death. Other tests for respiratory viruses and toxins returned negative results. Dr Jarrell said that there were “no other significant natural disease findings” in either case, and that all medications found in the home were taken as prescribed and did not contribute to their deaths. The tragic passing of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa marks the end of an era for Hollywood, with fans mourning the loss of the two-time Academy Award-winning actor. Hackman, known for his roles in The French Connection, Unforgiven and The Royal Tenenbaums, retired from acting in 2004. The couple had been residing in Santa Fe for many years, enjoying a quiet life away from the public eye. Image: Instagram

Caring

Family breaks silence after five-year-old son fatally hit by car

The devastated family of five-year-old boy Alby Thompson have remembered him for his "laughter and love". The young boy died after being struck by a four-wheel-drive in Broome, Western Australia about 5.20pm last Thursday. The five-year-old was rushed to Broome Regional Hospital where he later died. His family have issued a statement to the ABC on Wednesday and thanked the community for their “outpouring of love". “It is with profound sorrow that we share the news of our beloved son, Alby, who tragically lost his life in a road accident,” the statement began. “His laughter and love filled our hearts and home. “We kindly request privacy during this period of mourning as we come to terms with this devastating loss. “We thank the community for their outpouring of love and support during this heart-wrenching time.” The 34-year-old driver of the Landcruiser is assisting police with inquiries, and no charges have been laid. Image: 7News

Caring

Viral sensation to represent Australia for Eurovision 2025

Australia has announced the latest artist set to represent the country for Eurovision 2025 - the world's biggest song competition. Go-Jo – also known as Marty Zambotto – will represent the country when the iconic singing contest returns in Basel, Switzerland from May 13-17. Zambotto, who grew up in Manjimup, Western Australia, will perform his song Milkshake Man which was released on Wednesday. "Ahh it's a dream to be a part of Eurovision 2025 and so proud to be representing AUS!" he wrote under the music video posted by his official Go-Jo Youtube channel. "The Milkshake Man's purpose is to inspire people to embrace the loudest and proudest version of themselves, and I can't think of a better place to share that message than the Eurovision stage," Zambotto said. "It's an absolute dream come true to represent such a beautiful and diverse nation, and I've never been more excited to share my art and vision with the incredible Eurovision fans around the world." <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGgVXHCJzsn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGgVXHCJzsn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by SBS Australia (@sbs_australia)</a> </div> </blockquote> Zambotto's mother, who fronted a local rock act, inspired his music career after buying him is first electric guitar when he was a teenager. He was also a promising Aussie Rules football player, with the Western Australian Football League even bringing him to Perth to develop his talent, but he ended up choosing music, describing it as "the universe flickering its high beams" at him. Zambotto has more than 1.4 million followers across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. He was the ninth-most streamed Australian artist in the world, and has even toured nationally and internationally in Europe, the US and South-East Asia. His hit single Mrs Hollywood has more than a billion views across all platforms, and more than 60 million digital streams. Eurovision 2025 will mark Australia's 10th year of participation in the iconic competition. Images: Instagram

Music

I spy with my little eye: 3 unusual Australian plant ecosystems to spot on your next roadtrip

