Australia 161 for 8 (Mooney 61, Lanning 36, Gardner 25, Renuka 2-25, Rana 2-38) beat India 152 (Harmanpreet 65, Rodrigues 33, Gardner 3-16, Schutt 2-27) by nine runs
Australia gave yet another lesson in closing out games under pressure and crushed India’s dreams to clinch gold at the Commonwealth Games 2022. With India needing 44 off 30 with seven wickets in hand, Ashleigh Gardner produced an incredible plot twist by dismissing Pooja Vastrakar and the half -centurion Harmanpreet Kaur off successive deliveries.
With a foot in the door, Australia barged it open by choking the lower middle order to clinch victory by nine runs as India lost their last eight wickets for just 34 runs. A crestfallen Harmanpreet, whose 43-ball 65 had lifted India into a match-winning position, sat motionless in the dugout, as did the rest of the team, who had to settle for the silver medal.
Meanwhile, Australia, holders of the 50-overs and T20 World Cups, added the only accolade they lacked – a gold medal at a multi-sports event – to reaffirm their status as the best team in the world.
Renuka delivers key breakthrough
India gave Alyssa Healy an early let-off two years ago in the T20 World Cup final, and saw her pummel a match-winning 39-ball 75. They may have briefly wondered if Healy would make them pay here too, when a thick edge off Renuka Singh flew just wide of where a regulation slip would be in the first over of the match.
Fortunately for them, Renuka sent Healy back in her next over, aided by an excellent DRS call from Harmanpreet. Ball-tracking suggested that Renuka’s nip-backer, which Healy played all around, would have crashed into middle and leg stumps. It wasn’t until the final over of the powerplay that Australia began to shift gears as Meg Lanning muscled Renuka down the ground for six in a 13-run over that took Australia to 43 for 1.
Lanning and Mooney push on
Despite the early loss and a few quiet overs, Lanning and Beth Mooney exuded a sense of calm, knowing the kind of damage they could inflict once set. Both batters targeted the short straight boundary effectively off the spinners, and raised their half-century stand off just 37 balls. Australia picked off six boundaries in the ninth and tenth overs, including four in a single Harmanpreet over, to set themselves up superbly at 83 for 1 at the halfway stage.
Radha changes the mood
After a tight first over in which she conceded just three tuns, Radha Yadav left her mark on the game in the 11th over when she showed terrific game-smarts to run Lanning out at the non-striker’s end. Having stopped a straight hit from Mooney, she quickly reverse-flicked the ball between her legs and onto the stumps with Lanning’s bat in the air when the stumps were disturbed. In the next over, her prowling presence of her at point resulted in a stunning catch as she threw herself full-stretch to dismiss Tahlia McGrath, who played the game despite testing positive for Covid-19.
Australia’s lower order goes big Gardner offset any pressure Australia may have felt with some typically aggressive hits to pocket a quick 25 before she was stumped off Sneh Rana. Despite wickets falling around her, Mooney carried on, raising a half-century off just 36 deliveries. Australia didn’t allow the succession of wickets to stall their momentum, even as India’s fielders kept pulling off stunners, including a one-handed back-pedaling catch from Deepti Sharma to dismiss Mooney, and Meghna Singh’s catch running back from mid-on to remove the dangerous Grace Harris. Rachael Haynes muscled an unbeaten 10-ball 18 to push Australia past 160.
India make nervous start
India lost both openers inside the first three overs. Smriti Mandhana was bowled behind her legs while looking to swing one into the leg side, ending an innings that had begun hopefully with scorching off-side strokes, while Shafali Verma slogged and holed out two balls after she was reprieved at cover by Megan Schutt.
Harmanpreet and Rodrigues keep India in the hunt Five years after her knock for the ages in the 50-overs World Cup semi-final against Australia, Harmanpreet threatened to produce the T20 version of that epic 171* against the same opponents.
Coming in with India 23 for 2 in the fourth over, Harmanpreet revived their innings with her drives and lofted hits, including a foray down the pitch for a six over wide long-on off Jess Jonassen in the tenth over. She began employing the sweep frequently too, as Australia’s spinners tried a leg-stump line against her. At the other end, the bat-slapping and fist-pumping Jemimah Rodrigues overcame a slow start – she was 1 off 7 at one point – to take some pressure off Harmanpreet by picking up regular boundaries in a run-a-ball 33. Their 96-run partnership had brought the equation down to a gettable 44 off 34 when Rodrigues was bowled looking to heave Schutt across the line.
