Someone posted in a forum recently about trying to feed three kids, soon to be four, on a single parent pension. No car. Burnt out. A high-income household one day, then not. Trying to hold the line at $100 to $150 a week for groceries while pregnant and relying on delivery because she can’t drive.

The responses were mostly generous and practical. Bulk cooking, freezer meals, slow cookers, food banks, jacket potatoes on a tired Tuesday night. Real advice from people who clearly know what it’s like to stand in a kitchen at 6pm with nothing planned and children who are hungry right now.

There’s something genuinely different about Melbourne right now. If you’ve been catching trams or trains this past month, you’ve probably felt it too — a kind of lightness in how people move around the city. No fumbling for a Myki at the door, no awkward shuffle while someone discovers their card is two dollars short, no ticket inspectors giving you the look as you board. Just… getting on and going where you need to go.

There’s a conversation happening right now that’s making a lot of people uncomfortable, and it needs to be had. I’ve been watching the NDIS debate unfold over the past few years, and what started as a genuinely progressive piece of social policy is turning into something that’s distorting our entire labour market in ways I don’t think anyone anticipated.

Three mates leaving their trades to become disability support workers. That’s not an isolated incident – it’s a trend. And while I’m all for people having career choices and disabilities being properly supported, something’s fundamentally broken when an auto mechanic or plumber can earn more taking someone to play bingo than they can after years of developing a skilled trade.

The latest ABC report on Australia’s deepening baby recession has got me thinking about a conversation that’s been brewing in online forums and coffee shops across the country. The numbers are stark - our birth rate continues to plummet, and the reasons why are both complex and deeply personal.

Reading through the experiences shared by people across Australia, what strikes me most is how this isn’t just about abstract economic policy or demographic statistics. These are real people making incredibly difficult decisions about their futures, often choosing between financial security and the families they’d love to have.

I’ve been mulling over this idea that’s been doing the rounds lately - reducing the pension age for people in physically demanding jobs. On the surface, it sounds reasonable enough. After all, we’ve all seen the tradie whose back is absolutely shot by 60, or the labourer who can barely walk without wincing. But the more I dig into it, the more I realise this isn’t just about fairness - it’s about the messy intersection of work, dignity, and how we value different types of labour in this country.

Finally, some truly meaningful action on healthcare access! The Labor government’s $8.5 billion Medicare announcement marks the most significant investment in our public health system since its creation. Making GP visits free for most Australians isn’t just good policy – it’s transformative.

The timing of this announcement has attracted some cynicism, with critics dismissing it as pre-election vote-buying. But honestly, when a government actually delivers something that makes life better for everyday people, I’m not going to complain about the timing. This is exactly the kind of policy that built modern Australia.