Less hard hats, more soft hearts: budget pivots to women and care

By Danielle Wood, Chief executive officer, Grattan Institute
Tom Crowley, Associate, Grattan Institute

Last year’s post-budget photo ops were all heavy machinery and hard hats. But this year we can expect soft-focus shots with children and the elderly.

The big story of the budget is not just that the government is spending tens of billions more as we emerge from the recession; it is also the major shift in what the money will be spent on.

The change in fiscal strategy – from a “construction-led recovery” last year to a concerted emphasis on women and the care sector this year – is based on solid economic…

Read complete article

~	Why the pathology bulk-billing campaign is more about driving industry profits than saving you money

~	Restoring coastal habitat boosts wildlife numbers by 61% – but puzzling failures mean we can still do better

~	TikTok fears point to larger problem: Poor media literacy in the social media age

~	Donald Trump trial: why it took so long to select a jury and how the process is different to the UK

~	Bitcoin is halving again – what does that mean for the cryptocurrency and the market?

~	Liz Truss: an economist explains what she got wrong (and what she’s actually right about)

~	Domestic politics will be a key factor in how far things escalate between Israel and Iran

~	Peter Higgs’ famous particle discovery is now at the heart of strategies to unlock the secrets of the universe

~	Why you shouldn’t be afraid to start running after middle age

~	The world’s oldest conjoined twins have died – what we know about this rare condition