A rights-based Precariat Charter

There are a lot of reviews on the internet about Professor Guy Standing’s book A Precariat Charter published about a year ago. But it’s worth some reflections here especially in view of its focus on a reinvigorated rights based approach for dealing with the current crisis in employment and economic inequality and most particularly the…

The right to work and human rights

I take forward my analysis of the human rights dimension of unemployment, commenced a couple of weeks ago, in this article published on the social policy website Power to Persuade – A human rights lens on unemployment and welfare-to-work My article reflects on the arguments made by Dr Tania Raffass in her article in the Australian Journal of Human…

What is intergenerational fairness?

At the National Press Club, 2 Feb 2015, Prime Minister Tony Abbott responded to the question on the fairness concerns about the 2014 Budget by resorting to the argument that his government’s aim is to help future generations by reducing the debt burden they would inherit. Hence, he argues, the 2014 budget and his government’s debt…

The disconnect on PPL

In an article for the Conversation, published in December 2014, I argued that Prime Minister Tony Abbott should dump not refine his signature paid parental leave scheme. My argument was that Australia already has a scheme that is working well according to recent evaluation. I also said that funds would be better channelled into child…