LOCAL STORIES

Back to School

By Warren Strybosch

We, at the Find Geelong, would like to wish all the 2022 children, who are attending school this year, all the best in their endeavours and we hope you have a wonderful year learning and building relationships with your peers. Our thoughts especially to those school children who must wear masks and take regular RAT’s. To those parents who must administer the RAT’s and help their children remember their masks, on top of everything else you will have to do this year…we feel for you.

If anyone has any encouraging stories about their children’s school experience this year, please send them through to editor@findgeelong.com.au.

Jobless rate may drop below 4 pct soon

Colin Brinsden, AAP Economics and Business Correspondent (Australian Associated Press)

Scott Morrison wants to see the unemployment rate below four per cent in the second half of this year, but Employment Minister Stuart Robert says it could come sooner.

As of December the jobless rate already stood at 13-year low of 4.2 per cent.

The prime minister, just months out from a federal election, told the National Press Club on Tuesday an unemployment rate with a “three” in front was achievable – a level not seen in over 50 years. “It could happen very, very quickly because of the amount of effort we are putting into training Australians,” Mr Robert told ABC radio on Wednesday.

“This is something we very committed to because it just changes lives. We are seeing a generation of skills coming through that we haven’t seen for a long, long time.”

Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe has a similar view for the jobless rate, falling below four per cent this year and being around 3.75 per cent by the end of 2023.

Deputy Opposition Leader Richard Marles said low unemployment is obviously “a good thing”.

“But there is still considerable underemployment in Australia today, a lot of people who are working but want to have more work,” he told Sky News.

He also scoffed at the idea that the Morrison government could win the election based on its economic management

“This is a government which has racked up more than a trillion dollars of debt and there is very little to show for it,” he said. “This is the second highest taxing government, next to the Howard government, which we have seen since the Second World War.”

Dr Lowe will address the National Press Club in Sydney later on Wednesday where he will get the opportunity to explain his thinking on the outlook for interest rates.

The governor stuck to the line of being “patient” before lifting the cash rate from a record low 0.1 per cent in his statement following Tuesday’s first board meeting of the year.

Financial markets, which are pricing in the risk of a rate hike by mid-year, had been expecting something more definite in its guidance following the recent drop in the unemployment rate and a surge in inflation pressures.

The RBA did announce the end of its multi-billion dollar bond buying program as economists had expected, which had aimed to keep market interest rates and borrowing costs low.

“Ceasing purchases under the bond purchase program does not imply a near-term increase in interest rates,” Dr Lowe said.

Free RAT for DVA and Concession Card holders but should it be free for others as well?

By Warren Strybosch

Only DVA Gold and White Card holders, Health Care Card holders, and other concession card holders can obtain Free Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits.

Chemists must prepay for the RAT kits and then on sell them to their customers. For DVA and Concession Card Holders, you can walk into a pharmacy, show your concession card, and receive up to five RATs for free which are being subsidised by Medicare. Thankfully, this option is available to concession card holders given many would struggle to come up with the required $75 needed to obtain the five tests.

Whilst concession card holders are now able to obtain the RATs, many casual workers feel they should also be receiving free RAT kits. Casual workers have suggested that every person should receive at least two free kits under the Medicare system. Regardless, of who is getting them for free or not, there is still a shortage of RAT kits for Victorians.

Interestingly, the Victorian Government has decided to give free RAT kits to every child attending school this year, however, it is not compulsory to take the RAT even if symptoms are presenting. It is hard to believe that every parent is going to administer these tests to their children even when there are no symptoms showing.

Whilst some workers are struggling to get their hands on a RAT kit, there is likely to be many school families stockpiling their RAT kits for a future event e.g., when they or someone in their family needs to take one so they can get back to work.

With shortages or RATs still occurring it is also likely that some school parents will see this as an opportunity to make a few quick dollars by on selling their kits to those in need.

Hopefully, we will see a decline in the use of RATs as the year progresses but that does seem a long way away as we see continue to see increased hospitalisations and more and more people getting sick from Covid.

Mark Mogato