Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

The Labor caucus tolerates having the odd “rat” among the photos of ALP leaders on the party room wall, but Mark Latham may have now pushed it too far.

After the latest bizarre scandal surrounding the one-time federal Labor leader, who is an independent in the NSW upper house, there is a push to remove his image from the federal caucus gallery.

Discussions are underway within Labor. No comment could be obtained from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who was on his way back from China. But if the caucus women want to see the Latham photo go, that’s likely to be what happens.

Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek said on Friday, “I’m sure that there are plenty of people scratching their heads about his portrait being up in the caucus room and giving consideration to whether it’s appropriate or not”.

Latham has a long record of scandal and offensive behaviour. In the most recent episode, his former partner, Nathalie Matthews, has accused him of a “sustained pattern” of domestic abuse, in a civil court application for an apprehended violence order. Among other things, she alleged he pressured her to take part in “degrading” sex acts.

Text messages between the two have also been published this week in which Latham sent Matthews photos of and disparaging comments about female members of the state parliament.

Latham has denied the Matthews’ allegations of domestic abuse and basically shrugged off a barrage of criticism of his photographing female politicians in the chamber without their consent (although he has apologised to at least one of them).

Plibersek said Latham’s behaviour would see him sacked from any other workplace.

Latham was federal Labor leader from December 2003 to January 2005. As the new leader he was considered to have a prospect of winning the 2004 election, although in the event the Coalition increased its majority. At the end of that campaign he attracted negative publicity for an aggressive handshake with then prime minister John Howard, when they crossed paths.

Latham was initially elected to the NSW parliament under the banner of One Nation but fell out with Pauline Hanson.

In 2024 he lost a defamation case brought by NSW crossbencher Alex Greenwich after Latham targeted him in a homophobic post on social media. Recently Latham revealed details, under parliamentary privilege, of a confidential psychologist report regarding Greenwich.

Plibersek said it was “extraordinary that he was elected to the New South Wales parliament in the first place with his sort of track record.

“The voters who put him there I’m sure would be really experiencing a bit of buyer’s remorse when they look at his behaviour; the way that he is spending his time in parliament certainly is not delivering value for taxpayers’ dollars.”

Plibersek said when Latham became opposition leader she had “a little cry after work”. Latham beat Kim Beazley for the post after the leadership of Simon Crean collapsed.

“I didn’t see evidence of this sort of behaviour back in the day, but I always had my doubts about him as a political figure, and I think those doubts have only increased in recent decades as his behaviour has become worse and more extreme.”

Latham was a protege of Gough Whitlam, for whom he worked as a researcher. He held Whitlam’s former seat of Werriwa.

Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Mark Latham’s portrait may come off federal caucus wall – https://theconversation.com/mark-lathams-portrait-may-come-off-federal-caucus-wall-261093

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leigh Carriage, Senior Lecturer in Music, Southern Cross University

Connie Francis dominated the music charts in the late 1950s and early 1960s with hits like Stupid Cupid, Pretty Little Baby and Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You.

The pop star, author and actor has died at 87, and will be remembered for recording the soundtrack songs of post-World War II America.

An early life of music

Francis was born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero in Newark, New Jersey, to Italian immigrant parents. At a very early age, Francis was encouraged to take accordion and singing lessons, compete in talent shows, and later she would perform occasionally on the children’s production Star Time Kids on NBC, remaining there until she was 17.

Within these early recordings you can hear her style begin to develop: her tone, great pitching, her versatility in vocal range. Her vocal delivery is technically controlled and stylistically structured, often nuanced – and even at this early stage demonstrating such power coupled with an adaptability for a broad range of repertoire.

At 17, Francis signed a contract with MGM Records.

One of her early recordings was the song Who’s Sorry Now?, written by Ted Snyder with lyrics by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby in 1923. Her version was released in 1957 and struggled to get noticed.

The following year, Francis appeared with the ballad on American Bandstand. This performance exposed Francis’ talent for interpretation and her ability to bridge the teen and adult fanbase.

The song would become a hit.

It’s useful to listen to the original version to gain more insight into Francis’ vocal approach and styling. The original is an instrumental song of its time, with light whimsical call and response motives in a foxtrot feel.

