Past Programs
Relationships - 2008
Half of me is missing
02/11/2008
Every year, across the country, around 55,000 older Australians enter nursing homes on a permanent basis. Of these, many will have a partner who's cared for their loved one over months and sometimes years, but exhaustion sets in, their own health suffers, and they can't continue. The result is that after a lifetime together, couples find themselves separated - at the very time that companionship and shared memories are so important.
Pauline, Bill, Nina and David are all experiencing this scenario. David still lives in the home he shared with his wife, Nina lives with her daughter, they both travel to the nursing home daily, a punishing schedule in itself, leaving them little time for other things. Pauline and Bill both live in the same retirement village as their partners, but in separate accommodation because of differing care needs.
They all express disappointment and sadness that at this time in their lives there's no real alternative for them but to live apart.
Sticks and Stones
11/05/2008
Claude Ranger was a legendary Canadian jazz drummer who disappeared into thin air seven years ago. Through his friends and admirers we piece together the remarkable journey that led to this talented but tortured musician's demise.
Claude Ranger is probably the finest jazz drummer Canada has ever produced, he played with the country's best musicians, and visiting jazz greats from the United States asked for Claude by name. He had his own band full of young, talented, untried players who were willing to put it all on the line to play with their hero.
But there was nothing smooth or maninstream about his life; as a composer and a player he pushed the envelope. His burning no-compromise dedication to music gave him his sweetest moments, but the price in real life was high. He entered re-hab a little while before he vanished, leaving his friends and fellow musicians mystified yet somehow not surprised.
This program was produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
It's not like the suburbs
04/05/2008
The Narrabundah Longstay Caravan Park is a unique community tucked away on the urban fringes of Canberra who have pulled together over the last two years to save their homes.
A wide variety of mostly low-income residents live in a hotchpotch of dwellings, from miniature houses to caravans with annexes and even a double decker bus, with an annexe. Ninety per cent of them own their homes, despite the fact that you cannot get a home loan to buy in the caravan park. They are proud of their homes and well established gardens and there is a strong sense of community in the park—everyone helps the other out and watches over their neighbours' homes.
The park was originally established in 1975 to house the workers who built Canberra and the new Parliament House. In 2006 the park was sold to a developer and the residents were issued with eviction notices. Rather than move out, they all worked together, lobbying government and the community of Canberra to protect their homes. After many months of negotiations the developer has accepted a land swap offered by the ACT government, and the residents are awaiting the outcome of an environmental impact analysis on this new piece of land. When that is clear, the residents will no longer be in limbo and will be able to continue living in the park.
In the program you hear single dad David, retiree Gabbi, Frank and Norma who moved there from Harden, student and advocate Deb, and Pam who has lived there for 20 years, more recently with her husband Mark and their menagerie of pets.
Based on the experience of this community the longstay caravan park could be one solution to the current housing crisis, a place where it is possible for people on very low incomes to own their own homes and have a sense of security.
Since this story was broadcast the environmental statement on the landswap has been approved and the ACT Government has now taken over ownership of the park. The residents now feel safe as tennants of the ACT Government.
- Watch a short presentation on the residents of the Narrabundah Longstay Caravan Park.
From Russia with love
27/04/2008
For Australian men looking for love, and disillusioned with the pub and club scene, Internet dating has become more and more popular. And an increasing number of these men are choosing women from the former Soviet Union.
Many of the dating websites make bold claims about the qualities a Russian wife would bring to a relationship—that family is their priority and that feminist ideals have not affected their view of traditional family values.
There are pitfalls—for the men who are looking and for the women who make the journey here to start a new life. Sometimes the men part with serious amounts of money in their pursuit of happiness in the form of a Russian bride—and find they've been 'scammed'. And sometimes the women come here to men who treat them appallingly and exploit the vulnerability that financial dependence and isolation cause. But sometimes, despite language and cultural differences, and often a wide age gap too, successful and happy relationships are forged.
We're watching you ....
20/01/2008
Bullying in school populations has long presented a challenge to parents, teachers and, of course, to long-suffering victims. These days, as a reflection of the availability of information technology, and young people's expertise in using it, bullying is more likely to be conducted through text messages or via the internet.
Cyber bullying has taken off in a big way, with a recent survey revealing that 42% of girls between the ages of 12 and 15 have been on the receiving end of destructive mail. It's particularly insidious because often tormentors can disguise or hide their identity - allowing them extra licence to wreak emotional havoc on their victim. And girls apparently are more likely to be involved in cyber bullying than boys.
In 'We're watching you' we hear from three 15-year-old girls (a victim and two girls who were caught red-handed), a mother, a high school teacher, and author Kate McCaffrey, whose recently published book Destroying Avalon traces one girl's chilling experience with cyber bullying.
