Australian’s love a swim at the beach and the lifeguards in Sydney are considered among the best in the world. In fact many of us would be hesitant to go swimming at the beach and would have serious second thoughts about letting our children

Tougher Licensing Laws In Sydney?

Dec 15th, 2012 7m 37s

The New South Wales/A.C.T. Alcohol Policy Alliance have released a report which claims that based on patterns from previous years, there will be around 300 deaths and 12 000 hospitalisations from heavy drinking this Summer.One of the recomm

Academic Continues Support For BDS

Dec 15th, 2012 6m 49s

The Peace and Conflict Studies Centre at Sydney University has vowed to continue its support for the international boycott of the Israeli government, despite more than a week of negative coverage in the Murdoch press.The Australian newspaper

Randwick Crackdown On Campervans

Dec 8th, 2012 4m 3s

The Randwick City Council has announced a campaign to stop back-packers setting up in popular beach-side car-parks this Summer.The campaign focuses on dawn patrols by Police to enforce the no-camping policy in areas such as the Clovely beac

CIA Report Identifies Climate Change as a National Security Threat

Dec 8th, 2012 4m 50s

As the Doha round of negotiations on Climate Change continue, the CIA have released a report on the likely impacts a warming climate will have on the world.The report, based on a variety of sources including the most comprehensive study of

(Internet) Control Freaks

Dec 8th, 2012 5m 23s

The internet has become as much a part of our daily lives as driving and eating.But who actually controls the internet?The International Telecommunications Union or the ITU is the United Nations agency responsible for information and comm

Australia Israel Tension Over Settlements

Dec 8th, 2012 6m 22s

Relations between Australia and Israel remain tense after the Foreign Minister Bob Carr called in Israel’s ambassador on Tuesday, to convey strong concern over plans to expand settlements on Palestinian land.Carr told the ambassador that bui

Washington Legalises Marijuana Use

Dec 8th, 2012 5m 3s

Washington has become the first US state to legalise the recreational use of Marijuana.Those over the age of 21 are now able to possess and use up to 28 grams of the drug in private areas. Although some US states do allow cannabis use fo

St Vincent De Paul Society Attacks Dole Review

Dec 1st, 2012 5m 52s

A Senate inquiry into the adequacy of unemployment benefits has decided not to recommend an increase, despite general agreement that the payment is too low to live on.At just $245 a week the Newstart allowance is well below the official pov

Pesticide and the Reef

Dec 1st, 2012 7m 8s

This week the federal government lifted its ban on the pesticide Diuron after the federal pesticides authority cleared it for use at what they called reduced levels. However conservationists say the decision by Australia's chemical regulato

Xenophon Votes Against Pokies Bill

Dec 1st, 2012 6m 9s

The Federal Government finally passed poker machine reforms through the Lower House after two years of political debate and public campaigning. Pubs and clubs will need voluntary pre-commitment technology on their machines, though the first v

Former Magistrate On Bail Law Reform

Dec 1st, 2012 4m 55s

The state government this week announced changes to BAIL LAWS, in an effort to reduce the large numbers of people who are refused bail, while waiting for a trial.More than a quarter of adult prisoners in NSW have not been convicted.The At

Not Happy Barry

Dec 1st, 2012 3m 41s

Since being elected into office in 2011, Premier Barry O’Farrell has made many changes to environment laws resulting in the reduction of wildlife protections.Many environment groups and politicians have raised concerns over the approval of

Leveson Hands Down 2000 Page Report

Dec 1st, 2012 7m 8s

The Leveson inquiry has recommended that an independent self-regulatory body and governed by an independent board be created to keep the powerful British press in check.Lord Justice Brian Leveson’s 2,000 page report was handed down yesterda

Life on Mars?

Nov 24th, 2012 6m 8s

In August this year NASA’s $2.5 billion dollar Curiosity rover landed inside Mars' huge Gale Crater where its mission is to determine if Mars has ever been capable of supporting microbial life.This week NASA announced that Curiosity had dis

Lack of Secondary School Options in the Inner-City

Nov 24th, 2012 6m 21s

Having access to comprehensive public education is something most people take for granted. However, concern is growing in the community about the lack of public secondary school options within the NSW seat of Sydney. Susan Cheong spoke

Is The Shoulder Charge Too Dangerous?

Nov 24th, 2012 4m 49s

The Australian Rugby League Commission has accepted a recommendation to outlaw the shoulder-charge from all competitions from 2013. The report stated that the increased size of athletes was creating a situation where the shoulder-charge cou

Gaza Ceasefire Puts Killing On Hold

Nov 24th, 2012 6m 28s

Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire this week.As part of the deal brokered by Egypt Israel has agreed to end all military operations in the Gaza strip area while Hamas will stop its rocket attacks against Israel.But Pro Palestinian gro

Refugee Activists Target Plibersek

Nov 24th, 2012 4m 34s

The Federal Government has come under fire for its policy of processing asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island. The Refugee Action Coalition has denounced what it calls a “pointless” and “short-sighted” practice.In a protest outside Heal

Julia Gillard’s speech - Feminism and Misogyny

Nov 17th, 2012 5m 22s

Last month Julia Gillard made waves globally with her highly emotional speech against misogyny in Canberra. The Australian population responded favourably to the Prime Minister’s comments, but would her stand against misogyny have fared as

Cuba Arrests Human Rights Activists

Nov 17th, 2012 4m 23s

In Cuba last week, 37 nonviolent protesters, among them journalists and intellectuals, were arrested by authorities in Cuba for lobbying the government to ratify United Nations Human Rights protocols.John Suarez, a human rights activist base

ABC Staff Director Reinstated

Nov 17th, 2012 5m 4s

The staff of the ABC are about to get their own representative on the broadcasters board of Directors.After a six year campaign to have the position of “staff elected director” reinstated, the Gillard government has now passed the legisla

Law of Confession

Nov 17th, 2012 5m 36s

The practice of “confession” is under scrutiny following the announcement of a Royal Commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse.A number of State and Federal MPs have come out against absolute secrecy when dealing with co

Violence in Gaza Escalates

Nov 17th, 2012 5m 3s

There are fears the violence in Gaza will escalate with Israel mobilising up to 30 000 military reserves.The latest aggression escalated after Palestinian Islamist group, Hamas, fired rockets at Tel Aviv killing three Israelis. The rockets

Lifekeeper Memory Quilts

Nov 10th, 2012 3m 9s

Every day six Australians take their own lives, making deaths by suicide higher than the national road toll.To raise awareness about suicide, The Salavation Army started a Memory Quilts project in 2009.The quilts weave together the photos