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gregory-moore-1779">Gregory Moore</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> When the growing gets tough, the tough trees and shrubs get growing. Australia’s environment is brutal. Its ancient, low-nutrient soils and generally low rainfall make it a hard place for plants to grow. Despite this, the continent is filled with wonderfully diverse plant ecosystems. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, it can be easy to miss these seemingly unremarkable species. So, here are three little-known Australian plant species and ecosystems to look out for during your next roadtrip. <h2>1. Cycads and eucalypts</h2> If you are driving a coastal route along southern New South Wales, keep an eye out for the stunning combination of burrawang cycads (Macrozamia communis) and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata). These species live in harmony along the <a href="https://www.botanicgardens.org.au/our-science/our-collections/plant-families/cycads#:%7E:text=Meet%20one%20of%20the%20world's%20most%20southern%20Cycads&text=On%20the%20New%20South%20Wales,Spotted%20Gums%20(Corymbia%20maculata).">NSW coastline</a>, from Kempsey to Bega, and inland as far as Mudgee. If you’re on a road trip, now is the perfect time to talk to children about ancient moving continents, volcanoes and dinosaurs. Cycads are <a href="https://anpsa.org.au/APOL2009/feb09-s3.html">ancient gymnosperms</a> (cone-bearing plants) which evolved long before the Gondwanan supercontinent separated. These tough, hardy plants saw the dinosaurs come and go, and their relatives are found all around the world. These <a href="https://www.botanicgardens.org.au/our-science/our-collections/plant-families/cycads#:%7E:text=Not%20only%20is%20Macrozamia%20communis,inland%20as%20far%20as%20Mudgee.">cycads</a> form a striking understorey to the spotted gum. As their scientific name (Macrozamia communis) suggests, they form a dense community. Further north in Queensland, pineapple cycads (Lepidozamia peroffskyana), and Western Australia’s zamia palm (Macrozamia riedlei) are also worth spotting. Cycad seeds are poisonous, but First Nations Australians worked out a complex process to prepare them for <a href="https://www.apscience.org.au/apsf20036/">safe eating</a>. This involved dissolving the <a href="https://www.scienceflip.com.au/subjects/chemistry/equilibriumandacidreactions/learn10/">plant’s toxins</a> in running water, cooking, working and grinding the seeds into a powder. Spotted gums evolved long after dinosaurs went extinct. Early eucalypt fossils date from about 34 million years ago, while current species are often only a few million years old. Spotted gums are a great example of how plants that survive tough environments often also do well in difficult <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-humble-spotted-gum-is-a-world-class-urban-tree-heres-why-212540">urban situations</a>. Cycads are similarly found growing in poor soils and arid conditions. They have long, glossy leaves up to about 1.5 metres in length with lots of leaflets. There are both male and female plants. The female cone is an impressive, wide-domed structure that can be almost half a metre across. Its bright orange-red seeds are eaten by <a href="https://backyardbuddies.org.au/backyard-buddies/cycads/#:%7E:text=If%20you%20have%20a%20female,bats%20will%20feed%20on%20them.">foraging marsupials</a>, large birds and flying foxes. Spotted gums are tall, straight eucalyptus trees with dark green, glossy leaves. Old bark creates dark grey spots against their cream coloured trunk, giving them a mottled look. It is interesting to see ancient and modern species in such a close community relationship in cycad-spotted gum forests. Both are also well-adapted to the fires that frequent their habitat. <h2>2. Ancient acacias</h2> Travelling inland, the environment gets even tougher. Most large trees disappear and are replaced by woodlands dominated by <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/abares/forestsaustralia/publishingimages/forest%20profiles%202005/acacia_forests_2005.pdf">inland acacia</a> (wattle) species. These inland acacias are short but mighty, with deep, extensive root systems. Two of these species, <a href="http://theconversation.com/the-mighty-mulga-grows-deep-and-lives-long-118838">mulga</a> (Acacia aneura) and brigalow (A. harpophylla) are part of Australian folklore. A Banjo Paterson character <a href="https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00072.txt">says</a>: “You know how the brigalow grows […] saplings about as thick as a man’s arm”. Nutrients and water resources are limited, so mulga and brigalow trees are often evenly spaced across the landscape. This eerie symmetry makes it look like they were planted by humans. Many people are unaware that the twisted, stunted specimens they see are more than 250 years old and occupy vast tracts of the Australian landscape. <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/biodiversity/threatened/action-plan/priority-plants/waddy-wood">Waddy-wood</a> (Acacia peuce) is a rare species of acacia, found in just three locations on the edge of the Simpson Desert. This tree has very strong wood, and was used by Indigenous Australians for making clubs (waddys) and tools for carrying fire. Inland acacias were widely used by Indigenous Australians for their wood, resins and medicinal properties. They have also been used as <a href="https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/671421/using-mulga-as-a-forage-supplement-for-livestock-in-droughts.pdf">fodder for livestock</a>, especially during drought. These <a href="https://era.dpi.qld.gov.au/id/eprint/13430/1/QJAS_6%5B2%5D_1949_pp87-139_everist.pdf">crucial species</a> provide important habitat for other plants and animals. But they are under threat. As old trees collapse and die, there are no young trees replacing them. This is because of drought and grazing, compounded by <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/environmental-risk-mitigation-plan-acacia.pdf">climate change</a>. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/desertification">Desertification</a> – where fertile land is degraded until it essentially becomes desert – is becoming a huge problem due to the massive area dominated by acacias. <h2>3. Boabs</h2> If you’re driving across the Northern Territory and Western Australia, you might come across the <a href="https://theconversation.com/built-like-buildings-boab-trees-are-life-savers-with-a-chequered-past-118821">mighty boab</a> (Adansonia gregoryii). These close relatives of the African and Madagascan baobabs <a href="https://theconversation.com/baobab-trees-all-come-from-madagascar-new-study-reveals-that-their-seeds-and-seedlings-floated-to-mainland-africa-and-all-the-way-to-australia-231031">floated to Australia</a> as seeds or seedlings around 12 million years ago. These <a href="https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-environment/2019/07/how-did-the-iconic-boab-tree-get-to-australia/">deciduous trees</a> live in mostly dry environments that also experience strong monsoonal-type rains. Boabs trap and store water in their trunks, allowing them not only to survive but thrive. Their African and Madagascan baobab relatives are sometimes called <a href="https://www.oneearth.org/species-of-the-week-african-baobab-tree/">trees of life</a>, as they support many species. Australian boabs are similar. They offer habitat, roosting and nesting sites. Their flowers and fruits are food sources to many species of insects and birds. They were – and are – important trees in First Nations cultures. Carvings and symbols on their trunks can last for more than a century, much longer than on other trees. These are called <a href="https://www.snexplores.org/article/carvings-australia-boab-trees-lost-history-first-nation">dendroglyphs</a>. For example, <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-boab-trees-of-the-remote-tanami-desert-are-carved-with-centuries-of-indigenous-history-and-theyre-under-threat-191676">snake carvings</a> dated to more than 200 years old have been found on boab trees in Northern Australia’s Tanami Desert. While these special trees are usually found far from the beaten track, they can be spotted growing around Darwin and other remote towns. If you get the chance to see them, count yourself lucky. <h2>Tough terrain, tough trees</h2> Plant communities are remarkably resilient. They also display great creativity when evolving ways to survive tough environments. Make sure to keep an eye out as you’re exploring Australia and enjoy the fascinating plants our country has to offer.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/246129/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gregory-moore-1779">Gregory Moore</a>, Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-spy-with-my-little-eye-3-unusual-australian-plant-ecosystems-to-spot-on-your-next-roadtrip-246129">original article</a>. </div>

