Afghan Asylum Seekers

Part 1

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/navy-intercepts-another-asylum-seeker-vessel-the-98th-this-year/story-fn59niix-1225932672956

Part 2

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5j0VPArPVNlyGxRnYmZqO8IQQYEiw?docId=4694606

Part 3

These articles cover the Afghan asylum seeker problem faced by the Australian government. Last april the Australia suspended claims from both Afghan and Sri Lankan refugee seekers. The first article informs us that the six month freeze on refugee processing has been lifted. Afghan asylum seekers will now be allowed to prepare their refugee claims. Those found not to be refugees will be returned to Afghanistan. The second article describes the most recent capture of a refugee boat. Eight hours from now (because of the time difference) the navy will capture the 98th refugee vessel this year. The boat will be found to have 28 passengers for a total of 4617 asylum seekers this year. Before reading this article i would have thought Australia, being an island country would have no immigration problems. Its interesting to see how every country seems to face the same issues.

Popular and not-so-popular music

Part 1:

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/nostalgia-is-killing-our-music-scene-20100928-15vh7.html

Part 2:

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/hello-is-it-lionel-richie-were-looking-for-20100930-15yfb.html

Part 3:

While browsing the different news websites, I have noticed a number of mixed articles about where Australian music seems to be headed, and what Australians love to listen to.

The first link talks about how older bands like AC/DC and Fleetwood mac are still extremely popular and sell out concerts, while the newer bands seem to be popular one or two years and then die out, being unable to compete with the classics. The second link is an article that shows some people's disagreement with this years AFL grand final pre and post game entertainment. It highlights the people's disagreement with hiring Lionel Richie as the performer instead of an Australian band. Personally, I am curious to see what bands are popular and what the people listen to on the streets, at gatherings, concerts and so on.

Aboriginal Gap/Slang to Avoid

Still in the Dark about Aboriginal Policies

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/still-in-the-dark-on-aboriginal-policies-20100818-12f2s.html

Outdated Australian Slang for Visitors to Avoid

http://www.suite101.com/content/outdated-australian-slang-for-visitors-to-avoid-a133118

The two articles here are not particularly related, but will help in understanding our environment. The first article displays the displeasure of the author for the lack and misguided funding for the Aboriginal people. He thinks that too much emphasis is placed on the Aborigines living in remote areas, when they only make up a quarter of the Aborigine population and that those living cities should be given more assistance as well. The gap between their population and the rest of Australia he believes is still to high, with Aborigines unable to afford appropriate housing in many situations. The second article is a guide of what Australian slang not to use and points out some false stereotypes. Tips range from the correct pronunciation of city names, outdated lingo and how some commercials have created a misconception of the Australian culture. One example is how advertisers have convinced us that Foster's is the beer of choice for Australians, when that is certainly not the case. I am looking forward to seeing which stereotypes are true or not, and realizing how much my perception has been shaped about a place I have never been.

Locust Plague

Part 1:

http://www.theage.com.au/environment/water-issues/drought-over-but-here-come-the-locusts-20100917-15frv.html

Part 2:

http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/melbourne-cup-under-threat-as-brumby-declares-war-on-locusts-20100916-15e2m.html

Part 3:

While reading the different news sites I have noticed that many of them are mentioning the series of droughts, rain and floods that have now hit the area. The large amounts of rain are undoubtedly good for farmers and potential crops to grow, but now there is a new problem: locusts. According to the first article I have included in this post, locusts may wipe out a significant amount of crops in Southern Australia. The swam of locusts that are expected to hatch in the near future are estimated to be the worst in over thirty years. The second article emphasizes that the locust plague could affect more than just farmers. Large events, like the Melbourne Cup may be cancelled due to the declared war on locusts. It is a shame because the crops conditions are incredibly good for this season, but the locusts may discount a large portion of that. The hatching days are said to be the beginning of October, meaning that we might be caught right in the middle of seeing this locust plague ruin several acres of crops throughout Victoria.