Gardner applies the choke Australia’s relief turned into full-blown ecstasy when Gardner delivered a stunning second over, in which she removed the promoted Vastrakar and Harmanpreet off consecutive deliveries. While Vastrakar mistimed a hoick to deep midwicket, Harmanpreet fell attempting a paddle, the ball lobbing off her helmet to be caught behind by Healy. At that stage, Gardner’s figures were a magical 2-0-5-3.
As India lost wickets, the pressure caught up on them as batter after batter committed hara-kiri. Rana and Radha were run out, and Deepti, seemingly India’s last hope with them needing 13 off 10, was out lbw to Schutt.
It boiled down to India needing 11 off the final over, with Yastika Bhatia, who had come on as a concussion substitute for wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia, on strike to Jonassen. After turning down a single first ball, she ran an improbable second run off the second, in order to keep the strike, resulting in Meghna’s run-out at the danger end. With India now needing 10 off four balls, Yastika was out lbw attempting a reverse sweep.
And just like that, just like 2017, India had fallen agonizingly short in a global final.
Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
The Senate on Sunday passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) along party lines, 51-50, handing Democrats a crucial legislative win as the midterm cycle ramps up — despite GOP objections at the billions in spending and drug pricing reforms.
The sprawling climate, tax and health care legislation is now set up for quick passage in the Democratic-controlled House, with timing still to be announced, before President Joe Biden signs it into law.
Included in the bill, supporters are quick to highlight, are measures to foster job creation, raise taxes on large corporations and the wealthy, allow Medicare to negotiate down some prescription drug costs, expand the Affordable Care Act health care program and invest in combating climate change by implementing tax credits for clean energy initiatives, among other things.
Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate with all Democrats in support of the legislation and all Republicans opposed. The proposal was passed via the budget reconciliation process, which requires a simple majority rather than the 60 votes typically needed to overcome a filibuster.
The rules of reconciliation, however, limit what can and cannot be passed with 51 votes — strictures that narrowed the legislation’s scope even in the final days before the vote.
The legislation’s tax provisions, prescription drug-pricing reform, as well as boosted IRS tax enforcement measures, are anticipated to raise an estimated revenue of $739 billion — $300 billion of which Democrats say would go toward reducing the deficit.
The plan would reduce federal budget deficits by $102 billion over 10 years, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Despite the bill’s name, however, the CBO found that it would have a minimal affect on high inflation in the short-term — something Democrats have conceded when pressed.
The bill passed the Senate after a punishing, approximately 16-hour “vote-a-rama,” in which any senator could introduce an amendment to the bill as part of the reconciliation process.
The amendment process fueled painful votes for each party.
Vulnerable Democratic incumbents up for reelection this year had to dance around a vote on the Biden administration’s decision to scrap Title 42, a Trump-era order using coronavirus concerns to prevent migrants from entering the country while seeking asylum. Republicans, meanwhile, mostly voted against a Democratic amendment that would have capped out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 a month for people with private health insurance.
Senator Patrick Leahy is wheeled to an elevator from the Senate floor during amendment votes, also called the “vote-a-rama”, on the Inflation Reduct Act 2022, at the US Capitol building in Washington, Aug. 7, 2022.
Ken Cedeno/Reuters
The IRA passage marks the culmination of grueling negotiations between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., and Sen. Joe Manchin, DW.Va., who had been a consistent obstacle to cobbling together a Democrats-only social spending bill via reconciliation.
The pathway for a successful vote was cemented late last week when Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., another key centrist, signed on after winning some tweaks to the bill.
Among the changes Sinema won were the eliminations of tax provisions targeting wealthy hedge-fund managers and private equity executives. The official Senate rules, the parliamentarian, also scrapped a provision intended to reprimand drug companies that raise the prices of some prescription drugs faster than inflation for patients with private insurance.
Still, the bill’s passage marks a major step toward President Biden’s campaign promises to tackle climate change, reform drug pricing and other issues; and it gives Democrats a new legislative win to run on heading into the November midterms, in an environment where many voters have soured on Biden’s handling of the economy and historic inflation.
“Today, Senate Democrats sided with American families over special interests, voting to lower the cost of prescription drugs, health insurance, and everyday energy costs and reduce the deficit, while making the wealthiest corporations finally pay their fair share. Iran for President promising to make government work for working families again, and that is what this bill does — period,” Biden said in a statement
The IRA also extends a streak of achievements for Biden and congressional Democrats, including passage of a bipartisan anti-gun violence bill and legislation to boost the domestic semiconductor industry.
“This bill is going to change America for decades,” Schumer crowed after final passage.
Republicans have already forecasted that they’ll paint Democrats as uncaring about Americans’ financial burdens at a time of rapid price hikes while passing billions of dollars in new spending.
