Articles - TheVocalMinority

Humanitarian

No freedom for refugees

The budget just allocated billions more to immigration detention. A few days ago, new legislation was passed that could see refugees detained indefinitely. All that comes among reports that some refugees have been waiting many years for their claims to be asylum cases to be decided. What will happen to them now?

thevocalminority
May 21, 2021

Environment

World forging ahead on climate action

The government may be hellbent on backing coal and gas projects, but there is plenty of positive environment news. Australia’s largest companies have joined forces to fight the war on plastic while Tesla is going hard on Bitcoin. And did you know our planet is home to 50 billion birds?

thevocalminority
May 21, 2021

Humanitarian

Australia’s foreign aid spend lowest it’s ever been

Australia’s foreign aid as a share of national income has hit an all-time low. Right now, we are investing the least ever in overseas aid. With the ongoing pandemic wrecking the lives of millions in India alone, shouldn’t we be increasing our spend to help vulnerable countries deal with COVID?

thevocalminority
May 11, 2021

Humanitarian

Adversity setting up kids for hardship

Most children can name 10 letters by the time they’re five. Now, a new study shows that a proportion of Australian kids don’t have the skills they need to learn to read, setting them behind before they even enter primary school. Why is this and what can be done

thevocalminority
May 3, 2021

Environment

Aim high, go fast

Australia must triple its emissions cuts within the next decade to protect us from the impacts of climate change finds a new Climate Council report. Scientists have warned about rising emissions for decades and it has now come to a point where inaction is no longer an option.

thevocalminority
April 23, 2021

Humanitarian

Ending Aboriginal deaths in custody

Three decades on from the royal commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, the situation has worsened. Since the report’s findings were originally handed down in 1991, a further 474 Indigenous Australians have been killed in custody – five of those occurring last month. Here, we look at the full picture…

thevocalminority
April 16, 2021

Humanitarian

Pay gap unlikely to close soon

We know that women retire with 45% less super than men on average. Now, findings of a seven-year study shows the pay gap in Australia is unlikely to close for another 26 years due to current workplace attitudes. Here’s how we can get there quicker.

thevocalminority
March 29, 2021

Humanitarian

How to help the flood victims

New South Wales and Queensland are coming to terms with an extreme flooding event. After a week of torrential rain, homes all up and down the coast are damaged, and thousands of people are struggling to clean up their properties and replace what was lost. Here’s how you can help.

thevocalminority
March 26, 2021

Humanitarian

Girls drop out of school because of COVID

UNESCO estimates 1.2 million girls in south-east Asia and the Pacific could drop out of school due to the effects of COVID. It suggests the pandemic will exacerbate existing gender inequalities and have long-term implications for girls and their communities

thevocalminority
March 23, 2021

Environment

Renewables key to net-zero target

Australia is inching closer to a clean future with new research showing the uptake of renewables is key to net-zero emissions by 2040. That’s right: we can wipe out fossil fuel emissions in two decades by doubling the pace at which solar and wind power is being rolled out.

thevocalminority
March 22, 2021

Humanitarian

Standing up against violence and misogyny

It’s the news that’s not going away. The women of Australia, their allies and supporters have had enough and are rallying together to demand a safe and equal society. Here is what you need to know about the movement that has taken over the country.

thevocalminority
March 17, 2021

Animal

The truth behind animal myths

From bunyips to drop bears, Australia has a rich history of killer-animal tales. In 2021, memes are pointing the finger at quokkas – rumoured to throw their babies at predators to escape – and daddy longlegs being the most venomous spider in the world. Is there any truth behind these stories?

thevocalminority
March 15, 2021