Domestic Travel

Australia’s largest super fund fined $27 million

Australia's largest superannuation fund has been charged a whopping $27 million for charging duplicate fees to tens of thousands of customers. AustralianSuper was first sued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) in 2023. During the investigation, it was discovered that more than 48,000 members’ accounts were not merged in their best interests, allowing duplicate fees to eat in to the retirement savings of hard-working Aussies. About 90,000 AustralianSuper members were affected between July 2013 and March 2023, costing them $69 million. Both ASIC and AustralianSuper appeared in the Federal Court at Melbourne on Friday, where Justice Lisa Hespe handed down her decision. AustralianSuper were fined $27 million, and were also ordered to pay ASIC’s legal costs up to $500,000. “By failing to properly remediate that beneficiary, AustralianSuper did not exercise in relation to the interests of that beneficiary the same degree of skill, care and diligence as a prudent superannuation trustee would have exercised,” Justice Lisa Hespe ruled. AustralianSuper apologised to members when the lawsuit began, saying it regretted that its processes to identify and combine multiple accounts did not cover all instances of multiple member accounts. In a statement after the hearing, AustralianSuper chief executive Paul Schroder said they had taken steps to prevent similar mistakes. “We found this mistake, we reported it, we apologised to impacted members, we compensated them, and we’ve improved our processes to prevent this happening again,” he said. Image credits: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Best hotels in Australia revealed

The <a href="https://www.forbestravelguide.com/award-winners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 Forbes Travel Guide</a> has announced the winners of the Star Awards, with nine hotels and experiences in Australia being named in the list. Every property in the running for the awards is visited by highly trained inspectors who provide an evaluation based on up to 900 objective criteria. According to Forbes, the Star Rating system "emphasises service because your experience at a hotel, restaurant or spa goes beyond looks". Over 2000 hotels, experiences, restaurants and cruises were named on the global list, with nine Aussie winners featuring in the prestigious list. The only property in the country to receive a 5-star accommodation rating in the 2025 Forbes Travel Guide was Crown Towers in Perth. Touted as "the pinnacle of Perth luxury", Forbes described the property as "Perth's most extravagant stay. Exuding understated glamour." In the spa category the Crown Spa Perth, which is tucked away in Crown Towers Perth, was awarded 4-stars for its "unbridled opulence". The Darling Sydney has once again received recognition in the Forbes Travel Guide for the ninth consecutive year, while The Darling's "world class" spa was also featured. Check out the list below. 9. The Langham - Sydney 8. Park Hyatt - Sydney 7. Park Hyatt - Melbourne 6. Capella - Sydney 5. Como The Treasury - Perth 4. The Darling Spa - Sydney 3. The Darling - Sydney 2. Crown Spa - Perth 1. Crown Towers - Perth Image credits: Crown Hotels <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; font-family: 'Proxima Nova', system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333;">