“This idea that this massive tax increase will just somehow be absorbed by corporate America when they will pass those costs along to consumers, and it will make inflation worse,” Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, said last week.
Sen. Mike Rounds, RS.D., said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday that the IRA would be not a boon to the country but a “boondoggle.”
“What they’re really trying to do is to take dollars in and then redistribute it back out to the places that they think it should be done… This is not the time to be experimenting in that area,” he said.
He also contended that Medicare’s drug negotiating power wouldn’t pay off: “This is not healthy, it’s not good and it will cause problems in the marketplace.”
After getting stung with a sudden $90 a week rent increase, Hoshi in Bunbury, WA, set about selling what they owned.
Key points:
Young people are more likely to have picked up extra work than any other age group
Financial insecurity means they are generally more exposed to inflation
Aside from their normal full-time jobs, some are teaching languages at night or picking up weekend cafe shifts
First, the furniture, bicycles, and sports equipment. Then, clothes and jewellery.
Finally, they gathered up the little things that had sentimental value.
They would sell them last.
“I’m not just missing $90 a week,” they said.
“With the price of vegetables and transport costs going up, it feels like someone has really just taken a huge bite out of that financial flexibility.”
Faced with rent increases, price hikes and stagnant wages, Hoshi is one of many young people who have been hustling for income on the side, outside of their normal job, to make ends meet.
The rush to pick up extra work has been seen across most age groups, but has been greater with young people, who are generally less financially secure and more exposed to the effects of inflation.
Young people are the most likely age group to have more than one job, and this trend is on the increase, ABS data shows.
For many, the situation is dire, but some are finding creative ways to stay afloat.
Working 9-5, and then hustling
Rose earns $200-$400 per week from three separate side hustles.(Supplied: Rose)
Outside of her full-time 9-5 office gig, Rose tutors French and Italian over Zoom, delivers online food orders, and sells the pot plants she propagates in her crowded Sydney apartment.
The hustle began two months ago, after lockdowns had eased and, like many, Rose found that the extra socializing was expensive.
On top of this, she had recently moved from a sharehouse to escape the chaotic and cramped experience of COVID lockdowns.
Living alone had been affordable when she was bunkering down, but not anymore.
“Lockdown kind of changed things — it made me want to have a bit more stability in my life,” she said.
“I got used to a nicer way of living at home and now I’m going back to those old comforts of going out, and I have to readjust.”
At the same time, the prices of most things are going up.
Average weekly rental payments have increased almost 10 per cent over the past year, while inflation is rising at its fastest rate since 1990.
Fruit and vegetable prices have risen almost 6 per cent in the June quarter alone.
Wages grew 2.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2022, or less than inflation, meaning the average wage shrunk.
For Rose, side-hustling is a way to break even while still going out.
Tutoring brings in up to $100 a week, food delivery anything from $100-$200, and selling plants nets less than $50.
“[The side hustles] can be about an extra $200-$400 a week sometimes,” she said.
“It turns out that I don’t have as much disposable income at the end, once I’ve paid all my bills.”
After moving house, Rose realized how many plants she had — and that she could propagate and sell some.(Supplied: Rose)
The rush to pick up extra work
COVID and lockdowns have seen the rate of what the ABS calls “multiple-job holding” bounce around over the last few years.
Towards the end of last year, with lockdowns easing, the number of multiple-job holders jumped 13.1 per cent.
According to the ABS, just under 900,000 Australians were working more than one job in the December quarter — more than at any other time since the bureau started keeping such records in 1994.
But not all age groups were affected equally.
This rush to pick up extra work was by far the greatest among young people.
Note the big spike in the light blue line (15-24 year olds) in December 2021.
That’s the point where lots of young people rushed out to get extra jobs, signing up to deliver food or pick up shifts in hospitality.
It’s also roughly when inflation and rent increases started to bite.
In the UK, where inflation is even higher, a recent study found almost half of Gen Z have recently started a side hustle to make ends meet, or plan on starting one in the near future.
Many of the extra jobs Australians have been picking up are in hospitality, retail and administration.(Unsplash: Robert Anasch )
One reason for this was that young people were generally more exposed to inflation than older Australians, said Impact Economics and Policy lead economist Angela Jackson.
“Young people are more likely to rent and therefore this takes up a bigger part of their income,” she said.
“The price rises facing younger people are much higher than the average figure.”
Also, young people were more likely to have been unemployed during the pandemic, and have depleted their savings.
“They might not have that buffer,” she said.
“They’re facing rising costs with nothing behind them.”
Extra jobs in retail, hospital, admin
A lot of the extra jobs Australians have been picking up are in retail, food services and administration, ABS data shows.