But in Francis’ version, she demonstrates her ability to revitalise a late 1950s pop music aesthetic. In an emotional delivery she croons her own rendition, with the country styling elements of Patsy Cline.

The voice of a generation

Following Who’s Sorry Now?, Stupid Cupid (1958), Where The Boys Are (1960, the titular song of a feature film starring Francis) and Lipstick on Your Collar (1959) became the soundtrack songs of post-war America.

Francis was supported with songs penned by the some of the best songwriters from the Brill Building, a creative collective in Manhattan that housed professional songwriters, working with staff writers Edna Lewis and George Goehring.

In 1960, Francis released her hit Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool written by Jack Keller and Howard Greenfield. It was a teeny-bopper classic, and she became the first women to top the Billboard Hot 100.

Styled after some of the other greats of the time – such as Frank Sinatra (1915–98), Dean Martin (1917–95) and Louis Prima (1910–70) – Francis’ performance on the Ed Sullivan show highlighted her connection to her Italian heritage and ability to draw from a broad repertoire.

On the show, she performed Mama and La Paloma. Each performance is very carefully styled, a thoughtful approach to dynamics, sung in both English and Italian.

Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You, a number one hit from 1962, features Francis’ gorgeous crooning harmonies. Then, the song breaks down into an earnest spoken part and finishes with a powerful belted vocal part of long notes.

The song is full of confidence and hope.

Away from the microphone

Francis had two key roles in films, starring in Where the Boys Are (1960) and the comedy Follow the Boys (1963).

She was an author of two books. The second, Who’s Sorry Now?, became a New York Times bestseller.

Francis was involved with humanitarian causes. She was particularly involved with Women Against Rape, following her own violent rape in 1974, and the Valour Victims Assistance Legal Organisation, dedicated to supporting the legal rights of crime victims. A lesser known song in her repertoire, fitting to include here, is her version of Born Free from 1968.

As a singer, Francis worked at her craft and transitioned effortlessly from one genre to another, performing for over five decades. She will be remembered as a trailblazing solo artist, leaving a strong legacy in popular music culture.

She was the voice of one generation when she was a star. And in her final year she became the voice of a new generation as Pretty Little Baby, released in 1962, went viral on TikTok, with more than 1.4 million videos using her voice to share stories of their lives.

Leigh Carriage does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Connie Francis was the voice of a generation and the soundtrack of post-war America – https://theconversation.com/connie-francis-was-the-voice-of-a-generation-and-the-soundtrack-of-post-war-america-261467

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Theresa Larkin, Associate Professor of Medical Sciences, University of Wollongong

US President Donald Trump has been diagnosed with “chronic venous insufficiency” after experiencing some mild swelling in his lower legs.

According to a letter the White House published from the president’s doctor, the condition is common and not harmful, and the 79-year-old “remains in excellent health”.

But what is chronic venous insufficiency? What causes it, and can it lead to other health problems? Let’s take a look.

A disease of the veins

Veins are the blood vessels that carry de-oxygenated blood from all parts of the body to the heart.

Chronic venous insufficiency is a disease of the veins and mostly affects the legs.

When someone has this condition, it becomes more difficult for the blood to flow back to the heart. In other words, blood pools in the legs, rather than travelling up easily through the legs, pelvis and abdomen to the heart.

Blood pooling in the legs creates increased pressure in the veins in the legs and feet. This can cause swelling (called oedema), skin discolouration, varicose veins, and even skin ulcers (the skin stretches because of the increased pressure and becomes weak and can tear).

What causes chronic venous insufficiency?

There are several potential causes of chronic venous insufficiency, including damaged valves inside the veins in the legs.

When we’re standing, blood has to flow back to the heart from the legs against gravity. Veins have valves inside them which ensure this one-way flow and stop blood from running back the wrong way.

When valves in the veins – either the deeper veins or those closer to the skin’s surface – are damaged, this allows blood to flow backwards and pool in the legs.

Damage to the inside lining of the vein wall can also cause chronic venous insufficiency. When the lining is damaged, it becomes less smooth and blood cells can stick to the wall and build up. This can block the inside of the vein and impede the return of blood to the heart. Smoking is a major cause of this, though it also happens naturally with age.

