Food insecurity can hit households at different times. It might mean one less meal a day, or choosing home brand over name brand food items, or perhaps it means prioritising your children’s dinner over your own. As families struggle with the rising cost-of-living crisis food insecurity is silently becoming the next generation’s big issue. But, there is a solution: food co-ops. A growing number of Australians are turning to food co-operatives as a lifeline amid rising grocery prices, food insecurity, and mounting financial pressures. Food insecurity is when an individual or family does not have consistent or reliable access to…
Author: Layney Britton
As Australians cast their votes in the federal election, permanent migration remained a key factor influencing voter’s decision making process. New data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has revealed that the overseas-born population in Australia continues to grow, bringing debate for the social impacts of immigration on the nation. According to the ABS, 31.5 per cent of Australia’s population in June 2024 were born overseas. This marks a noticeable increase from the COVID-19 pandemic years, when strict border closures and migration caps led to a decline in overseas-born Australians—falling to 29.9 per cent in 2020 and 29.3…
One in 15 Australian adults have been diagnosed with diabetes, up from one in 20 a decade ago, according to data released this month by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The report has detailed how gender, economic status and vitamin D deficiency can all impact an individual’s likelihood of living with the disease. About 6.6 per cent of adults now live with diagnosed diabetes, with the rates higher among men and people living in lower socio-economic areas, the ABS has shown. The survey also found that 8.5 per cent of adult males have been diagnosed with diabetes, compared to…
Students are celebrating the Australian Government’s decision to slash HELP loan debts by 20 per cent, as confirmed in the 2025 Federal Budget. As a part of increasing cost-of-living crisis measures, students will see their university and TAFE fees through the government’s Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) reduced. According to Treasurer Jim Chalmers combining this milestone with the Labor Party’s current student debt relief scheme, more than three million Australians will be affected by the landmark change. “We will slash $19 billion dollars of debt,” Mr Chalmers said. In a joint statement from the Education Minister Jason Clare, along with…
Stray vapes haunt the cold tiles of your local high school bathroom floor. Cold fluorescents do nothing to hide the evidence that students have taken up a new activity: one that threatens the health of themselves and those around them. The rise of vaping The coal mine canaries have been dropping dead to the sweet scents of bubblegum and green apple for a while now. Since the introduction of disposable vapes in Australia in 2019, health scare after health scare has been dotting our social media platforms. Initially marketed to those who wished to find an alternative to traditional smoking,…
The University of Wollongong’s Luminaries met to discuss sustainable finance as a part of their webinar series, which runs each fortnight. Luminaries involve pioneering UOW researchers, experts and leaders who discuss global social, economic and environmental challenges. It is open to all and comes without a cost. The panelists discussed emerging research to tackle climate change and promote sustainable development, with acknowledgement of the critical role finance plays. Financial industry expert Jacki Johnson, who is also a UOW PhD candidate and the Illawarra-Shoalhaven City Commissioner, said that sustainable finance is “evolving very rapidly particularly over the last twelve months.” “Sustainable…
Global Climate Change Week (GCCW) activities ramp up at the University of Wollongong this week to remind the community “just how bad” the situation is. Kate Simpson, secretary of the Wollongong branch of Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC), assisted running the stall on Wednesday to get people involved in the activities and on board. Ms Simpson said that some people believe that climate change is a far off issue, but it is already happening. “I think [GCCW] is really important because we need to get more people aware of just how bad climate change is,’ she said. “Climate change has…
Preparations are underway for this year’s Get Ready Weekend hosted by the RFS at various locations across NSW. With the risk of bushfires returning this summer, the Get ready Weekend will be held this year on September 16 and 17 and aims to encourage residents and landowners to plan and prepare for the upcoming bushfire season. District coordinator and second in charge of the Southern Highlands RFS James Morris said that Australia is entering a period of time where grass fires are more likely to occur. “The Get Ready Weekend is vital in allowing our community to understand the risk…
Eleven local government areas began their Bushfire Danger Periods a full month earlier than expected last week, ahead of a summer that many fear could be catastrophic. Dry conditions and rainfall deficiencies have brought about an increased fire risk, after wet weather over the last three years saw an abundance of growth, according to the RFS. “As we move out of this incredibly wet period, the bushfire risk is returning to NSW,” said RFS Commissioner Rob Rodgers. “Since the first of August firefighters have responded to more than 2,031 bush and grass fires compared to 638 for the same period…
Wollondilly Council expanded its collection of community outreach initiatives last week to include a mobile ‘Recovery and Resilience vehicle’. The customised, state-of-the-art ‘Resilient Wollondilly Van’ was funded through the Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund. It will be used to provide immediate outreach support to impacted residents and businesses throughout disasters. Wollondilly Mayor Matt Gould said the van will prevent residents from travelling far in order to access disaster support. “The Resilient Wollondilly Van will provide critical support for our communities when they need it most,” said Mayor Gould. “It will also enable us to offer community programs focused on…