Past Programs
Government and Politics - 2007
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Vietnam: Australia's war
18/12/2007
Post-stress trauma, and the lack of proper medical treatment for some other conditions for war veterans have been on the public record for some time. But apart from the emotional legacy of Vietnam, what impact did the war have on Australia as a nation? And how does history remember the Vietnam war? How has it defined us?
Originally broadcast 14 November 2007.
Our defenceless children
10/12/2007
In a Federal election campaign strewn with slogans and catchphrases; 'economic prosperity' was probably the most repeated - but a report just published by the Australia Institute of Health and Welfare concludes that increases in our disposable income don't necessarily translate into greater security for the socially vulnerable. 'Australia's Welfare 2007'; is the eighth report card released by the AIHW in 15 years. Amongst the figures it quotes - a thirty-four percent increase in household disposable income in the ten years since 1995-96.
Despite this, the report finds that a considerable number of Australian children - and not just indigenous children - are still subject to violence and abuse. The number of Australian children on care and protection orders rose by almost a third between 2002 and 2006; and if this year's media coverage of the issue is any guide; things haven't improved.
So, are child protection authorities and systems to blame, or is it the values of the community at large that need to be questioned? Why does a country as prosperous as Australia seem to struggle to look after its vulnerable children?
The killer fibre
05/12/2007
Australia Talks reflects on the legacy of asbestos and the struggle of campaigner Bernie Banton; honoured with a state funeral today.
What cost is Australian society paying for its short-lived flirtation with fibro?
Indigenous futures
04/12/2007
Our discussion today is about indigenous futures ... How important is saying 'sorry' to gain the trust of indigenous people? And on a more practical level, what's the future of hybrid economies, the CDEP scheme, and healthcare? Is indigenous policy a new dilemma, or a new incentive for Labor, in establishing where responsibilities between the Federal Government crosses over with the States and Territories?
A beleaguered health system?
28/11/2007
A beleaguered health system or are we expecting too much from our hospitals -- which some health experts have called the 'best in the world'? As the new government looks at cutting duplication between federal and state governments, we would like to hear about your experiences in Australian hospitals.
Australia's hospitals have until 2010 to address concerns about their performance, or face the prospect of a complete Commonwealth takeover. Should the states give up their control of hospitals, or is a move to district health boards a solution?
The election and the environment
21/11/2007
If nothing else, the Federal election campaign has placed the environment on the political agenda as never before. The pulp mill, climate change and the drought - why have voters picked up the issues and how have the politicians responded?
Plastic surgery for under 18's
20/11/2007
The Queensland Government is circulating a discussion paper on whether it should become the first State to regulate - or possibly ban - non-essential cosmetic surgery for under 18s.
While some teenagers need transformative surgery; others are choosing to have surgery for non-medical reasons. Does media and peer pressure play a role in this and is counselling a better first step towards a healthy body image?
Vietnam: Australia's War
14/11/2007
Post-stress trauma, and the lack of proper medical treatment for some other conditions for war veterans have been on the public record for some time. But apart from the emotional legacy of Vietnam, what impact did the war have on Australia as a nation? And how does history remember the Vietnam War? How has it defined us?
Remote and regional labour markets
02/10/2007
Today we're looking at the challenge of building and retaining a skilled workforce in remote and regional Australia. With the CDEP scheme being phased out in many remote communities in the Top End, what does private enterprise and government need to do to support long-term employment opportunities?
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Political cartooning
21/09/2007
Are you one of the people who get a kick out of reading the daily political cartoon in your newspaper - but have political cartoons influenced your voting decision at all? And what do political cartoons contribute to the public debate?
Suicide and the elderly
17/09/2007
While it's usually younger men who are seen to be at risk; new research released by Griffith University indicates that a growing number of Australian men aged 75 and over are committing suicide. What do the figures tell us about the distress of an ageing male population?
Back to the village
06/09/2007
By next year more than half of the world's population (3.3 billion) will be living in urban areas and, according to a report just released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), that number will rise to 5 billion by 2030.
Over the same time frame, the world will be dealing with the issues of climate, energy, and food and water security. What will happen to our cities as the process of urbanisation continues?
Much of today's urban planning is still driven by the theory of 'smart growth' which encourages 'restoring community and vitality to city centres and older suburbs.' Yet what the market seems to demand is floor space -- room for swimming pools and large energy-hungry housing.
Former great cities like Detroit -- driven by the boom cycles of the industrial age -- are now slipping back towards being a set of interconnected enclaves, rather than functional metropolises. Perhaps they hint at the nature of communities in the future.