Domestic Travel

"Why are you attacking my dad?": I'm A Celeb finalist reveals behind-the-scenes heartbreak

The emotional on-air reunion between I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here contestant Matty J and his wife, Laura Byrne, along with their two children, Marlie-Mae and Lola Ellis, was a heartwarming moment <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/abrupt-viewers-stunned-by-i-m-a-celeb-winner-s-reveal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">during Sunday’s finale</a>. However, behind the scenes, Byrne has opened up about the significant challenges she faced while participating in the momentous event. In the lead-up to the finale, Byrne undertook an exhausting journey from Sydney to South Africa with their two young daughters. Speaking on the Life Uncut podcast, she detailed the arduous travel experience, which involved “three separate flights” and 24 hours of transit. “That in itself was really hard," she said. "It was like 24 hours by the time we got door to door. Midnight transfer with two children who were absolutely f***ing ropable.” The long journey was only the beginning of the difficulties though. Upon arrival, Byrne and the children had to share a single room with inadequate sleeping arrangements, all while preparing for a demanding day on set. Byrne also revealed that the experience of managing two young children on a chaotic production set was overwhelming. “I felt like I was the emotional buffer between the children and production … I felt like I’d just been flogged for days. It was hard. It was really hard for me,” she said. During the finale, Matty J and his fellow top three contestants – Big Brother star Reggie Bird and retired NRL player Sam Thaiday – were reunited with their families before participating in the final challenge. While this was an exciting moment for viewers, it was an emotionally challenging experience for the family. Matty J recalled the moment he had to part ways with his children soon after reuniting. “When we had our reunion, it was maybe half an hour I think where we had time together and then they’ve got to pull us apart,” he said. “The kids don’t get it, the kids don’t understand. They’re like, ‘I’ve just met my dad, and then I’ve got to go.’ And then we did that trial where we had to have s**t poured on our heads, and Lola’s in tears being like, ‘Why are you attacking my dad?’” Byrne explained that their children were repeatedly reunited with their father, only to be separated again. This happened three times – during the initial reunion, the final trial and then the announcement of the winner. The constant cycle of emotional reunions and abrupt separations took a toll, particularly on their youngest daughter, Lola. After the winner was announced, Byrne and the children expected Matty J to return home with them, but he was kept on set for several more hours. “They kept Matt on set until 6 o’clock and we went home earlier. And it was so hard on Lola particularly,” Byrne revealed. “And then I had to deal with her big emotions around ‘Why is my daddy not coming home?’ And it felt like this unfair false start.” She admitted that the combination of exhaustion, sleep deprivation and trying to manage the emotional needs of their children made the experience incredibly difficult. Byrne also shared that she had been against Matty J’s participation in the reality show right from the outset. “I wasn’t a supporter of it in the first place,” she admitted, reinforcing that the experience had only confirmed her concerns. Even Matty J himself struggled with the demands of the show. He confessed that he broke down early in his time at camp, an emotional moment that wasn’t shown on TV. “I just burst out crying, and I was like, ‘I f**king cannot do this,’” he recalled, explaining that a moment of solitude while washing dishes left him questioning his decision. “What have I f**king done? This is a nightmare.” It appears that, for the Byrne-Johnson family, what seemed like a joyful televised reunion was, in reality, a deeply exhausting and emotional ordeal. Images: Network 10

Whether we carve out an exemption or not, Trump’s latest tariffs will still hit Australia