Australia's Economy

Australian economy runs at fastest pace in nearly two years

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/markets/australian-economy-runs-at-fastest-pace-in-nearly-two-years/story-e6frg926-1225836541522

Is the Australian economy really booming?

http://www.stockmarketsreview.com/news/is_the_australian_economy_really_booming_20100406_4015/

Both of these articles talk about the recent state of the Australian economy, and more specifically, how it has responded to the 2008 financial crisis. The author of the first piece, as well as many economists, believe that Australia is booming, while other nations continue to struggle. He points to the quarterly GDP growth, rising interest rates and declining unemployment, all approaching levels prior to the crash. To the astonishment of most economists, Australia's economy has continued to thrive, even though Europe and America are down. The second article looks at the same data, but has a far less optimistic outlook. For starters, the author thinks that the huge disparity between imports and exports does not bode well for the Australian economy, and is a more significant problem then people believe it to be. He also looks to blame ill-advised government spending and how it measures up to their Asian neighbors. While the mining business has been very good to Australia, the author believes that mining companies insistence on keeping prices high could come back to bite them too. It will be interesting to see how this plays out while we are abroad there, especially if the Australian dollar keeps surging.

Film: Animal Kingdom

Part 1:

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/picture-perfect-why-melbourne-looks-good-on-screen-20100426-tmfh.html

Part 2:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/Criminal+jungle+Down+Under/3503454/story.html

Part 3:

Both of these articles are synopses and analyses of the new film about Melbourne gangs entitled "Animal Kingdom." The first link is one that I found when I searched for the film, realizing that after having heard rave reviews of the film that it is set and filmed in our soon-to-be home. Not only would I love to see the film while we're there, I think it is also pretty interesting to read about the film and its origins. The second article does a great job of emphasizing the imagined imagery of Australia that outsiders have, opposed to the reality of neighborhood gangs within Melbourne. The most interesting thing that I read in the second article was that people within these communities have managed to either deny the gangs' presence, or place their members on public pedestals. It appears that this film is not just entertainment, but has the ability to get into deeper, more relevant issues within the Melbourne community itself. This film seems to highlight several contradictions within the perceived images of Melbourne and the actuality of the city, as well as the relationships between gang member and pinnacle of society.

Public Transportation

Part 1:

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/no-one-running-public-transport-coordination-20100928-15vvd.html

Part 2:

http://www.news.com.au/national/living-is-cheaper-in-melbourne-but-public-transport-is-still-high/story-e6frfkvr-1225885961375

Part 3:

I think that both of these articles are really interesting to read not only if you are a resident living within Victoria, but also for folks like us who will be traveling and staying there. I stumbled across the first article in The Age which addresses the Victorian government's lack of coordination of the public transportation system. The most relevant piece to this article is the emphasis that the lack of coordination not only affects workers on the transportation circuits, but also affects passengers. Be ready for large gaps between connections on buses, trams and trains. Metlink, the organizational body that is supposed to coordinate all of these different modes of transportation, claims that they are not in charge of managing timetables. There are, however, some groups stepping forward who have recognized that there is an issue within the lack of organization between buses, trains and trams and have proposed to take new and improved actions. The second link is one that I found that may also be useful information for al of us pre-arrival. The second link highlights the contrast between the low cost of living in Melbourne and the high cost of public transportation. From reading both of these articles, its pretty apparent that the public transportation system in Melbourne may not be the most reliable mode of transportation, and regardless of its relatively expensive rates may still end up being the most cost-efficient way of getting around the city.

Dangers of the Melbourne Night Scene

Judge slams excessive drinking, drugs and violence at Melbourne clubs:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/judge-slams-excessive-drinking-drug-use-and-violence-at-melbourne-clubs/story-e6frf7jo-1225886182909

Just how dangerous is Melbourne?

http://www.watoday.com.au/national/just-how-dangerous-is-melbourne-20100313-q59o.html

For everyone hoping to enjoy themselves at the bars in downtown Melbourne, take notice. The first article outlines an incident that occurred in June, where a teenager was stabbed by a promoter for a bar who had been drinking and taking ecstasy. The piece talks about the judge's ruling on the stabbing case, and how licensed-establishments should be held more accountable for what happens inside their doors. The second article discusses the rising, real or perceived, levels of violence in Melbourne. It looks at data on the number of robberies, assaults and homicides at Melbourne, in relation to other cities, primarily in the U.S. The results were mixed, but it appears that assaults are higher in Australia. Analysts are pointing at the misuse of alcohol for a possible reason why assaults have increased, especially in the streets. I think it will be interesting to see the nightlife firsthand while we are there, and hopefully we will enjoy it without compromising our safety.

