Working from home has become a permanent feature of Australian workplaces, with new research showing remote workers are spending more time on household responsibilities, while reporting improvements in flexibility, productivity and work-life balance. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has shown Australians who work from home spend an average of three hours and 24 minutes each day on unpaid work such as housework, caring responsibilities and household management. In comparison, workers who travel to a workplace spend an average of two hours and 26 minutes on unpaid work. The findings come as millions of Australians continue to work…
Author: Karly Sommers
Domestic violence assaults in Wollongong has increased over a four year period, new data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) has revealed. DV incidents increased from 1,888 in 2021 to 2,180 incidents in 2024, continuing a steady upward trend across the Illawarra. Wollongong Community Corrections officer Rachel Curtis said she believed the rise in recorded incidents was influenced more by increased police attention and public reporting than a significant rise in offending behaviour. “I don’t believe there has been an increase in incidents, but more that there has been media focus, including specific police operations,” Ms…
Just four months after the under-16 social media ban, new research has shown that most teenagers are still finding ways to stay online. Year nine student Grayson Pillay said the ban has made little difference to how students his age are using social media. “I still use TikTok about the same amount, but I don’t have access to Instagram anymore,” he said. “All of my friends still use social media. Everyone has TikTok, and most still do have Instagram.” A survey by the Molly Rose Foundation and Youth Insight Australia found 61 per cent of children aged 12 to 15…
Illawarra residents and businesses are feeling the pinch as fuel surcharges are applied to delivery services. Australia Post has recently announced significant increases to its fuel surcharge on parcel deliveries, more than doubling some levies in response to rising fuel prices. From April 23, the domestic parcel fuel surcharge for contract customers will jump from 4.8 per cent to 12 per cent, while surcharges on StarTrack Express and Premium services will rise from 15.5 per cent to 22.7 per cent. Australia Post has said the increases are a “necessary change” to help manage the impact of higher fuel costs on…
Full-time teacher Georgia Finlayson continued her double life performing at Seeker Brewing last month despite the challenges of her vocal disability. Georgia Finlayson, who goes by the stage name Georgia-Jean is a local singer from the Southern Highlands where she is also a full-time primary school teacher. Having a vocal condition has impacted both her singing and teaching career posing new challenges every day Georgia said. “I found out that I have a condition called MTD, which is muscle tension dysphonia. I got that from having a stint of laryngitis during the COVID period. And it basically activates involuntary muscles…