Physical compression of a vein in the pelvis from the outside can also be a factor. Pregnancy, obesity or a tumour can push on a pelvic vein from the outside. This makes it harder for blood to flow through that vein, which causes back up of blood in the veins of the leg.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) also increases the risk of chronic venous insufficiency. This is where blood clots form in the deep veins, most commonly in the legs. It can block blood flow or damage the vein wall, and increase blood pooling further down the leg.

In a study I did with colleagues looking at people with chronic venous insufficiency, about 10% had a previous deep vein thrombosis. However, Trump’s doctor said there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis in his case.

Who gets it?

The data on how many people get chronic venous insufficiency vary, but it is relatively common. In the United States, an estimated 10% to 35% of adults have the condition.

A number of factors increase a person’s likelihood of developing chronic venous insufficiency. Smoking and having previously had a deep vein thrombosis are strongly linked to this condition. Other risk factors include older age, pregnancy, obesity, and prolonged periods of standing still.

Is it dangerous?

On its own, chronic venous insufficiency is not life-threatening, but it is a progressive condition. It increases the risk of other conditions which can be more serious.

Interestingly, while deep vein thrombosis increases the risk of chronic venous insufficiency, people with chronic venous insufficiency also have a higher risk of deep vein thrombosis. This is because pooled blood doesn’t move as much, so it can start to form a clot.

Deep vein thrombosis then increases the risk of pulmonary embolism, blood clots in the lungs, which are life threatening.

In the legs, the most serious consequence of chronic venous insufficiency is developing a venous ulcer. Venous ulcers can be painful, are prone to infection (such as cellulitis), and have a high rate of recurring.

Research has shown 4% of adults aged 65 and older in the US develop venous ulcers as a result of chronic venous insufficiency.

Can it be treated?

Whether and how chronic venous insufficiency can be treated depends somewhat on the cause.

Initial conservative treatment usually involves elevating the legs and wearing compression stockings. Elevating the legs higher than the body means gravity will help blood flow back to the heart. Compression stockings help to push blood from the leg veins towards the heart.

Exercise such as walking also helps because when the muscles in the legs contract, this moves more blood from the legs back to the heart. Exercise and diet changes may also be recommended to address any weight-related issues.

In more progressive or severe cases, surgery may be needed to fix the inside of the veins, remove any underlying deep vein thrombosis, or insert a stent in the case of a vein compression.

Overall, Trump has been diagnosed with a common condition for someone of his age, and his doctors have ruled out severe underlying disease. But this is a reminder of the importance of healthy veins and of the risk factors for venous disease.

Theresa Larkin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Trump has ‘chronic venous insufficiency’. Is it dangerous? Can it be treated? – https://theconversation.com/trump-has-chronic-venous-insufficiency-is-it-dangerous-can-it-be-treated-261460

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anjum Naweed, Professor of Human Factors, CQUniversity Australia

This article contains spoilers!

I once leapt out of a train carriage because two strangers were loudly discussing the ending of the last Harry Potter book. Okay – I didn’t leap, but I did plug my ears and flee to another carriage.

Recently, I found myself in a similar predicament, trapped on a bus, entirely at the mercy of two passengers dissecting the Severance season two finale.

But not everyone shares my spoiler anxiety. I have friends who flip to the last page of a book before they’ve read the first one, or who look up the ending before hitting play. According to them, they simply need to know.

So why do some of us crave surprise and suspense, while others find comfort in instant resolution?

What’s in a spoiler?

Spoilers have become a cultural flashpoint in the age of streaming, social media and shared fandoms.

Researchers define “spoiler” as undesired information about how a narrative’s arc will conclude. I often hear “spoilers!” interjected mid-sentence, a desperate protest to protect narrative ignorance.

Hitchcock’s twist-heavy Psycho elevated spoiler sensitivity. Its release came with an anti-spoilers policy including strict viewing times, lobby warnings recorded by the auteur himself, and even real policemen urging “total enjoyment”. A bold ad campaign implored audiences against “cheating yourselves”.

The twists were fiercely protected.

Even the Star Wars cast didn’t know Darth Vader’s paternity twist until premiere night. Avenger’s Endgame filmed multiple endings and used fake scripting to mislead its stars. And Andrew Garfield flat-out lied about his return to Spider-Man: No Way Home – a performance worthy of an Oscar – all for the sake of fan surprise and enjoyment.

But do spoilers actually ruin the fun, or just shift how we experience it?

