Why Debt Relief Matters to the Wealthy West

As many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) grapple with a sharp rise in payments on their sovereign debt in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, leaders across the world are calling for urgent debt restructuring and reforms to the development financing system. Their calls are often framed in humanitarian and…

Drowning in ‘digital debt’? AI assistants can help – but we must use them carefully

In recent days, the “right to disconnect” has entered Australia’s legislative agenda. It refers to employees’ rights to refuse unreasonable after-hours contact from their employer. In a work landscape where employees are constantly available after hours thanks to smartphones and portable devices, and employers are competing in global markets and operating on tight deadlines, concerns…

HELP debt indexation at the lower of CPI or a fixed maximum rate – giving HELP borrowers more certainty than the Universities Accord final report lower of CPI or WPI recommendation – Andrew Norton

Over the last two years high CPI-driven HELP debt indexation – 3.9% in 2022, 7.1% in 2023, probably in the vicinity of 5% this year – has been a major issue. It has brought to public attention HELP debt issues that had been waiting for their trigger. The last time HELP debt indexation exceeded 5%…