Katy, whose name has been changed, works 9-5 in a communications role and struggles with the “exorbitant” price of groceries, electricity and petrol.
“It’s feeling like going out to dinner with your friends is a crazy thing to do — I’ve never felt like that before.”
Financially stressed, the 27-year-old recently went back to working weekends at the cafe that she had employed her seven years ago.
“It’s a huge relief knowing that I’ll get paid on the weekend — it’s a cash-in-hand situation,” she said.
Tips for reducing your expenses
Inflation continues to rise and experts predict a further 10 per cent increase in average rental payments over the next 12 months, so it’s worth looking at ways to save money, if you haven’t done this already.
Most money experts recommend writing down your expenses, and then dividing these into items that you have to pay (like rent), those you can reduce (like groceries), and those you can potentially cut entirely (like buying takeaway or even streaming subscriptions) .
Then go through each category, and look at ways to spend less.
“Talk to your landlord about a rent reduction,” said Angela Jackson of Impact Economics.
“It’s better for the landlord to have you in the house than to have the house vacant.”
In most parts of the country, you can shop around for the cheapest energy provider.
Check if you have gym memberships or streaming subscriptions you don’t use.
Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself.
You’ve probably already cut back on expenses and are trying your best to save, but rising prices are making this harder and harder.
“Even if you’re doing all those things that everyone advises you to do, it’s still going to be very difficult,” Ms Jackson said.
If you’re finding yourself in financial trouble, you can reach out to the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 for free financial advice.
In each state and territory you can also access food assistance and rental and crisis accommodation.
Prince Andrew’s pay-off to sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre was as little as a quarter of the reported $21 million.
sources told The Sun his lawyers negotiated a cut-price deal of $5.2 million-to-$8.74 million.
That was as much money the disgraced Duke could scrape together quickly to halt her civil lawsuit.
It may explain why Ms Giuffre, 38, was not forced to sign a gagging order as part of the deal — and is now free to write a “tell-all” book, which she promises to do.
It comes after The Sun revealed last week that Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson have bought an $8.74 million house in London’s swanky Mayfair — despite complaining about being strapped for cash.
A source said: “It was thought, and widely reported, that Virginia got a settlement of £12 million (A$21 million) from Andrew, but that’s not right.
“It was far less than that, as low as £3 million (A$5.2 million).
“No doubt this will have influenced the conditions of the agreement that she was prepared to sign.”
Ms Giuffre, a victim of sex trafficking at the hands of paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, claimed Andrew sexually abused her when she was 17.
Although the agreement, reached in February, contained no formal admission of liability or apology from Andrew, it said he accepted Ms Giuffre was a “victim of abuse” and regretted his association with Epstein.
A spokeswoman for Prince Andrew was approached for comment.
This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission.
If you weren’t a Collingwood believer, you must be by now — but the situation at Carlton is far less rosy.
Welcome to the AFL Round-Up, where we digest the week that was.
The Collingwood situation
It’s not a drill anymore.
Collingwood’s feel-good renaissance — their hot streak of heart-stoppers — is no longer a thrilling sideshow to the 2022 season. It may well be the main event.
Melbourne were the latest — and probably the best team — to have run into the Magpie buzzsaw and come out on the wrong side throughout a run that has now resulted in 11 straight wins.
The MCG is Collingwood’s playground right now.(Getty Images: Darrian Traynor)
Collingwood are in second position with two games to play. Beat Sydney next week and a top-four finish at minimum is secured. No matter how they have done it, Craig McRae’s team have put themselves in a position from which premierships can be won.
And, in a season where consistency has eluded all but Geelong, Collingwood’s unique blend of speed, physicality and Disneyesque self-belief might just make the most sense.
There’s no point looking at the stats and pondering the collective unlikeliness of this Collingwood run, we’re well past that. All that’s left now is to admire the individuals that are making it happen.
Top of that list is Brayden Maynard, whose general absence from predicted All Australian teams is bemusing.
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Maynard has been Collingwood personified all season. Fearlessly committed, he is prepared to take risks, never believing he is beaten.
But he’s just one of many. From Jack Crisp and to Jamie Elliott to Beau McCreery and Ash Johnson, that same level is being reached across the 22 to various levels of fanfare.
We said here weeks ago that this Collingwood season would be one that fans will talk about for generations, but there’s more than that at play now.
One of the great premierships in the history of the national competition is what is being played for now, and it’s becoming a far less crazy proposition with every passing week.
Blues on the brink
Cast your mind back a few months and Carlton were the in-vogue team, playing a similar brand of tough and exciting footy and finding ways to win games.
That seems a long time ago now. The battle for the Blues is no longer a top-four spot and proving they are worthy of premiership conversations, but to simply make the finals and not throw the season away completely.