The satisfaction of a good ending

In 2014, a Dutch study found that viewers of unspoiled stories experienced greater emotional arousal and enjoyment. Spoilers may complete our “mental models” of the plot, making us less driven to engage, process events, or savour the unfolding story.

But we are also likely to overestimate the negative effect of a spoiler on our enjoyment. In 2016, a series of studies involving short stories, mystery fiction and films found that spoiled participants still reported high levels of enjoyment – because once we’re immersed, emotional connection tends to eclipse what we already know.

But suspense and enjoyment are complex bedfellows.

American media psychology trailblazer Dolf Zillmann said that suspense builds tension and excitement, but we only enjoy that tension once the ending lands well.

The thrill isn’t fun while we’re hanging in uncertainty – it’s the satisfying resolution that retroactively makes it feel good.

That could be why we scramble for an “ending explained” when a film or show drops the ball on closure. We’re trying to resolve uncertainty and settle our emotions.

Spoilers can also take the pressure off. A 2009 study of Lost fans found those who looked up how an episode would end actually enjoyed it more. The researchers found it reduced cognitive pressure, and gave them more room to reflect and soak in the story.

Spoilers put the audience back in the driver’s seat – even if filmmakers would rather keep hold of the wheel. People may seek spoilers out of curiosity or impatience, but sometimes it’s a quiet rebellion: a way to push back against the control creators hold over when and how things unfold.

That’s why spoilers are fertile ground for power dynamics. Ethicists even liken being spoiled to kind of moral trespass: how dare someone else make that decision for me?!

But whether you avoid spoilers or seek them out, the motive is often the same: a need to feel in control.

Shaping your emotions

Spoiler avoiders crave affect: they want emotional transportation.

When suspense is part of the pleasure, control means choosing when and how that knowledge lands. There’s a mental challenge to be had in riding the story as it unfolds, and a joy in seeing it click into place.

That’s why people get protective, and even chatter about long-aired shows can spark outrage. It’s an attempt to police the commentary and preserve the experience for those still waiting to be transported.

Spoiler seekers want control too, just a different kind. They’re not avoiding emotion, they’re just managing it. A spoiler affords control over our negative emotions, but also softens the blow, and inoculates us against anxiety.

Psychologists dub this a “non-cognitive desensitisation strategy” to manage surprise, a kind of “emotional spoiler shield” to protect our attachments to shows and characters, and remind us that TV, film and book narratives are not real when storylines hit close to home.

Knowing what happens turns into a subtle form of self-regulation.

So, what did I do when Severance spoilers floated by? Did I get off the bus? Nope, I stayed put and faced the beast. As I tried to make sense of the unfamiliar plot points (The macrodata means what? Mark stays where?), I found the unexpected chance to dive deeper.

Maybe surprise is not the sum of what makes something entertaining and worth engaging with. Spoiler alert! It’s good to have an end to journey towards, but it’s the journey that matters, in the end.

Anjum Naweed does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. ‘Don’t tell me!’ Why some people love spoilers – and others will run a mile – https://theconversation.com/dont-tell-me-why-some-people-love-spoilers-and-others-will-run-a-mile-256803

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bill Swannie, Senior Lecturer, Thomas More Law School, Australian Catholic University

Earlier this month, the Federal Court found controversial Muslim cleric Wissam Haddad breached the Racial Discrimination Act.

Justice Angus Stewart ruled a series of speeches Haddad posted online were “fundamentally racist and antisemitic [and] profoundly offensive” towards Jewish people in Australia.

However, the court also ruled criticism of Israel, Zionism and the Israel Defense Forces are not antisemitic and therefore do not breach the law.

This finding could help inform the current debate on how to define antisemitism in Australia.

Antisemitism and the law

Haddad’s sermons were found to include “perverse generalisations” about Jewish Australians made at a time of “heightened vulnerability” following the October 7 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas.

The court’s decision is based on provisions in the Racial Discrimination Act.

The act applies equally to all racial and ethnic groups in Australia. It does not refer directly to antisemitism, nor does it prohibit it specifically.

But Jewish people have been recognised as a distinct ethnic group protected by the act since 2002. As such, several successful court cases have been brought by Australian Jews under the laws.

