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Highs and Lows

A man on a ladder which reads 'Cost of Living' looks up at an unreachable, unlit ceiling light. A man hands him a globe and says, 'Here's your one-off government issued light globe to help you during this financial crisis.'

After a tough year for Australian households in 2023, the challenging trend continued as the cost of everyday essentials kept on rising faster than household incomes. Downes’ light bulb could be a reference to a nationwide program of issuing free replacement LED globes to lower electricity costs or to the $300 rebate in the latest federal Budget - or just a comment on the lack of ideas addressing the issue.

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The Museum of Australian Democracy acknowledges Australia's First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We respectfully acknowledge the role that First Nations people continue to play in shaping Australia's democracy. We also acknowledge the Ngunnawal, Ngunawal and Ngambri peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the region in which MoAD is located.

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