Michael Klapdor
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mklapdor.bsky.social
Michael Klapdor
@mklapdor.bsky.social

Social policy researcher at 🇦🇺 Parliamentary Library, Canberra
Mostly welfare, social security, family payments, child care, veterans
Personal account | Impersonal observations

The Parliamentary Library of Australia is a significant research and information service that supports the Parliament of Australia. Established in 1901, the library is an integral part of the Department of Parliamentary Services and provides independent, impartial and comprehensive information to members of Parliament, namely members of the Senate and House of Representatives, their staff and the broader parliamentary community. .. more

Political science 53%
Education 13%
Pinned
Parl Library has updated the Digest for the Social Security Technical Changes No. 2 Bill to include analysis of the new measure allowing Home Affairs Minister to stop payments to persons subject to an outstanding warrant for a serious violent or sexual offence: parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/dow...

Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security inquiry into the draft Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026. Submissions due by 4pm Thursday 15 January: www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
Review of the Exposure Draft Legislation: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026
The Minister for Home Affairs, Hon Tony Burke MP, wrote to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (the Committee) on 12 January 2026 to refer an Exposure Draft of the Combattin...
www.aph.gov.au
Huh. Turns out officials thought they were dealing with a tolerable risk of harm.

I really hoped that wasn't the explanation

it's for condolence motions (Mon) and legislation (Tues) in response to the Bondi terrorist attack
Prime Minister @albomp.bsky.social says Federal Parliament will resume next Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 January for condolence motions and to introduce legislation responding to the Bondi attack #auspol

Parliament being recalled to sit next Monday and Tuesday 19-20 January

Australian Gov Disaster Recovery Payment activated for people directly affected by bushfires in some areas in Victoria, Provides $1,000 for adults and $400 per child. Can claim from Wednesday 14/1 arvo
www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/support-for-...
The Taliban's chief spokesman agreed to an unscripted, sit-down interview with me, there was just one non-negotiable condition, writes Meghna Bali.
A Taliban leader sat before me while millions of women remained unseen
The Taliban's chief spokesman agreed to an unscripted, sit-down interview with me, there was just one non-negotiable condition, writes Meghna Bali.
www.abc.net.au
Employing staff who had not completed working with children checks and padlocking fire escapes were among 41 breaches identified since 2023.

It's the first closure by the new NSW child care regulator set up late last year after a litany of incidents in the sector.

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...
Sydney daycare first to be shut by new regulator over safety breaches
Fun2Learn in Rosehill is the first centre to have its doors forcibly shut by the new child care regulator after it uncovered 41 breaches.
www.abc.net.au

Always weird in fire season seeing the Vic CFA Chief - he was a couple of years ahead of me at school in Wagga and his nickname was Doofus

Yep it was packed. But didn’t have to wait long. Don’t know how Kingsleys will cope.m

3yo had her first taste of El Jannah and spontaneously started singing ‘I like to move it, move it’. A song we’ve never played.

RIP Momo. So sorry for your loss

It’s already started

Happy new year. My resolution is get this bod

And special mention to @dplunky.bsky.social whose retirement project makes things so much easier for me

Thanks to all the Australian welfare and child care experts who shared knowledge, takes and tips with me (whether directly or indirectly) and the APS who answered questions.
Thanks especially to all the people who engage with these systems and bravely share their issues, struggles and insights.

Admiration to @ellie-malbon.bsky.social for the passion and perseverance this year, for knowing when to stop, and revealing your love of Hobbits.

We welcomed some great people to the social policy team. Dear leader Harriet Spinks guided us through big changes and challenges. Most of my colleagues aren't on BlueSky so can't thank them but shout out to @luke-buckmaster.bsky.social for his big picture thoughts on parliamentary research services.

About to hit out-of-office on 2025. Another big year at the Parl Library welcoming in the 7th new Parliament since I started working here.
I wrote/contributed to 3 research publications plus 4* Bills Digests (but authors no longer named on most publications) plus a huuuge range of client requests.

Service could apply for exceptions to this fee growth cap. Also, in November 2025 the gov annnounced that services that exceed the cap in the first year can still be eligible if the total fee increase from August 2024 to August 2026 does not exceed 8.6%. www.education.gov.au/early-childh...
www.education.gov.au

From Sept 2024 to Sept 2025, average daily child care fees grew 4.6% for all service types and 4.7% for centre based day care.
Services receiving the worker retention payment grant were meant to keep fee growth from Aug 2024 to Aug 2025 under 4.4%
www.education.gov.au/early-childh...

This is a couple of years old but one of the few articles I read all the way through and enjoyed. I’m not even a big Wicker Man fan. In a year of ghastly stuff it brims with joy joelmorris.substack.com/p/they-will-...
"They will not fail..."
May Day, and the true meaning of folk.
joelmorris.substack.com

JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance (Other) recipients as at November 2025: 999,280.
Almost half the increase of 7,740 people since October has been people under the age of 25.
data.gov.au/data/dataset...
The man who stabbed two Australian National University students in 2023 is given a nominated sentence of life to be carried out in a secure mental health facility.
ANU stabber sentenced to life in secure mental health facility
The man who stabbed two Australian National University students in 2023 is given a nominated sentence of life to be carried out in a secure mental health facility.
www.abc.net.au

referred to the 'back end team'
have been escalated up the optus technical expert levels twice now (3 experts), ready to face the boss expert

have been escalated up the optus technical expert levels twice now (3 experts), ready to face the boss expert

MYEFO also includes an unquantifiable contingent liability arising from the High Court's grant of special leave to appeal the Federal Court's decision in the income apportionment-related Chaplin case.

MYEFO shows the gov has allocated $97.2 million over 2 years from 2025–26 for the income apportionment resolution scheme (applications are open between 30 January 2026 and ending on 29 January 2027)