Julie Reilly, is the CEO of philanthropic organisation Australians Investing In Women (AIIW) but that impressive title is just a small part of who she is. Julie’s a wonder woman, who’s coordinated international OECD conferences, won several awards including the highly coveted Churchill Fellowship and in 2017 was named in The Herald Sun’s 50 Women in Victoria You Should Know.
With her rock musician and vocalist husband, Lindsay Field - a long time member of John Farnham’s band, she co-produced Myer’s annual Spirit of Christmas CD for 25 years, which raised over $8.5m for charity.
However what many might not understand about this sleek, accomplished woman - the mother of two beautiful daughters, is that she has had first hand experience of the poverty cycle. Julie, who is one of four sisters, was brought up in a single parent household in the 1960s, at the time when the traditional family unit reigned supreme.
I grew up as the youngest of four girls
it was very unusual for women to leave their husbands at that time but my mum, Val knew that we had to get out. She was in a Catholic community and did not do that very easily. This was years before government assistance became available and there was no support for women who had left violent household. It was really tough.
We moved around a lot and we didn’t have any money but we were happy.
Everything changed when my mother became a beneficiary of the Whitlam Government’s initiative of sending mature women back to get an education. It was because mum was able to go to university and then get a job that we were able to move out of poverty and have a reasonable life.
Our work at AIIW is about strengthening society by giving help to women and girls,
An investment in women has a multiplier effect as you don’t just help the woman but it also has an effect on her family and the community.
Investing in women is the single biggest driver in post-Covid recovery.
We try and help the whole spectrum of society from women who are homeless to helping women get into work. The vast majority of single parent families are female lead and they’re generally struggling with childcare and rely on casual work, which is the job sector that has been the most severely hit during Covid.
Women, work and economic independence is the issue of our times
Women still only have half as much Super as the guys. In the recent year, women have opted for the Early Release Of Super at twice the rate as men.
The pandemic has asked a lot of women
Women carry the burden of domestic responsibilities and they have also had to work, look after children at home and supervise them in remote learning. Domestic violence is one of the areas that Covid has really exacerbated. The biggest driver of women’s homelessness is domestic violence.
One of the privileges of my life is to be surrounded by people who are passionate about making the world a better place.
They use their wealth or corporate budget to influence conditions around the world and they include Mecca’s Jo Horgan. I sit on the board of one of Mecca’s charity programs, which also reaches out to overseas communities. Education of women in places like Africa is one of the key ways to influence Climate Change.
When I look back about what my mum, Val, did I’m just in awe of her.
Val is now 87 years old and she still does VCE English corrections, she’s enrolled in multiple choirs and in Shakespearean groups. She is just the most extraordinary person. So, I’ve had a great role model in someone who really understood what it’s like to do it tough. But she was also very strong on social justice and made sure we didn’t judge people who had fallen on hard times.
Some of my favourite memories as a child were spending our holidays in Mansfield in the high country.
My mum grew up there as the eldest of eight, so we had lots of cousins and aunties and uncles. All of our holidays were spent in the foot of the alps, which was really special. We got to ride horses and at Christmas time they would have this beautiful carnival in the centre of town. We could have been in Coney Island in New York, it just glittered.
We still got back to Mansfield.
As a family we’ve been to some beautiful places in Australia because of my husband, Lindsay touring with John Farnham but Mansfield’s high country will always be very special to us.
ABOUT THE WRITER Ros Reines is a Sydney journalist and the author of four books.
She is currently penning her fifth - a memoir of a life in the media.
