Government = 0 ABC TV = 1

Posted by Jenni Colwill on 21 October 2008 | 0 Comments

Failing to include paid maternity leave for working women in the Rudd Government's $10.4b rescue package was a major oversight, but my week was made brighter by the news that ABC TV is going to show the W-League game each week at 4pm on Saturdays.

Bob Brown said, in relation the Government's rescue package, that 'greed got the world into this crisis, green will get it out of this crisis.'

Another way of looking at it is that men got us into this crisis, so how about giving women a chance to get us out.

Surely one of the best ways to stimulate the economy is to pay women a reasonable level of maternity leave so that they are able to build on their experience in the labour market and increase their contribution to the country's economic wellbeing. We know that it is women who spend the money that keeps the economic wheels turning - so how about giving them a bit more control?

But enough complaining; back to the good news. The W-League was launched in July this year, to kick off in October. Despite some pretty remarkable playing by the Matilda's (who just won the ASEAN Football Federation Championship in Vietnam), soccer has not had a women's league for a few years, so it is good to see its return. ABC TV won the rights to televise the games, with the first one being played this weekend.

So guess what I'll be doing at 4pm this Saturday? You guessed it....watching Perth Glory vs Sydney FC. How about you?