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Articles by Eileen Webb
Aged Care Series 2020 News, Research and Analysis - The Conversation
Rafal Chomik Senior Research Fellow, ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), UNSW Rachel Winterton Senior Research Fellow, John Richards Centre for Rural Ageing Research, La Trobe University Eileen Webb Professor of Law and Ageing, UniSA: Justice and Society, University of South Australia Melanie Davern Associate Professor, Director Australian Urban Observatory, Deputy Director (Acting) Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University Christie M.
Despite more than 30 major inquiries, governments still haven’t fixed aged care. Why are they getting away with it?
By Eileen Webb, Christie M. Gardiner and Teresa Somes Thursday October 22, 2020 Adobe Australia’s aged care sector has been the subject of more than 30 major inquiries and reviews since 1997. It is fair to say the findings have been highly critical of the way aged care is run in this country. Many of these concerns have been brought to light again — along with new issues raised — in the ongoing Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Despite more than 30 major inquiries, governments still haven't fixed aged care. Why are they getting away with it?
This article is part of our series on aged care. You can read the other articles in the series here. Australia’s aged care sector has been the subject of more than 30 major inquiries and reviews since 1997. It is fair to say the findings have been highly critical of the way aged care is run in this country. Many of these concerns have been brought to light again — along with new issues raised — in the ongoing Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
The Financial Services Royal Commission highlights the vulnerability of many older Australians
One worrying takeaway from the first week of the Financial Services Royal Commission is how many elderly people are being adversely affected by irresponsible lending. Such lending is often the result of an agreement with a family member, for example an adult child, to help that person financially by entering into a joint loan. These loans are secured against the older person’s home, which is a huge risk if the loan defaults and the older person cannot service the debt.
When your house has a disturbing history what should buyers be told
Eileen Webb | 27 March 2020 GUEST OBSERVATION Imagine you have just bought a home. You have moved in and, during a friendly chat with the neighbours, you find out the property had been the scene of a serious crime or used to manufacture methamphetamine. How would you react? Is this something you would want to have known prior to the sale? If you had known, would this have affected you decision to buy the property? And was the real estate agent or vendor under any obligation to let you know?
When your house has a (disturbing) history, what should buyers be told about its ‘past’?
Imagine you have just bought a home. You have moved in and, during a friendly chat with the neighbours, you find out the property had been the scene of a serious crime or used to manufacture methamphetamine. How would you react? Is this something you would want to have known prior to the sale? If you had known, would this have affected you decision to buy the property? And was the real estate agent or vendor under any obligation to let you know?
Despite more than 30 major inquiries, governments still haven't fixed aged care. Why are they getting away with it?
This article is part of our series on aged care. You can read the other articles in the series here. Australia’s aged care sector has been the subject of more than 30 major inquiries and reviews since 1997. It is fair to say the findings have been highly critical of the way aged care is run in this country. Many of these concerns have been brought to light again — along with new issues raised — in the ongoing Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Training the CMS
Nothing brings content modeling to life like launching a shiny new site: teasers fit neatly without any awkward ellipses, images are cropped perfectly for different screen sizes, related content is wonderfully relevant. The content strategy comes to life, and all is right with the world.
New laws in Western Australia will help victims of family violence end their tenancies
New laws in Western Australia will make it easier for people escaping family violence to “break” their leases. The laws are “unashamedly victim-focused” – the latest development in a legal shift across Australia that seeks to alleviate the legal and financial barriers to leaving an abusive household. The WA legislation draws heavily on Canadian and US models to make the process of leaving timely and more efficient. Under traditional laws, joint tenants are equally liable for lease expenses.
New laws in Western Australia will help victims of family violence end their tenancies
New laws in Western Australia will make it easier for people escaping family violence to “break” their leases. The laws are “unashamedly victim-focused” – the latest development in a legal shift across Australia that seeks to alleviate the legal and financial barriers to leaving an abusive household. The WA legislation draws heavily on Canadian and US models to make the process of leaving timely and more efficient. Under traditional laws, joint tenants are equally liable for lease expenses.
The Financial Services Royal Commission highlights the vulnerability of many older Australians: Eileen Webb
One worrying takeaway from the first week of the Financial Services Royal Commission is how many elderly people are being adversely affected by irresponsible lending. Such lending is often the result of an agreement with a family member, for example an adult child, to help that person financially by entering into a joint loan. These loans are secured against the older person’s home, which is a huge risk if the loan defaults and the older person cannot service the debt.
Financial Services Royal Commission highlights vulnerability of older Australians
One worrying takeaway from the first week of the Financial Services Royal Commission is how many elderly people are being adversely affected by irresponsible lending. Such lending is often the result of an agreement with a family member, for example an adult child, to help that person financially by entering into a joint loan. These loans are secured against the older person's home, which is a huge risk if the loan defaults and the older person cannot service the debt.
The Financial Services Royal Commission highlights the vulnerability of many older Australians
One worrying takeaway from the first week of the Financial Services Royal Commission is how many elderly people are being adversely affected by irresponsible lending. Such lending is often the result of an agreement with a family member, for example an adult child, to help that person financially by entering into a joint loan. These loans are secured against the older person’s home, which is a huge risk if the loan defaults and the older person cannot service the debt.