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BusinessRenting Or Buying? The Big Housing QuestionDoes it make better economic sense to buy or rent a property now? According to Curtin University’s property guru, senior property lecturer Dr J-Han Ho, it’s an issue which requires careful research and consideration. "Housing is the goto investment for many people," he says."But unfortunately that well known saying 'as safe as houses' is not exactly correct. "Houses don’t always increase in value. Some property in this current economic period has gone down in value. So, many people would be in negative equity right now because they put all their assets into their home. But it could be just a case of the wrong time and in the wrong location." While Dr Ho acknowledges that interest rates have rarely been lower since the Reserve Bank Of Australia pruned the official cash rate to 0.1% with the promise that they will not rise greatly for at least the next three to five years, he believes there’s many other factors to consider. "There’s still a lot of uncertainty around employment and the economy particularly in New South Wales, Victoria and now possibly South Australia with a recent Covid outbreak there," he explains. "And at the same time the cost of housing is just way more expensive especially in NSW and Victoria, so the risk of defaulting is higher." Meanwhile, according to a 2019 study by EY (formerly Ernest & Young) those who rent properties may be better off than buyers. This is especially pertinent at the moment with rents falling in Sydney and Melbourne through less demand, especially from international students and also those who have found it safest to return to their family homes amid Covid. In a detailed analysis on renting versus buying, EY reached a conclusion that, over a 10-year period, the renter comes out better off with more disposable income available. And for the young, who wish to benefit from government initiatives including the First Home Buyers Grants, there’s plenty of risks in buying a property at this time, according to Dr Ho. "Whenever we have job losses, the younger people with less experience and training are the ones in the firing line. Instead it’s the Goldilocks zones - those between 30 and 40 with at least 10 years job experience and training, who have a better chance of staying employed," he says. Dr Ho further argues that millennials often go into the housing market blindly without thinking about their future mobility. "They may consider moving interstate or overseas, he explains. "And their needs might also be very different as they mature, so they’re no longer interested in the ultimate bachelor pad but somewhere to bring up a family close to child care, shops, transport and schools." And while lenders are currently more flexible when it comes to deposits, which helps to attract new borrowers, Dr Ho is also not convinced that this is a good thing. "In their golden era, the banks preferred a deposit of 20%. This was not just about creating a good buffer against defaults but it indicated that the person applying for that loan had the financial control to manage their funds and save for that deposit. By these implications, they would also be good at paying off their mortgage," he says. On the other hand, those hoping to take advantage of low interest rates with an investment property are also advised to spend time on research, according to Dr Ho. "There’s a big difference in housing investments and other investments." he explains. "If you are clear about investing in the share market versus investing in houses, I would say invest in the share market because it’s what you understand Housing is the investment that most people will go into without doing as much homework. For example, before someone puts in $10,000 to buy BHP shares, they would put in 50 hours of research in understanding how to invest money in shares," he says. "But those same people might just spend a few hours looking for houses which are a much greater investment. It just doesn’t make any sense." Dr Ho finally cautions that there’s no easy prescription to renting or buying in this climate with so many different factors involved. "The best advice," he says, "is just not to rush into anything." ABOUT THE WRITER Ros Reines is a Sydney journalist and the author of four books. She is currently penning her fifth - a memoir of a life in the me -
Australian Life, StyledAnyone Home? The Art Of Unexpected EntertainingHow to embrace the simple joy of having people over again? Forget fancy dinner parties and celebrity-inspired entertaining, humble is the new black in hospitality. During the peak of Covid lockdowns, the art of “popping in” on someone had become as redundant as hotel buffets; a seemingly lost social relic of the past.. Our innocence, along with a decent dose of spontaneity was lost this past year, but as we slowly return to our regular programming, I for one am desperate to reengage with an in-person chinwag over a cuppa, rather than a fuzzy FaceTime call.. And as we approach longer days and warmer nights, the call of the cicadas and waft of mosquito repellent is finally luring us back into the habit of “having people over.”. That’s right, not “hosting” or even “entertaining”, just the simple joy of having your neighbour unexpectedly pop in; or inviting a colleague over after work without even being sure if last night’s dishes are still stacked in the sink; or catching up with some friends for a quick afternoon drink only to fire up the barbecue hours later for dinner. This new era of entertaining isn’t about creating the most Instagram worthy-dinner party with seven courses, matched wines, layered crockery and handmade linen napkins. This is about blissfully informal fare, enjoying the company of others and using paper towel in lieu of napkins. Because the best part is, it’s not planned for. Even as a child I remember our family calling into friend’s houses for a “quick visit” only for all the kids to be sprawled on the loungeroom carpet four hours later watching Hey Hey its Saturday while the parents sat at the kitchen table talking and laughing. They were not fancy nights. They weren’t for the benefit of posting about it to social media. No one had dressed up. In all honesty, the most decadent thing we would have eaten was a supermarket vol-au-vent. For the most part it would have been chips and dips. Of course, there are some key products that allow us to accommodate friends and family in an unfussy, laidback way such as local wines, spirits and mixers, grab-and-go snack selections and an aromatic tea or coffee on constant standby; as well as homewares that create a cosy environment such as large platters and ottomans that double as a side table or extra seating. It is undeniable that there is something particularly Australian about hearty and generous hospitality — even when it’s not planned for. It’s in our DNA to make people feel at home; to always have enough to share among an unexpected guest or two. And it’s a gesture that is universally appreciated for the privilege that it is: an open invitation to be treated as part of the family. Shop the trend: Instant Entertaining ABOUT THE WRITER Anna Byrne grew up in Bendigo in regional Victoria before moving to Melbourne where she enjoyed a decade-long career as a columnist for the Herald Sun, becoming one of Australia’s most recognised lifestyle voices. Renowned for her insightful and humorous musings on the world of fashion and beyond, her take on style is both witty and refreshingly non-elitist. Anna loves musicals, McLaren Vale Chardonnay, the Melbourne footy club and can quote Muriel’s Wedding, verbatim. A passionate campaigner for small business, Anna is excited to join Buy Aussie Now as a freelance contributor.