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/scott-french-2254956">Scott French</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have <a href="https://theconversation.com/trump-agrees-to-consider-australian-exemption-from-tariffs-describing-albanese-as-very-fine-man-248886">stated</a> an exemption for Australia from Trump’s executive order placing 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminium imported into the US is “under consideration”. But prospects remain uncertain. Albanese would do well to secure an exemption using <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/exemptions-are-under-consideration-albanese-reports-warm-chat-with-trump-over-tariffs-20250211-p5lb4r.html">similar arguments</a> as then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull did in 2018. If Australia cannot obtain a carve-out from the tariffs, the main group affected will be the Australian producers of steel and aluminium. But the size of the hit they will take is difficult to predict. Regardless of whether Australia gets an exemption, the world economy – and Australians – will be affected by Trump’s latest round of tariffs. <h2>Producers will be hit</h2> If ultimately imposed by the US, these tariffs will make steel and aluminium produced in Australia more expensive for US manufacturers relative to domestically produced alternatives. This will certainly result in reduced demand for the Australian products. However, three factors will help limit the effects: 1. The price of metals produced in the US will rise It will take time to ramp up US production to fill the gap of reduced imports, and the extra production will likely come from <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-tariffs-243356">less efficient</a> domestic producers. This means that US manufacturers will continue to buy imported metals, despite the higher prices. 2. The US is not a huge market for Australian steel and aluminium Australia produced A$113 billion of primary and fabricated metal in the 2022-23 financial year, according to the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/industry-overview/australian-industry/latest-release">ABS</a>. By comparison, less than $1 billion of steel and aluminium was exported to the US in 2023, according to data <a href="https://comtradeplus.un.org/">from UN Comtrade</a>, consisting of about $500 million of aluminium and less then $400 million of steel. Exports to the US account for about 10% of Australia’s total exports of these metals. 3. Major markets If major markets such as China and the European Union enact retaliatory tariffs on US metals, this could make Australian metals more competitive in these markets. <h2>Some stand to benefit</h2> While workers in Australian steel and aluminium plants will be watching the news with trepidation, some of Australia’s biggest manufacturing companies may be less concerned. For example, BlueScope Steel has significant US steel operations, and saw its <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-10/asx-markets-business-news-live-updates-feb-10/104916360">share price increase</a> on news of the tariffs. US-based Alcoa, which owns <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/trump-tariff-threat-puts-aussie-aluminium-smelters-on-edge/news-story/1bba5321af89fd817a55a4984d98d273">alumina refineries</a> in Western Australia and an aluminium smelter in Victoria, will also expect to see its US operations benefit. And Rio Tinto will be most concerned about its substantial Canadian operations. Its Canadian hub is responsible for close to <a href="https://www.riotinto.com/en/can/canada-operations/saguenay">half of its global aluminium production</a>. <h2>Demand for iron ore could fall</h2> The US tariffs will also have wider ranging effects on the Australian economy, regardless of whether Australia’s products are directly targeted. While aluminium is Australia’s <a href="https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/trade-and-investment-data-information-and-publications/trade-statistics/trade-in-goods-and-services/australias-trade-goods-and-services-2023">top manufacturing export</a>, it still makes up only about 1% of total exports, and steel makes up <a href="https://comtradeplus.un.org/">less than half that</a>. Iron ore, by contrast, makes up more than 20% of Australia’s exports, with aluminium ores making up an additional 1.5%. This means the effect of the tariffs on demand for the raw materials to make steel and aluminium may have the largest detrimental effect on the Australian economy. Because the tariffs will make steel and aluminium more expensive to US manufacturers, they will seek to reduce their use of them. This means global demand for the metals, and the ores used to produce them, will decline. Investors appear to be betting on this, with shares of Australian miners like <a href="https://www.asx.com.au/markets/company/RIO">Rio Tinto</a> and <a href="https://www.asx.com.au/markets/company/bhp">BHP</a> falling since Trump announced the tariffs. <h2>Imported goods will become more expensive</h2> Many of the things Australians buy are likely to get more expensive. All US products that use steel and aluminium at any stage of the production process will also become more expensive. Tariffs will raise the cost of steel and aluminium for US manufacturers, <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-tariffs-243356">both directly and by reducing overall productivity</a> in the US. About <a href="https://comtradeplus.un.org/">11% of Australia’s imports</a> come from the US. And about half of this consists of machinery, vehicles, aircraft, and medical instruments, which typically contain steel and aluminium. Further, these goods are used by manufacturers around the world to produce and transport many of the other things Australians buy.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/249493/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/scott-french-2254956">Scott French</a>, Senior Lecturer in Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> Image credits: Samuel Corum/CNP/Shutterstock Editorial This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/whether-we-carve-out-an-exemption-or-not-trumps-latest-tariffs-will-still-hit-australia-249493">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Aus Post worker jailed after stealing from packages