Your Interactive Makes Me Sick
Picture this: you’re sitting in a car, and the car next to you starts to pull forward. For a moment you feel like you’re moving backwards. That brief feeling of disorientation, where the world is moving in a way your body doesn’t quite process—imagine that you feel like that all the time. Or picture this: you’re short on sleep, your head feels tight, you ate something funky yesterday, and everything in the world just seems too loud.
How can we prevent financial abuse of the elderly?
Throughout Australia older people are losing their savings, property and homes through financial abuse, usually at the hands of persons close to them such as an adult child or grandchild. A sense of entitlement, ‘Inheritance impatience’or opportunism can encourage people to ‘help themselves’ to an older person’s assets. Elder abuse is not a new problem. It has been occurring in Australia and elsewhere for generations - but its only now that serious steps are being taken to address it.
How can we prevent financial abuse of the elderly?
Throughout Australia older people are losing their savings, property and homes through financial abuse, usually at the hands of persons close to them such as an adult child or grandchild. A sense of entitlement, ‘Inheritance impatience’ or opportunism can encourage people to ‘help themselves’ to an older person’s assets. Elder abuse is not a new problem. It has been occurring in Australia and elsewhere for generations - but its only now that serious steps are being taken to address it.
The problems with asking banks to police financial abuse
The Australian Law Reform Commission wants to give banks the responsibility to protect vulnerable customers from financial abuse. But there are a number of issues with this approach. Its success depends on the good faith of the banks, and could leave some customers uncovered and the banks with no one to report abuse to. In a new report on elder abuse, the commission recommends that the Code of Banking Practice be amended so that banks take “reasonable steps” to prevent financial abuse.
Social impact investment can help retirees get the housing and care they need
A recent report raised concerns about the erosion of retirement income by ongoing rental or mortgage payments. The report by the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees is timely, given the Australian aged pension system is predicated on an assumption of outright home-ownership. Yet increasing numbers of people are still paying mortgages after retirement, use superannuation to pay off mortgage debt, or do not own a home and must rent.
Eager homebuyers still falling victim to shadowy rent-to-buy deals
Those looking to get a piece of the Australian dream of buying a home are still falling victim to the shadow property market of rent-to-buy deals, a new report shows. In a typical rent-to-buy deal, the buyer agrees to an inflated property price, then pays market rent (or above), an “option fee” to buy the property in several years’ time, and in some cases a deposit and outgoings. The option fees are at least partly credited to the purchase price.
Dickensian approach to residential tenants lingers in Australian law
In most of Australia, there is no law specifically requiring that rental properties have working amenities. A Victorian Supreme Court decision has held that landlords should ensure that residential premises are maintained in good repair, even if the property is dilapidated when the tenant goes into occupation. That this is being hailed as a "landmark" decision underscores the sometimes Dickensian approaches that still influence tenancy law.
Dickensian approach to residential tenants lingers in Australian law
A Victorian Supreme Court decision has held that landlords should ensure that residential premises are maintained in good repair, even if the property is dilapidated when the tenant goes into occupation. That this is being hailed as a "landmark" decision underscores the sometimes Dickensian approaches that still influence tenancy law.
Dickensian approach to residential tenants lingers in Australian law
A Victorian Supreme Court decision has held that landlords should ensure that residential premises are maintained in good repair, even if the property is dilapidated when the tenant goes into occupation. That this is being hailed as a “landmark” decision underscores the sometimes Dickensian approaches that still influence tenancy law.
Ghost-hunting: will the census reveal the true scale of homelessness in Australia?
On August 9, most of the Australian population will complete the 2016 Census of Population and Housing. Census night comes less than a week after national Homelessness Week, which aims to raise awareness of the plight of homeless people. With that in mind, the week’s theme this year is “Homelessness Counts”. While homelessness does count in that most people share concern about its rising incidence and societal impact, a perplexing issue is how to count the people who are homeless.
Evaluating Ideas
Brainstorming is fun! In the early days of a new project, there are tons of ideas flying around, and those ideas spark discussions that spark more ideas. Maybe this new section of the site will have live-chat, and a video tour, and we’ll add voting to the comments! It can be pretty hairy to narrow down the list of potential features.
Love Your CMS. (No, Really!)
“Content management system.” The words are simple enough, but what exactly is a CMS? Is it a simple tool for editing a web page in a WYSIWYG box, or a robust system that keeps track of the historical versions of every sentence on the site? Is it a free piece of software you can install in an afternoon, or a massive purchase that involves contracts and licensing fees and schmoozy dinners with salespeople? Does it help you build a sleek responsive site, or does it thwart you at every turn?
Content Modeling Phases
Most of my projects involve building content models, and I have a deep and abiding love for the process. I like teasing out the patterns and relationships in a big mess of content, then creating a structure that marries development, design, and business needs. I find it very satisfying, like putting together perfect rows in Tetris.
Prioritizing Structure in Web Content Projects
Article Continues Below Share This: Most web content projects have both structural and editorial aspects: for example, the information needs to be structured to support the new responsive design, and the current copy needs an update so it adheres to messaging and brand guidelines. I’m often asked which is the best order to approach the work: structure first and then rewrites, or the reverse? I didn’t used to have a strong opinion, because it seemed to me like a chicken-and-egg problem.
Training the CMS
Nothing brings content modeling to life like launching a shiny new site: teasers fit neatly without any awkward ellipses, images are cropped perfectly for different screen sizes, related content is wonderfully relevant. The content strategy comes to life, and all is right with the world.
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