APEC ... the police and the protesters
05/09/2007
The police and the protesters ... as 21 world leaders and thousands of protesters land in Sydney for the APEC conference, we look at the extraordinary police powers of arrest and detention during the summit. Both the police and the protesters have been organising for months now ... so how prepared are they to confront each other?
Urban rivers
03/09/2007
Today's program features guests who are attending the 10th International Riversymposium and Environmental Flows Conference in Brisbane. All of them have been involved in projects intended to rejuvenate the ecology of urban river environments -- including the notoriously polluted Bronx River in New York.
With so much attention on the state of the Murray Darling basin, are we in danger of neglecting the rivers that run through our cities? These waterways were once the life blood of transport and industry but have suffered from neglect and abuse. What are the benefits of breathing life back into our city rivers?
Equine flu
29/08/2007
Assessing the damage of the equine influenza outbreak...everyone from trainers and bookies to bar staff and punters are feeling it; but how does one event in New South Wales shut down a national industry, and does it raise questions about our quarantine systems?
21st century quality control
28/08/2007
21st century quality control ... as Batman and Barbie toys become part of a global recall by Mattel, and concerns are raised about some imported blankets; we look at who is accountable for scrutinising the safety of imported goods. Is it time for a national product protection authority?
Personal debt
21/08/2007
Many of us are living on borrowed money ... and struggling to repay the mortgage and other personal debts. Interest rates have been on the up putting many of us in a precarious position. Is it our fault for borrowing too much ... and not saving enough? Or should the banks, credit providers, even the Government take some of the blame?
Film funding
13/08/2007
Acclaimed Australian director Bruce Beresford joins us in the studio to talk about his new book Josh Hartnet definitely wants to do this, an insider's look at the politics of Hollywood filmmaking. We'll also examine the federal government's proposed changes to film funding in Australia and what it might mean for local filmmakers.
Peacekeeping
08/08/2007
Our discussion today centres on the role of peacekeeping for Australia's defence forces. As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of our first commitment to UN peacekeeping missions, is our responsibility to protect our region from instability, or to protect citizens on the other side of the world?
Stolen generation compensation
06/08/2007
On today's program we're looking at the implications of the landmark compensation payout in South Australia to a survivor of the Stolen Generations. With the Commonwealth again dismissing calls for a central fund; what will this precedent mean for the states and the other Aboriginal people affected by the former policy?
Price check please!
24/07/2007
The election campaign goes to the supermarket, as the Labor Party promises to give the consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the authority to check prices in supermarket chains...but what exactly is the point of the survey, and will such a review tell us much more than we already know about grocery prices?
Delivering policy online
23/07/2007
The federal election campaign is officially online -- John Howard launched the Coalition's plan to fight climate change on the internet video channel YouTube last week - and Labor quickly followed with their online riposte.
So what is the value of delivering policy online? Who's watching these announcements, and is this type of policy launch worth the risk of the many parodies that follow?
Antony Funnell is sitting in for Paul Barclay this week on Australia Talks.
Judiciary and the government
19/07/2007
The judiciary and the regime. In the wake of the Dr Haneef case, Australians witnessed the extraordinary intervention by the government in the judicial process of the country. What does this intrusion say about the separation of powers of the judiciary and the government? Has the action undermined the judicial system or did the government make the right decision in the 'interests of national security'?
The relevance of APEC
17/07/2007
Australia's attitude to APEC: as 21 world leaders make their way to Australia later this year, we find out if the Asia Pacific Economic Forum can help Australia advance its regional interests. Also, how can APEC be saved before it becomes too irrelevant?
Cluster bombs
16/07/2007
The continuing debate on the ethics of modern warfare and ordnance ...
Last month, the Australian Red Cross urged a ban on cluster bombs, but Australian political and military leaders have given a 'green light' to 'safer' cluster bombs.
So when is the use of a cluster bomb legitimate? And what is unacceptable harm to civilians?
Give us a call to have your say ... should we ban cluster bombs altogether, or find a way to regulate their use?
Power behind the throne
11/07/2007
On Australia Talks - the rise and rise of ministerial staffers...what role do these advisers play in political scandals like the AWB imbroglio or the 'Children overboard' affair? How much influence do ministerial advisers have on policy development? We will look at the growth and status over the past 35 years of these influential players.
Conditional welfare
09/07/2007
The net has widened for all Australian parents who don't send their children to school, or who waste their welfare benefits.
Under a new plan endorsed by Federal Cabinet last week, food stamps, a smart card, or swipe card could be the only way that many Australian families will be able to 'buy' food.
Who will judge whether parents deserve their full welfare payment? And if there's only one food store in town, will this breed an unfair monopoly?
Shopfront democracy
30/05/2007
High profile government ministers and opposition frontbenchers may hog the media limelight, but do we undervalue the hardworking local MP - someone who aspires to service his or her local constituents? Is the local electorate office the real shopfront of democracy?