An Australia Post contractor has been jailed after stealing $400,000 worth of luxury goods from packages. According to the Australian Federal Police, items such as jewellery, luxury watches, alcohol and gift cards were among the “significant number” of goods stolen from packages between November 2021 and May 2023. The 43-year-old man from Bexley in Sydney was sentenced to imprisonment for two years and three months when he faced the Downing Centre District Court on Tuesday. He is able to be released after serving 15 months on the condition he is then of good behaviour for two years. An investigation began into the thief in May 2023 after a report of “a man tampering with postal packages” was filed. A search warrant executed at the man’s Bexley home uncovered $398,000 worth of stolen items and $39,000 in cash which was the “proceeds of crime from the sale of tobacco the man had taken from mail packages,” AFP said. Police found an estimated $138,000 worth of alcohol, $124,000 of luxury watches, $52,000 of gift cards, and $43,000 of jewellery in the man's home. Police also seized 24g of methamphetamine, 17.8g of ketamine and small quantities of cocaine, MDMA and cannabis during their search of the property. The man pleaded guilty to three charges related to the postal theft, drug possession, and proceeds of crime. AFP acting Superintendent Stuart Millen said the man abused his trusted position with Australia Post for his own personal gain. “Criminals are motivated by profit and greed, and the AFP has zero tolerance for those who abuse employment access for their own illegal pursuits,” he said. “This was an opportunistic attempt to use a trusted position within Australia’s mail delivery system to profit, with no regard to its impact on the community." “People with trusted access are critical to the successful operation of Australia’s trade sectors, but the AFP will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute those who abuse this trust." “The AFP works closely with Australia Post to ensure trusted insiders abusing their position for criminal endeavours are dealt with swiftly to ensure public confidence in the Australian postal system.” Image credits: AFP

Legal

Dave Hughes reveals I’m A Celeb weight loss

Dave Hughes spent 25 days in the jungle for this year's season of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and despite being eliminated, his three-and-a-half weeks of camp life had a staggering effect on his body. “I lost eight kilos and I’m stronger now than when I went in there,” he told news.com.au. He explained that when he first joined the show he struggled to do laborious tasks like carrying a crate of firewood back to camp without assistance. “I’d be holding one side of the crate while my fingers almost snapped off, with another burly bloke like (former NRL player) Sam Thaiday on the other side,” he said. “But by the end of the month, I’m carrying the whole crate on my own. My fingers are loving the task. I’m just living my best life.” He also made progress in the "jungle gym" a workout station contestants could use to keep fit. “There was a bench press there and on the first day, the heaviest weights, I could do 20 (reps). On the day I got kicked out, I did 52," he said. “Sam (Thaiday) says I now look like a pregnant greyhound … I think that’s a compliment, so I’m happy," he said. Image: I'm A Celeb/ news.com.au

Body

Gogglebox star set to return for 21st season

Gogglebox Australia is set to return for its 21st season this week, and while the beloved Silbery family are no longer a part of the cast, a familiar face is set to return for the new season. While fans will surely miss seeing the multi-generational family on their screens, Sarah Marie Fahd will once again return to Aussie screens after being on maternity leave for the past two years. “I’m so excited to be back,” she told Yahoo Lifestyle. Sarah joined the show in 2017 with her husband Matty and their best friend Jad Nehmetallah. “Being able to join my boys again makes me feel so happy because the last few seasons I've been on the sidelines and Matt would be like, ‘Remember, you're not on the show right now!’. There are so many things I wish I could have said!” she added. Sarah explained that she took a break from the show because her second child, Lyon, required more attention than her firstborn Malik. “There’s no way I would have been able to even sit and watch TV with Lyon. There were days where he would cry unless I carried him and I would just have him strapped to my chest, so I was like, it's not gonna work with this one,” she told the publication. “But he's at a different age now and he's such a character. “Also just mentally, I'm in a much better place. I think mental health is really, really difficult when you've got little ones and hormones and stuff to juggle, so that was also a really big factor and I just mentally couldn't do all of that. "Whereas right now, I’m myself again. I feel like it just ticked over to 2025 and something in me was like, I’m good now. I’m finally in a better place.” The upcoming season will see both Malik and Lyon sitting on the couch alongside their parents, a decision that was made after careful consideration. "It’s just a lovely show to be on, so I was able to trust [producers] with having Malik on the show. Otherwise, I wouldn't have him on there for sure,” Sarah said. Images: Instagram