Virgin Blue Failure

Virgin IT glitch strands thousands:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/news/virgin-glitch-strands-thousands/story-e6frg8ro-1225929720174

Virgin Blue group of airlines update as of 1600 (AEST):

http://www.virginblue.com.au/AboutUs/Media/NewsandPressReleases/P_013609.htm

The first link is an article in The Australian that highlights the frustration of thousands of customers who were stranded in airports all over Australia after a technology failure of Virgin Blue Airlines. The failure resulted in the airline's internet booking, reservations, check-in and boarding systems to crash. Virgin Blue is the 2nd largest airline in Australia and this failure caused flight cancellations for 50,000 customers. Although the systems are now working, flights are continuing to be cancelled. The second link is a press release by Virgin Blue that highlights their frustration with Navitaire who failed to hold up their end of their contract and fix the problem in a timely manner. There is also the latest information on flight cancellations and how to claim expenses incurred because of cancelled flights.

Mateship and VB

1) http://www.theage.com.au/business/vb-serves-up-mateship-with-a-twist-20100902-14rro.html

2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i08jbz4wOmY

For Australians mates are not just what one would consider a friend, they are more than that. According to Wikipedia, they embody equality and lifelong loyalty. When surfing the web for more information on this concept of “mateship” another one of Australia’s cultural icons kept coming up, beer. And not just any beer, but specifically VB. VB, which stands for Victoria Bitter, is the highest selling beer for over 20 years. Australians seem to love being able to kick back, get a barbeque going, and have a nice cold beer. VB has also recently expanded their advertisements to link the familiarity of a popular brand like VB to the idea of mateship. According to “The Age” the new VB commercial relishes on the sensitive side of men. With Neil Diamond playing the background, the men in the commercial have forgotten their sense of masculinity. In the commercial men are getting spray tans and “man-boob” lifts, and it takes their mates to crack open a beer and get them to back to normal. As David Nobay of VB's ad agency, Droga5, points out: ''Historically, beer advertising usually involves a victim. It wasn't about inclusively but about exclusivity … real mateship is not about laughing at your mate but welcoming him back into the fold.'' I thought that this commercial was a great representation of not only the Australian humor, but also of their concept of mateship. Above is the link for the commercial, I recommend checking it out for a quick laugh.

Meat Pies

1) http://education.theage.com.au/cmspage.php?intid=135&intversion=29

2) http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/australian-meat-pie-recipe/index.html

3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiYWHnDjYZc

Australians take their meat pies seriously. The first article touches upon what a meat pie actually consists of, saying that the Australia New Zealand Food Authority states that the law requires a meat pie to consist of at least 25% meat. Yes, apparently there is a law on meat pies. In regard to Kyla’s article about the tax on candy and obesity in America, as it turns out Australia are also struggling with a problem of obesity. Similar to the United States, those who watch more TV have a higher risk of becoming obese due to advertisements of food and in Australia particularly potato chips, meat pies and soft drinks. Instead of tax, the Public Health Association in Australia are suggesting for restrictions on food advertising directed at children as well as greater information on labels of frozen foods such as meat pies. Although there is controversy surrounding the beloved Australian meat pie, I think that it is absolutely necessary for our group to try this symbolic food of Australian culture. The second link is a Food Network recipe for a meat pie as well as a tutorial youtube video for those who want to give this recipe a shot!