It’s all a bit that way at the moment for Carlton.(Getty Images: Russell Freeman)
Carlton have Melbourne and Collingwood to eat. Winning one of those would surely be enough. There’s even a world in which they could lose both and still sneak in, but the door would be opened at that point for St Kilda — or even the Western Bulldogs.
Should the worst come to pass and Carlton fail to finish in the top eight, this season might rank among the most disappointing for Blues’ fans in recent memory. And that’s a tough field.
Not because they aren’t clearly still improving, or because they haven’t played good football and claimed big wins. But should the opportunity for a return to finals be squandered — an opportunity they completely earned themselves with their excellent start to the campaign — it would be mighty tough to swallow.
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The good news is that it’s still in Carlton’s hands. The last quarter against Brisbane showed the fight is still there, and perhaps the challenge of having to win their way in will inspire a return to form.
It’s an unfinished story right now, but the stakes are high.
JK’s perfect goodbye
A quick word for Josh Kennedy, who called time on his tremendous career with one more performance for the ages.
The greatest goalkicker in West Coast’s history — Josh J Kennedy.(Getty Images: Daniel Carson)
To be held in the same company as the likes of Lance Franklin, Jack Riewoldt and Tom Hawkins as era-defining key forwards is not something to be dismissed. Kennedy has been a fearsome prospect for more than a decade, has ridden the highs and lows at West Coast through that time and has ended with his bearded head held high.
That the Eagles were unable to rise to the occasion and find a way to win for Kennedy is a matter for another day (and a long and painful off-season to come).
It’s rare that a champion is able to go out in a manner befitting his career. Kennedy managed that—and then some.
around the grounds
We can now say with confidence that Richmond will play finals in 2022. From there, anything is possible. They will be unmissable in September.
Fremantle looked like their old selves again against the Bulldogs, and with the Eagles and Giants to come will fancy their chances of a return to the top four. Perhaps they are timing their run to perfection.
All the Cats do is win.(Getty Images: Darrian Traynor)
Strictly speaking, Geelong probably didn’t need to win that game against St Kilda. Their hold on top spot would have been pretty secure either way. But they did, and that winning habit looks set to roll on deep into September.
Mark McVeigh took a bit of a gamble in calling out his Giants players last week. It would have put the interim coach in an awkward spot if they didn’t muster an immediate response. But they did, and his stocks of him have now never been higher.
hawthorn have now improved their wins total from last year. Gold Coast are one away from equaling their best wins total ever. A clear season of progress for both.
The Swans and Pies will meet at the SCG on Sunday.(Getty Images: Michael Willson)
We’re pumped for Sydney’s game against Collingwood next week already. The winner will find themselves deeper than ever in premiership reckoning. Sunday arvo can’t come quickly enough.
in the clubhouse
Here we take stock of who is leading the race for the season’s individual awards.
We’ve already called the Rising Star race over in Nick Daicos’s favour, but want to temper some of the All Australian chat that has been lingering around social media. For this year, anyway. Nextyear? All bets are off.
It was a good week for goals, and in a tough field we’re giving this round’s nod to Freo’s Nathan O’Driscoll.
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Josh Daicos remains the leader in the GOTY race.
And for the mark of the week, we’re going with connor rozee.
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His teammate Mitch Georgiades is in the box seat to claim MOTY with his screamer against Fremantle from a few weeks back.
A small Alabama town disbanded its police department over a racist text message allegedly sent by an officer on the force, according to a report.
The Vincent city council voted to shutter the department and sack Police Chief James Srygley and Assistant Chief John L. Gross on Thursday during a heated meeting, AL.com reported.
“We passed a resolution with intent to pass an ordinance to disband the police department,” Maj. James Latimore said.
The move comes after city officials confirmed a racist text by an officer that surfaced on social media last week, the outlet reported.
Assistant Chief John L. Gross was fired after a Vincent city council meeting.Lemuel Goss/Facebook
The unidentified cop allegedly texted, “What do y’all call a pregnant slave? … BOGO Buy one, get one free,” the report said.
The town – which has a population of less than 2,000 people – won’t be left without any law enforcement as its county Sheriff’s Office has said it will step up to help.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said it condemns the officers and it “stands with the City of Vincent in providing emergency law enforcement related service to the citizens [of Vincent] at this time,” the outlet reported, citing a release from the office.
City officials reportedly confirmed a police officer sent the text message.WBRC
During Thursday’s meeting City Councilman Corey Abrams said: “this has torn this community apart. It doesn’t matter what color we are as long as we do right by people.”
The cost of living is soaring. Rocketing food prices and rising interest rates mean that without a substantial rise in wages, workers find themselves going backwards.