To breach the act, speech must be likely to “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate” a reasonable member of the target group – in this case, Jewish people in Australia. Trivial or minor harms do not meet this standard.

Also, the speech must have been done “because of” the race or ethnicity of the target group. This means the race or ethnicity of the person or group must be one of the reasons for the speech.

The law protects against racial discrimination, which includes ethnicity. It does not prohibit religious discrimination. However, for Jews, Sikhs and other ethno-religious groups there is some overlap.

There is no liability under the Racial Discrimination Act if the speech was done “reasonably and in good faith” for a “genuine purpose in the public interest”.

This is the free speech defence.

Other breaches of the RDA

In 2002, the Federal Court found the act was breached by a website that denied the extent and existence of the Jewish Holocaust.

The website’s creator, Frederick Toben, claimed the content was true and its publication was in the public interest. However, the language used by Toben was deliberately provocative. His clear intention to offend Jewish people meant no defence was available.

In September 2023, a Melbourne secondary college breached the act by allowing Jewish students to be systematically bullied and harassed, including through the use of racial epithets and Nazi swastikas.

The court took into account the intergenerational trauma experienced by students whose families were affected by the Holocaust. The school was ordered to pay compensation to the students totalling more than $400,000.

Criticism of Israel does not breach the law

Crucially, in the recent Haddad decision, the court stated “it is not antisemitic to criticise Israel”.

Parts of a speech made by Haddad that referred directly to the conduct of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces did not breach the Racial Discrimination Act because they could not reasonably be regarded as referring to Jewish people.

Further, references in the speech to Zionism were regarded by the court as referring to a political ideology, rather than Jewish ethnicity.

However, the court did recognise that criticism of Zionism and Israel was sometimes coded, or included subtle references to Jewish identity.

Under the act, courts must carefully consider the context of relevant speech, including the tone and language used. That means blaming Jewish people for the actions of Israel or the Israeli military, for example, could in fact breach the law.

Antisemitism definition

The Federal Court’s decision in the Haddad case preceded the proposed antisemitism strategy by Jillian Segal, the government’s special envoy on combating hatred against Jewish people.

Her report recommends the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism be embedded in all public institutions.

The definition is controversial because it appears to conflate criticism of Israel with racial and ethnic prejudice. Concerns have been raised legitimate criticism of Israel and its government would be stifled if the definition was widely embraced.

A version of the definition was adopted in February by Universities Australia, the governing body for Australian universities.

Some universities have rejected the definition on the grounds it may restrict legitimate academic freedom on campus.

No defence available to Haddad

Haddad argued his speeches were justified because they were based on Islamic scriptures. However, after weighing up expert evidence, the court found denigrating Jewish people was not supported by scripture.

The speeches were not made “reasonably and in good faith”, given Haddad had used inflammatory language. He further “courted controversy” by also maligning Christians and Hindus.

As the speeches were no more than “bigoted polemic”, no conflict between religious freedom and the Racial Discrimination Act arose.

In summary, Haddad breached the act by making profoundly offensive speeches regarding Jewish people in Australia.

The court ordered the sermons be removed from social media, while Haddad was ordered not to repeat them.

The decision clarifies that antisemitic speech is prohibited by the discrimination laws, although criticism of Israel is not.

Bill Swannie does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Australian law is clear: criticism of Israel does not breach the Racial Discrimination Act – https://theconversation.com/australian-law-is-clear-criticism-of-israel-does-not-breach-the-racial-discrimination-act-261175

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynne Chepulis, Associate Professor, Health Sciences, University of Waikato

Barbie has done many things since she first appeared in 1959. She’s been an astronaut, a doctor, a president and even a palaeontologist. Now, in 2025, Barbie is something else: a woman with type 1 diabetes.

Mattel’s latest Barbie was recently launched by Lila Moss, a British model who lives with type 1 diabetes. The doll comes with a visible insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor, devices many people with diabetes rely on.

To some people, this might seem like just another version of the doll. But to kids living with type 1 diabetes – especially young girls – it’s a big deal. This new Barbie is not just a toy. It’s about being seen.

What is type 1 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is a condition where the body stops making insulin, the hormone that helps control blood sugar levels.

It’s not caused by lifestyle or diet. It’s an autoimmune condition (a disorder where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells) and often starts in childhood.