- Shermin Lakha

Satire and Sarcasm

1) http://the-trukstop.com/articles/2008/australia.html

2) http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/wilfred-goes-to-hollywood-20100513-uzpt.html

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/wilfred-goes-to-hollywood-20100513-uzpt.html

Personally, what I find interesting about Australia are the small underlying differences in daily life. I came across the first article when searching about culture in Australia. It is titled “20 things that culturally define Australia” and I recommend it to everyone in our program! Of the 20 things I focused on comedy, in which it describes Australian comedy being more similar to British comedy where nothing is sacred. When reading the article I kind of got that impression, but I really enjoy the dry humor. Australians are known for being laid back with their sense of humor and what they have available to the public, which is much different than the United States where there is much disagreement on the limits of media available to the public. Like in Jacob’s post titled “Satirical Comedy”, people in Australia do not hold back and directly poke fun at familiar faces and political figures, most likely without much uproar from the public. The second article particularly describes the controversy of the Australian comedy Wilfred piloting on Fox in the US. Conservative politician Senator Steve Fielding criticized the series because he did not believe that the show should be funded by public money. This discrepancy of this show coming to the US makes me wonder if issues like this arise in Australia as often as they do in the US. Do politicians and the public in Australia spend their time focusing on what should be available to the public, or do they spend their time on more pressing issues? The third link is a video of two Australians poking fun at some of the concerning issues in the US, which is pretty hilarious. On one of our free nights, I think the group going to a comedy performance would be beneficial in improving our sarcasm skills to bring back home!

- Shermin Lakha

Dingoes

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/pest-of-the-past-dingos-star-in-the-ascendancy/2007/07/21/1184560109155.html

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/why-the-dingo-should-be-allowed-to-have-its-day/260678.aspx?storypage=0

The first article is one which I stumbled upon which deals mainly with sheep farming and environmentalist politics and the proposed utilization of dingoes to widdle the numbers of foxes and cats. The idea is apparently met with backlash from the sheep farming community as dingoes cause them "such anxiety" and are "most likely to keep them awake at night." It is proposed that European-bred guard dogs could then be put the use and the dingoes would be kept at bay simply by recognition of common dog law, i.e. the respect for another dog's territory. The second link is an article which states the dingo's trend towards extinction, reasons for this trend, methods of prevention and consequences of said extinction. Among the reasons are numbered interbreeding with feral dogs and "eradication regimes such as baiting and shooting." The article details a project which would serve to breed "genetically elite or diverse" dingoes, yet follows it up with the reproach that such an endeavor could "cause the animal to become sterile and alter their breeding patterns." These articles greatly appealed to me not in its direct subject, i.e. the environmental issues surrounding the dingoes and the various methods being taken, but primarily in the information that they reveal regarding the place of the not just the dingo but the kangaroo, the fox, the cat, and several other kinds of dogs in Australia, environmentally, socially, economically, etc.

Child Obesity

Teach kids to eat well and they'll thank you for life, The Age:

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/editorial/teach-kids-to-eat-well-and-theyll-thank-you-for-life-20100918-15h0z.html

Soft drinks to be banned from schools as child obesity rises, NSW Government:

http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/2006/20060524_01.html

The first article discusses the growing obesity rates among children and the need to provide healthier lunch options at school canteens. In 2004, the government released new policies in an attempt to rid schools of junk food. However, it has not been lived up to and many unhealthy options are still available for children to eat. The second article is from the NSW government, announcing the ban of soda at canteens. The findings of the most recent Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (SPANS) are also discussed, including that 15 year olds are showing signs of diseases usually not seen until people are in their 40s. The article then goes on to highlight the efforts of the government to fight child obesity. Although both sources agree that child obesity is an issue that needs to be tackled, it seems that the government is not doing enough. The latest reform was in 2004, as well as the last study of child obesity in Australia. If this problem is to make any progress, the government needs to enforce stricter standards in school canteens.

Fake Aboriginal Art

Buy your 'aboriginal art' — direct from Indonesia

http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/arts/buy-your-aboriginal-art-8212-direct-from-indonesia/2009/06/18/1244918134883.html

Action needed over art fakes

http://www.koorimail.com/index.php?page=Your+Say

The first article discusses the investigation of a man who sold products from Indonesia as authentic aboriginal art all over Australia under the false name of “Ubanoo Brown.” His claim is that he considers all hand painted art to be authentic. Arts Minister Peter Garrett worries that the selling of fake art will damage the international reputation of true aboriginal artists. The second link is to a letter from a reader of Koori Mail, an indigenous newspaper. The reader is outraged at the lack of governmental effort to stop other countries from making fake aboriginal art and selling it as authentic art to people in Australia. The indigenous people rely on income from the art they make to support their families and the flood of fake art has the potential to destroy their livelihood. I found it very interesting that Australians were willing to boycott many products once they were no longer made in Australia, but are unwilling to provide the same support for aboriginal culture.