Key points:
Without high wage growth, inflation means workers’ living standards will decline
Wage growth has been low for a decade
Wages in New Zealand are rising to meet inflation
So are wage rises coming?
Ahead of official data out next week there are conflicting signals about what’s going on with wages.
going up
The good news, if you’re a worker, is that it’s a great time to be you.
Job vacancies are at a record high and there’s a massive shortage of labor (partly because so many migrants have gone home since the pandemic began and haven’t returned).
For advanced manufacturing company ANCA, that means paying people more.
Advanced manufacturing firm ANCA has been lifting wages to reward staff and lure new talent as they expand, says Johanna Boland the company’s strategy and communications manager.(ABC News: Simon Tucci)
“If we don’t have the right people, then we’re not going to be able to succeed in the marketplace. So we’ve got to pay what the market’s asking,” says the company’s strategy and community manager Johanna Boland.
“I think it’s not just inflation, it’s also been a really hot market for talent.”
ANCA is competing with tech companies, banks and start-ups for software engineers and designers with in-demand skills. It employs 1,300 people globally, most in Bayswater in Melbourne’s outer suburbs.
The staff work in a variety of divisions, making things like complex robotic tools and components. Its machines are used by other companies in high-precision work, for example in cutting components used in mobile phones and medical equipment.
Early this year some staff started asking for more money to deal with rising living costs. The company did a “wide-scale analysis” looking at its entire staff and lifted wages for all.
The budget for wages has already changed since May and at the review in October it will be more again.
ANCA staff will get more money. Will you?
Kiwi wages lift
Australia’s unemployment rate is at its lowest level since 1974, at just 3.5 per cent. In New Zealand it’s down to 3.3 per cent – and it was even lower in the previous quarter.
(Even though it’s a blunt measure, with someone working an hour a fortnight considered “employed”, it is the measure generally used globally.)
That should mean higher demand for workers, leading to a boost in wages. In Australia that hasn’t happened yet, but New Zealand figures out this week show big lifts in how many workers are taking home in pay.
We have similar economies – and in New Zealand average hourly earnings are up to 7 per cent, year on year, for workers in the private sector, those not employed by governments. That’s almost catching up to the consumer price index (inflation) growing at 7.4 per cent.
Auckland is beautiful. And wages there are rising.(Reuters: Stefan Wermuth)
Also, 26 per cent of jobs surveyed received a pay rise of more than 5 per cent, the highest proportion since 2008. And about two-thirds of jobs received an increase in ordinary-time wage rates in the past year –the highest level on record.
breaking history
Australians aren’t getting that kind of a boost. They’re going backwards.
The Reserve Bank of Australia see wages rising about 3.5 per cent next year, but that’s a significant pay cut in real terms. That’s because inflation is expected to peak at 7.75 per cent by the end of this year, be about 6.2 per cent by the middle of 2023 and 4.3 per cent by the end of next year.
So prices will keep rising faster than pay packets, meaning a cut in ‘real wages’ for millions of people.
There’s a simple answer on wages, according to Joseph Stiglitz, recipient of the Nobel Prize for Economics:
“They need to be higher.”
Former World Bank chief economist Joseph Stiglitz wants to see people get higher wages.(International Monetary Fund/flickr.com/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
“The only thing Australians might feel good about is that they’re better than what’s happening in the United States, where things are devastating,” he said during a visit to talk to parliamentarians, trade unionists and business leaders.
Asset prices like houses and stocks have soared during the pandemic. A decade of low wage growth means people who get their income from wages are falling behind.
“The price of inequality is that low-paid workers are less productive. If we as a society reduce inequality, we’ll have a better performing economy. Better paid workers are less anxious… more satisfied, less likely to quit.”
Cost pressure
For many businesses, it’s not easy to raise wages.
Peter Burn, director of public policy at the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group), notes salaries are a big cost. But they’re just one, and many of the other major elements that go into running a business have already asked for more.
“Cost pressures are widespread,” he said.
Dr Peter Burn of the Ai Group doesn’t see broad, large wage rises coming.(ABC News—Dan Irvine)
“There’s cost pressures coming from energy costs — electricity and gas, petrol — freight has been a major cost increase for a lot of businesses. The prices of building materials have risen very sharply, digital equipment [too]. They’re the big ones we’ve been hearing about.”
Dr Burn says these costs are particularly strong, but they also flip what’s become normal.
“We’ve become used to low or even falling prices in recent years. So this is a sudden reversal of what we’ve become used to,” he said.
He sees “big gaps” in the wages picture. There are aggregates (for everyone) of around 2.5 per cent growth, but certain industries and roles are seeing sharp wage rises.