Hollywood legend's cause of death revealed

Renowned filmmaker David Lynch, best known for directing Dune, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive and the unforgettable Twin Peaks series passed away on January 16 at the age of 78. Now, his cause of death has been officially confirmed. According to TMZ, which obtained Lynch’s death certificate from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the legendary director died from cardiac arrest due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Dehydration was also listed as a significant contributing factor. Lynch’s family shared the news of his passing on social media last month: “It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch,” the family’s statement on Facebook read. “There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the doughnut and not on the hole.’” In the days leading up to his death, Lynch had been affected by the deadly wildfires near Laurel Canyon Boulevard in Los Angeles. However, his longtime producer, Sabrina Sutherland, confirmed that he had safely evacuated his home at the time. Lynch had been battling health issues for years, having been diagnosed with emphysema in 2020. In a November 2024 interview with People, the filmmaker admitted that he relied on supplemental oxygen for daily activities. He also reflected on his decades-long smoking habit, which began at the age of eight and ended in 2022. “What you sow is what you reap,” Lynch said at the time. “You’re literally playing with fire. It can bite you. I took a chance, and I got bit.” His death prompted an outpouring of tributes from Hollywood stars, including actor Kyle MacLachlan, who worked with Lynch on Dune, Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks. “Forty-two years ago, for reasons beyond my comprehension, David Lynch plucked me out of obscurity to star in his first and last big-budget movie,” MacLachlan wrote on Instagram. “While the world has lost a remarkable artist, I’ve lost a dear friend who imagined a future for me and allowed me to travel in worlds I could never have conceived on my own.” Naomi Watts, who starred in Mulholland Drive, also paid tribute, sharing her heartbreak over Lynch’s passing: “My heart is broken. My Buddy Dave… The world will not be the same without him,” she wrote on Instagram. She praised his “exquisite storytelling, which elevated cinema and inspired generations of filmmakers across the globe.” While Lynch will be dearly missed, his legacy as an innovative and visionary filmmaker will continue to influence the world of cinema for years to come. Images: Instagram

Caring

Coroner makes bombshell ruling over Jock Zonfrillo's death

A 16-month investigation into Jock Zonfrillo's death has come to an end, with the coroner making a shocking decision about the celebrity chef's cause of death. The coroner has decided not to publicly reveal the MasterChef judge's cause of death, which will now likely remain secret unless his family wish to disclose the information. Zonfrillo's body was found in a hotel room in Melbourne at about 2am on May 1st 2023 after police were called to conduct a welfare check on the 46-year-old. There was widespread speculation about the cause of Zonfrillo's sudden death due to his well-publicised history of drug abuse and mental health struggles. A spokeswoman for Victoria's Coroners Court told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14357311/jock-zonfrillo-masterchef-coronial-investigation.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a> the investigation into Zonfrillo's death was completed on August 27th last year. "At the close of the investigation, the coroner determined that the finding would not be published," the spokeswoman said. In the days following Zonfrillo's death, Daily Mail Australia revealed that it was Jock's wife Lauren who made the frantic phone call to police which led them to find her husband's body. She was travelling abroad and had reportedly became concerned about her husband's welfare when Zonfrillo failed to keep to their usual daily schedule of telephone calls. At the time, a senior Victoria Police source said that officers who attended the hotel found Zonfrillo unresponsive in his bed and saw no obvious signs of anything suspicious or unusual. There was no drug paraphernalia located and no one else in his room, with police at the scene forming the initial view Zonfrillo had died of natural causes. Image credits: Getty Images

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Australia’s largest super fund fined $27 million

Best hotels in Australia revealed

"Why are you attacking my dad?": I'm A Celeb finalist reveals behind-the-scenes heartbreak

Whether we carve out an exemption or not, Trump’s latest tariffs will still hit Australia

Aus Post worker jailed after stealing from packages

Dave Hughes reveals I’m A Celeb weight loss

Gogglebox star set to return for 21st season

Hollywood legend's cause of death revealed

Coroner makes bombshell ruling over Jock Zonfrillo's death

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