Female Comedians

Part 1:

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/comedy/comedians-holding-their-own-20100906-14y0s.html

Part 2:

http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=hJP_ZkClbqg&feature=related

Part 3:

The article “Comedians holding their own” from The Age gives an update on the successes of many Australian comedians at this years Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Many Aussie comedians got great reviews at this year’s festival and I was pleased to see that a good number of the names mentioned in the article were female. The video clip above from Triple J is about a support network for females in the comedy industry called The Skirt Network. Created by two well-known female comedians, Celia Pacquola and Louise Sanz, The Skirt Network is about creating a circle of support between female artists to make the transition into a male-dominated sphere a bit easier. The video addresses interesting questions such as differing reactions that audiences have to female versus male comics as well as what the potential reasons may be for the disparity in the number of men and women comedians. I think it is also important to note that the video describes that The Skirt Network is not about exclusion of men, but rather extending support to female artists within and outside of the comedy community. Although the video is almost one year old, I felt that it was relevant to the first article because it shows the active process of expansion that female comics have been involved in and gives a taste for the gender politics in comedy in Australia. It also shows that the high rate of successful female comics at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival may just mean that the support for and involvement of female comedians is growing like The Skirt Network had intended.

Also, if you are interested, here are some youtube links to clips of a few of the female comedians mentioned in the first article (as well as Celia Pacquola who appeared in the video as well).

Celia Pacquola: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyZibY_xcKU

Hannah Gadsby: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5ijqc5t6Sk

Felicity Ward: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7QR50ni-Ps

Animal Rights

Corbin Goodman

Post 3

Part 1: ABC News: “Hinch vows to end ‘cruel’ puppy farm trade”

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/17/3015062.htm

Part 2: The Age: “Raiders take aim at dodgy breeders”

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/raiders-take-aim-at-dodgy-breeders-20100717-10fck.html?from=age_sb

Part 3:

From the ABC link, broadcaster Derryn Hinch is calling for pet shops to cease sales as a way to combat “the ‘cruel and brutal’ puppy farm trade.” Hinch is adamant that the conditions pets face in puppy farm type situations are intolerable and need to be stopped immediately. He says the best way to go about solving this problem is to “shut down the [puppy farm] business” and to disallow pet shops from even selling pets. His viewpoints arose out of his thinking that his own dog quite possibly was once a victim of such “puppy factories.” Those tied to puppy farms however dispute Hinch’s claims saying that not all puppy farms are what he makes them out to be and that the infrastructure of the sector is laudable. The second link from The Age gives the opposite and far less diplomatic solution in the battle against puppy farms. Animal Liberation Victoria carries out covert rescue missions in an effort to save dogs from the horrors of puppy farms. The organization’s leader, Debra Tranter, has taken part in several raids upsetting while at the same time exposing illicit puppy farm owners. Clearly both articles’ subject matter is the same but differences can be clearly seen in how each approaches the puppy farm problem. Hinch is using his broadcaster position to inform the public of the severity of the problem and how it is in need of resolution. Tranter and her rogue organization howeve,r have gone about addressing the problem in a vigilante type of way. Animal cruelty should not be tolerated in any fashion and I think that there is just something about the issue that tugs at the hearts of humans whether it be people in Australia or those here in the U.S.