“But what we’re hearing from particular businesses is they’re increasing the wages, they’ve got to pay (bigger) salaries attract particular staff,” he says, pointing to tech and project management as key fields enjoying substantial leaps in salary .
That’s putting wage pressure on businesses those business, he adds.
“But as a general rule across the economy, wage pressures are not high.”
Job seeking
Australia’s largest job site is a gold mine of information about what’s happening with wages. Or it could be.
“So most employers don’t put the salary on the job ad,” advises Kendra Banks, managing director of Seek. “This is something we do advise employers to think about more carefully. If the salary is good, if they think it’s above average, it will certainly attract more applicants.”
Why don’t they – especially in a tight labor market where people are looking to make more money to meet the cost of living? Because they cause chaos in their workplaces.
“It’s quite often in some organizations that newcomers will have different salary levels than the existing employees. So advertising that through the ad could create challenges internally for some companies or organisations,” she says.
Kendra Banks says some advertised jobs have large salary increases. (ABC News: Simon Tucci)
This is like the so-called ‘loyalty premium’ paid by consumers. Long-term bank customers with a home loan, for example, are sometimes shocked to learn that people walking into the branch and taking out a mortgage are offered a better rate.
In jobs, too, there’s a benefit to switching.
“We see that through some of the ABS data that looks at wage changes for people who’ve moved employers and those who haven’t,” Ms Banks says.
“And the wage change for those who’ve moved employers is significantly higher than those who haven’t.”
With other costs rocketing, employers may be offering inducements that aren’t money.
“Participation in the labor market in Australia is already very, very high, so it may be that wage growth is not exactly what it takes (to lure workers),” she adds.
Perks like flexible working, the ability to work from home, to set your own hours and leave stronger entitlements may be areas “employers are leaning on more in order to attract the best candidates.”
Cost pressure
Switching employers might bring more money, but for many workers it’s not possible or desirable. They have to either push their boss for a bigger pay packet, or wait for external pressure to do it.
And that might not eat.
“For 10 years, we’ve been told that some Magic Wage Growth Fairy will come along and one day boost wages,” says an exasperated Richard Denniss, chief economist of the Australian Institute.
“The reason we have low wage growth is because employers are not offering decent wage rises.
“The only way that wages can grow in Australia is if employers pay their workers higher wages. And every employer, including the public sector is saying, ‘Oh, we can’t afford to offer high wage growth’.
“So unless lots of employers are offering wages that start with a 5 (per cent), then we’re not going to see average wage growth start with a 3.”
Richard Denniss, chief economist and former executive director of the Australia Institute.(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
Data out on August 17 from the Australian Bureau of Statistics will let us know what’s happened to wages in the recent past. What happens in the future is up to workers, unions, bosses, governments and companies.
“The way a market is supposed to work is when something is scarce, the price goes up,” Dr Denniss says.
“That’s what’s happened with gas. But when it happens with labour, apparently there’s a problem.”
What were you hoping for? To have an experience outside my comfort zone, which it was.
First impressions? He was smiling and easygoing.
What did you talk about? There are conversions. Parenting. Veganism v plant-based diets.
Any awkward moments? The conversation showed signs of drying up occasionally, so I leapt in a bit too enthusiastically to save us from the void.
Good table manners? Yes – we shared food, which I thought was very pleasant.
Best thing about Mark? He let me have a cube of his tofu.
Would you introduce Mark to your friends? No I wouldn’t. He seems quite reserved so I think it would be difficult.
Describe Mark in three words. A chip lover.
What do you think Mark made of you? Maybe he thought I was too chatty, just not his type.
Did you go somewhere? To the tube station.
And…did you kiss? Nope.
If you could change one thing about the evening what would it be? To have eaten something that day so the cocktail didn’t hit me so hard!
Marks out of 10? 7.
Would you meet again? Definitely not – no offense, Mark. He’s a nice guy but we were not a match.
Q&A
Want to be in Blind date?
Show
Blind date is Saturday’s dating column: every week, two strangers are paired up for dinner and drinks, and then spill the beans to us, answering a set of questions. This runs, with a photograph we take of each dater before the date, in Saturday magazine (in the UK) and online at theguardian.com every Saturday. It’s been running since 2009 – you can read all about how we put it together here.
What questions will I be asked? We ask about age, location, occupation, hobbies, interests and the type of person you are looking to meet. If you do not think these questions cover everything you would like to know, tell us what’s on your mind.
Can I choose who I match with? No, it’s a blind date! But we do ask you a bit about your interests, preferences, etc – the more you tell us, the better the match is likely to be.