Pentecostal churches
24/05/2007
Pentecostal churches have grown dramatically in Australia over the last couple of decades. In New South Wales, the Hillsong congregation has the ear of politicians and they're now the biggest provider of NGO unemployment services in the state. But is the Pentecostal following in Australia as influential as the media might have you believe? And what do other Christian faiths make of the religious movement that preaches 'God wants you to be successful'?
Water under the bridge
07/05/2007
We will revisit the waterfront dispute of 1998. While pundits are calling the on-going industrial relations dispute between the Coalition and Labor 'one of the most powerful of our time', we will flashback to the 1998 dispute that stopped a nation. Participating on the panel will be Sue Smith, writer of Bastard Boys, the ABC television drama that will recreate the story that stopped a nation. What lessons can we learn from one of the most bitterly fought industrial relations conflicts in the country's history?
Policing Australia's waters
03/05/2007
Over the next year, Australia is set to significantly ramp up its maritime security measures with new patrol vessels and equipment, and an increase in armed personnel from national agencies like Australian Customs, Federal and State Police, Defence Force, ASIO, Immigration, Fisheries. Will all this make our coastlines safer from terrorism, piracy and illegal fishing? What are the most immediate challenges we face on the high seas and how is Australia positioning itself to meet them?
Battle fatigue
02/05/2007
Are we seeing an alarming mental health crisis among our servicemen and women returning from active service? While veterans associations call for better counselling services for our soldiers, the federal government defends the support services in place. We will discuss how four soldiers have already committed suicide on returning from the war zone, while many others have been discharged on psychological grounds.
Is the mental health of our defence force members being ignored? Does Australia need better support services for soldiers returning from war zones?
Battlefield pilgrimages
25/04/2007
After fading in the 1970s, Anzac Day has re-established itself as arguably the nation's most unifying national occasion and today's observances attracted some of the largest crowds for 30 years.
As a consequence of that, we've also seen the phenomena of the overseas battlefield pilgrimage to the sites of Australia's military expeditions in Europe, the Pacific and of course, Gallipoli - accompanied by an astonishing number of books on the subject which show no sign of letting up anytime soon.
In the program we'll cross to the Gallipoli Peninsula to talk with John Basarin, a Turkish - Australian who escorts groups over the Anzac battlefields from the Turkish viewpoint... Our other guests will be discussing where tourism becomes something devotional... and we talk with another group on the Kokoda Trail.
We'll also be asking, with the help of our other guests, whether Australia's memorials have been coopted for political ends.
Protecting whistleblowers
12/04/2007
A couple of classified reports that exposed security breaches were leaked to the media last year and initiated a $200 million overhaul of Australia's aviation security. But it's a tough life for whistleblowers, with the Customs officer who blew the whistle now facing two years jail.
Why is there such a restricted flow of information - when it's in the public interest? And why is our legal system punishing those whose revelations transform the way we live?
History of liberalism
30/03/2007
How broad a church is the contemporary Liberal Party? Both Robert Menzies and Malcolm Fraser are recognised as having embraced a social liberal platform - from Alfred Deakin, one of the founding fathers of the Australian federation.
What are the tensions now in the Liberal Party between the social liberals and the liberal conservatives?
So how liberal is today's Liberal Party? And how will its future philosophy and direction be influenced by the founding philosophies, and also by the individual members?
Oral Health
22/03/2007
A new national survey of oral health care shows that one in four Australians has untreated tooth decay. And - when it comes to our public health system - a dental lobby group says that one in thirty low income or disadvantaged Australians are waiting - in long queues - to be treated.
So whichever way you look at it, a quick snapshot of Australian's oral health is not a pretty picture.
And why doesn't Queensland have fluoride in the water?
Is your family suffering from poor dental health care, and why aren't you getting the dental health care you need?
Opinion Polls In The News Cycle
14/03/2007
Opinion polls have been a part of political life since the 1960's, but Prime Minister John Howard has addressed the latest AC Nielsen poll directly by saying he "vows to work harder". So, do they make any difference to party leadership, and to policy itself? Are they a waste of time? Who do you think drives opinion polls - the public, the pollsters or the politicians?
Political Mea Culpa
06/03/2007
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie is renowned for using the 'mea culpa' device - admitting you were wrong as the first line of defence - when political trouble is brewing.
So, how much does personal integrity rest on the words we use, on the language we use, particularly in the public arena? If 'mea culpa' is the lingua franca of certain politicians, what are they telling us about themselves?
Is fessing up the best way to come clean, and let the public decide for themselves what they think of the politician and the story taking the heat?