Asylum Seekers

Corbin Goodman

Post 2

Part 1: The Australian: “Landowners demand say on Cape asylum centre”

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/landowners-demand-say-on-cape-asylum-centre/story-fn59niix-1225926442574

Part 2: The Sydney Morning Herald: “Old air force base to be converted to detention centre ”

http://www.smh.com.au/national/old-air-force-base-to-be-converted-to-detention-centre-20100917-15gc7.html

Part 3:

A high level of asylum seekers coming to Australia by boat has put the Gillard government in a tough position. A proposal will convert a “rarely used” air force base outside of the small town of Weipa into a centre for 300 single male asylum seekers. The article in The Australian highlights the economic benefit that such a centre will bring the mining town with one citizen even suggesting, “why not send 3000?” It continues by noting the town’s dependence on the mining sector and how such a centre can add another industry to lessen the current reliance on mining. The second link from The Sydney Morning Herald is more skeptical of the move and examines the issue through a lens that paints the current government as deceiving and dishonest. Many are confused by the move due to Weipa’s remote location and its elected town officials feel as if the government purposely bypassed their thoughts and considerations on the issue. This article parallels the immigration dilemma here in the U.S. as both America and Australia continue to see rising levels of asylum seekers that have no place to go once they arrive. I also find the difference in attitude between articles 1 and 2 very curious. In article 1, Weipa business people see the conversion as a positive for the town’s economy whereas in the second article, those interviewed question the sincerity and integrity of Australia’s federal government for doing something it previously said it would not do.

Consumer Spending/Confidence

Corbin Goodman

Post 1

Part 1: The Age: “Consumer spending slowly improving”

http://www.theage.com.au/business/world-business/consumer-spending-slowly-improving-20100920-15i82.html

Part 2: Bloomberg “Australia’s September Consumer Confidence Falls for First Time in 3 Months”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-15/australia-s-september-consumer-confidence-falls-for-first-time-in-3-months.html

Part 3:

The first link from The Age looks at Australian’s economy and how, for the first time in nine months, consumer confidence showed positive growth. A calculation system (The Business Sales Indicator BSI) which measures debit and credit card transactions, showed an increase by 0.1 percent in August. The first such increase since November 2009. However, the article also notes that annual growth saw its furthest decrease since the BSI began being measured six years ago. The second article from Bloomberg examines the volatility of consumer confidence in a fluctuating economy. The author notes that consumer confidence will show lower figures in September for the first time since June. Relative to the U.S. and Europe however, Australian is experiencing more growth especially in terms of employment where “job growth pushed the unemployment rate down to 5.1 percent, almost half the level of the U.S.” I find these articles interesting because they both note that Australia’s economy is in a state of flux but their titles contradict each other. While the first article reflects August figures, the second one is based on results from September. Both pieces give the impression that “consumers and businesses are still very conservative, preferring to save rather than spend” and yet data that forecasts declining unemployment gives reason to be optimistic for Australia’s economy.

Locusts

Part 1: The Issue

http://www.theage.com.au/environment/locusts-munch-their-way-across-states-crops-20100919-15hya.html

Part 2: Effects

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/16/3013422.htm

http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/locusts/aplc-activities/research/monitoring

Part 3:

The first article is from TheAge and gives a brief description of the rising issue of locusts this spring in the eastern states of Australia. The article highlights the potential damage that the locusts could have on more than $2.8 billion worth of crops, and also describes what measures will be taken to control and eliminate the hatching before it creates too much damage. Spraying is scheduled to begin next week, which made me curious to know what effects spraying for the locusts will have on the environment. The last two articles describe some of these repercussions. The article from ABC news focuses on the negative effects that spraying for locusts may have on the bee population of Australia (which is described as a $4 billion per year industry in Australia). The article describes that the pesticides used to fight off locusts will kill other insects as well, and may have a serious effect on the bee population if they are not taken into consideration when spraying (location, wind direction, etc). In addition, I also found an article from the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry which details some of the pesticide monitoring that the government undertakes, as well as some interesting information about the benefit of hatching locusts, including, “locust population increases are therefore likely to enhance the breeding success of many local and invading vertebrate predator species and may represent an important component of their annual diet and population cycle. The timing of locust control is such that it is likely to coincide with vertebrate breeding events (or annual moults in the case of birds), which make the locusts an important food source at this time”. I thought that this whole issue, was quite intriguing. The fact that there are serious consequences at play for both using or not using pesticides to combat locusts this spring make this an interesting and controversial topic. While the ecological debate of to use or not use pesticides is not unique to Australia, I think it would be interesting to follow the topic in the news while we are in Melbourne and see how the issue plays out (or even if it remains a topic of interest for very long).