Can I pick the photograph? No, but don’t worry: we’ll choose the nicest ones.
What personal details will appear? Your first name, job and age.
How should I answer? Honestly but respectfully. Be mindful of how it will read to your date, and that Blind date reaches a large audience, in print and online.
Will I see the other person’s answers? No. We may edit yours and theirs for a range of reasons, including length, and we may ask you for more details.
Will you find me The One? We’ll try! Marriage! Babies!
Can I do it in my hometown? Only if it’s in the UK. Many of our applicants live in London, but we would love to hear from people living elsewhere.
The Hockeyroos picked a bad time to start granting goals.
The Aussies have been denied gold at the Commonwealth Games after England came out firing in the final on Monday morning (AEST).
The tough loss extends the Hockeyroos’ eight-year drought in major championships.
The Hockeyroos have not won a Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games or World Cup since the Glasgow Games in 2014.
It is back-to-back silver medals for the Aussies after New Zealand also stunned them in the final four years ago.
It was a heartbreaking result for the Hockeyroos, who fought so bravely against a wild home crowd in Birmingham.
In the end, they were left to rue a second quarter where England scored two crucial goals. That was enough for England to win 2-1, relegating the Aussies to the silver medal.
It was the first time England has ever won hockey gold at the Commonwealth Games.
Former Hockeyroos star Georgie Parker said Australia just didn’t have the firepower up front to get back into the contest after they fell behind.
“Australia were just a little bit off it today,” she said in commentary on Channel 7.
“Besides our first opening matches it has been hard for us to score. We’ve had just four goals in the last three matches. And that was the thing that’s happened here. Australia not able to get the win today, but it was not without effort.”
The Hockeyroos were on the back foot in the first quarter and had to defend three consecutive corners to keep the scores locked at 0-0 at quarter-time.
However, the Aussies finally conceded — for the first time in the entire tournament — when Holly Hunt popped up unmarked in the circle and tapped in a goal.
England had a second just a few minutes later when Tess Howard deflected a shot at close range. The goal came after Penny Squibb failed to track an England runner, allowing the opposition to get inside the circle.
It was very nearly game over in the third quarter when England hit the post from a penalty corner, but Australia still had a heartbeat heading into the fourth quarter trailing 2-0.
The Hockeyroos’ moment arrived with five minutes to go when they earned a penalty corner, but there was simply no getting past England keeper Madeleine Hinch.
They were doing everything they could and started improvising attacking moves to try and unsettle the English defence. Nothing worked.
“It’s chaos. Absolute chaos,” Parker said.
“I like that they are doing a variation there. Straight penalties haven’t gone to plan. They just have not been able to score them. They’re working around and it looks like a bunch of tired girls there.”
Australia scored a late consolation goal through Rosie Malone with 19 seconds remaining, but it was not enough to make England nervous before the final whistle was blown.
The Aussies had moved through to the final after a blockbuster semi-final win over India that exploded in controversy.
Baltimore police say a 9-year-old boy is responsible for fatally shooting a 15-year-old girl Saturday night. City police said officers were called to the 600 block of Linnard Street near Edmondson Avenue for a report of a shooting. Sunday identified the girl as Nykayia Strawder and said homicide detectives identified a 9-year-old boy as the suspect after speaking with witnesses. Witnesses told police the boy was playing with a loaded handgun when it accidentally fired, hitting Nykayia in the head. The boy then dropped the gun and fled. Police said they obtained a search-and-seizure warrant, found the gun and ran the serial number. Officers learned that the weapon is registered to a woman, who is a relative of the boy and is an armed security guard. In accordance with state law, and due to the age of the boy, he cannot be charged with a crime, police said .An investigation continues, and police are working with the state’s attorney’s office. Potential charges are pending. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 866-7LOCKUP.
BALTIMORE—
Baltimore police say a 9-year-old boy is responsible for fatally shooting a 15-year-old girl Saturday night.
City police said officers were called to the 600 block of Linnard Street near Edmondson Avenue for a report of a shooting.
Police on Sunday identified the girl as Nykayia Strawder and said homicide detectives identified a 9-year-old boy as the suspect after speaking with witnesses.
Witnesses told police the boy was playing with a loaded handgun when it accidentally fired, hitting Nykayia in the head. The boy then dropped the gun and fled.
Police said they obtained a search-and-seizure warrant, found the gun and ran the serial number. Officers learned that the weapon is registered to a woman, who is a relative of the boy and is an armed security guard.
In accordance with state law, and due to the age of the boy, he cannot be charged with a crime, police said.
An investigation continues, and police are working with the state’s attorney’s office. Potential charges are pending.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 866-7LOCKUP.
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This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