Taxing Junk Food for Health

Part 1

http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/fastfood-chains-healthy-options-not-so-healthy-20100908-151b8.html

Part 2

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/special-reports/greens-to-unveil-policy-to-tax-booze-and-junk-food-for-healthy-living/story-fn5ko0pw-1225894855520

Part 3

The first link is an article from The Age called, “Fast-food Chains’ Healthy Options not so Healthy.” This article talks about fast food chains whose “healthy” food just isn’t much healthier and still ridden with fat and loads of salt. With obesity and health problems an issue, public health experts are saying that the research conducted reinforces the idea of the need for a junk- food tax. The second article is from The Herald Sun about the Greens trying to make a policy that would tax booze and junk food with the intent to promote healthy living. The idea is that the tax would “promote healthy living and fight obesity, alcohol-related disease and crime.” The Greens intend to make the levy be “higher for drinks with high alcohol content and foods with high levels of fat, sugar and salt.” I found this idea to be very interesting. Knowing that the recent taxing of candy here in the States has shown uproar with citizens I am interested to see the reaction the locals have in Australia. I am aware that the taxing here in the States was to help fund road repair and schools but was not under the impression that it was to promote healthy living. I wonder if a policy for taxing junk food based on its content, in America would be more effective in the effort for a healthier life, but it seems doubtful. If the policy were to be implemented in Australia I wonder how effective it will be.

Gender Roles and Julia Gillard

Part 1

http://www.theage.com.au/national/gillard-sworn-in-as-pm-as-ministers-arrive-at-government-house-20100914-15aeq.html

Part 2

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/27/australian-poll-focuses-changing-gender-roles.html

Part 3

The first link is an article from The Age, “Gillard sworn in as PM as ministers arrive at Government House”, about Julia Gillard being sworn in as the first elected female Prime Minister. The article describes the swearing in ceremony and who will be accompanying her in various positions. The second article from the Jakarta Post talks about changing gender roles on the campaign. Since Julia Gillard is the first female to hold such a position, a question that was posed was what her partner Tim Mathieson’s role would be. Even though Gillard is not married, when questioned during her campaign, she “reassured reporters that [Tim] would be performing the typical spousal duties if she won.” With her being elected, it poses a different gender dynamic by a political leader that has not happened before. The article also points out other gender role issues such as the paid parental leave plan. It was interesting to read how a topic of discussion is about the paid parental leave plan that is set to be implemented next year. Under the plan both men and women are given money to stay home and care for a child, however men would only get paid the equivalent of the mothers salary and not their own seeing as men often earn more than women. The issue surrounding this plan is that it is penalizing men who want to stay home and care for the children because they would not be able to maintain their salary. Gender roles are becoming more equal but with the parental leave plan in mind, it still seems to be geared towards the mothers being at home and the men staying in their careers since men still have higher salaries than women.

Sports

Part 1

http://news.theage.com.au/national/qld-tops-sports-fans-poll-20081009-4xh7.html

Part 2

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/102599/default.aspx

http://www.footy.com.au/dags/FAQ1v1-5.html

Part 3

The first link is an article in The Age titled, “QLD Tops Sports Fans Poll.” It talks about how Queenslanders were polled as being the top sports fans in Australia. The article talks about how dedicated Australians are to their sports and the huge percentages that both watch and play them. Two of the top watched sports in Australia are Cricket and the Australian Rules Football or referred to as the AFL, both of which are not professionally played in the US. The AFL is hot in the news right now since they are currently in week 3 of the finals. I found an article from the AFL’s official homepage that talks about the first preliminary final matchup between Collingwood v. Geelong. Much of the sports news coverage pertains to the upcoming matches at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds and grand final taking place on Sept. 25, of which I will miss by just a couple weeks. As an avid sports fan, it was very interesting to research the differences in sports between Australia and the US, but also to see similarities. It seems that the passion fans and players have is similar between Australia and the US, and how each area represents a different team even though the main sports that are watched and played are different. After watching a sport like cricket being played recreationally in the US and having no idea of what was going on, I am excited to learn more about the different sports from people who know the game well and where the sport has been a part of Australian culture for a very long time.