People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day, often through multiple injections or an insulin pump. They also need to check their blood sugar regularly, using finger pricks or a continuous glucose monitor worn on the skin (usually the upper arm).

Although type 1 diabetes can be effectively managed, there is no cure.

Millions of people across the world live with this condition, and numbers are on the rise. In Australia, type 1 diabetes affects more than 13,000 children and teens, while in New Zealand, around 2,500 children under 18 have type 1 diabetes. Globally, 1.8 million young people are affected.

Managing type 1 diabetes isn’t easy for children

Young people with type 1 diabetes must think about their condition every day – at school, during sports, at sleepovers and even while playing. They may have to stop what they’re doing and check their blood sugar levels. It can feel isolating and frustrating.

Stigma is a big issue for children and young people with type 1 diabetes. Some young people feel embarrassed using their insulin pumps or checking their blood sugar in public. One study found pre-teens with diabetes sometimes felt they received unwanted attention when using devices such as insulin pumps and glucose monitors.

Stigma can make young people less likely to take care of their diabetes, which can create problems for their health.

Seeing a Barbie with an insulin pump and glucose monitor could make a significant difference.

Children form their sense of identity early, and toys play a surprisingly powerful role in that process. While children with type 1 diabetes can often feel different from their peers, toys can help normalise their experience and reduce the sense of isolation that can come with managing a chronic condition.

Research shows toys and media such as books and TV shows reflecting children’s experiences can boost self-esteem, reduce stigma and improve emotional wellbeing.

For girls especially, Barbie is more than a doll. She represents what is often perceived to be admired or desirable and this can influence how girls perceive their own bodies. A Barbie with a glucose monitor and insulin pump sends a clear message: this is part of real life. You’re not alone.

That kind of visibility is empowering. It tells children their condition doesn’t define them or limit their potential. It also helps challenge outdated stereotypes about illness and disability.

Some may worry a doll with a medical condition might make playtime too serious or scary. But in reality, play is how kids learn about the world. Toys that reflect real life – including health issues – can help children process emotions, ask questions, reduce fear and feel more in control.

Read more:
Whatever happened to Barbie’s feet? Podiatrists studied 2,750 dolls to find out

A broader shift towards inclusivity and representation

Mattel’s new Barbie shows diabetes and the devices needed to manage the condition in a positive, everyday way, and that matters. It can start conversations and help kids without diabetes learn what those devices are and why someone wears them. It builds understanding early.

Mattel has added to its range of Barbies in recent years to showcase the beauty that everyone has. There are now Barbies with a wide range of skin tones, hair textures, body types and disabilities – including dolls with hearing aids, vitiligo (loss of skin pigmentation) and wheelchairs. The diabetes Barbie is part of this broader shift toward inclusivity and should be applauded.

Every child should be able to find toys that reflect who they are, and the people they love.

This Barbie won’t make diabetes go away. But she might help a child feel more seen, more confident, more like their peers. She might help a classmate understand that a glucose monitor isn’t scary – it’s just something some people need. She might make a school nurse’s job easier when explaining to teachers or students how to support a student with diabetes.

Living with type 1 diabetes as a child is tough. Anything that helps kids feel a little more included, and a little less different, is worth celebrating. A doll might seem small. But to the right child, at the right moment, it could mean everything.

Lynne Chepulis receives funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand

Anna Serlachius receives funding from the Health Research Council and Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF).

– ref. New Barbie with type 1 diabetes could help kids with the condition feel seen – and help others learn – https://theconversation.com/new-barbie-with-type-1-diabetes-could-help-kids-with-the-condition-feel-seen-and-help-others-learn-261263

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter N. Meihana, Senior Lecturer in History, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University

One of Aotearoa New Zealand’s oldest settlement sites is at risk of being washed away by rising seas, according to new research.

Te Pokohiwi o Kupe (Wairau Bar) near Blenheim is a nationally significant archaeological site. It dates back to the first arrival of people and holds the remains of first-generation Polynesian settlers as well as many cultural artefacts.

The site is significant for the local iwi, Rangitāne o Wairau, because of its history of colonial exploitation and the eventual repatriation of koiwi tangata (ancestral remains) in 2009, which marks an important moment in the modern history of Rangitāne.

Coastal flooding is already a hazard at Te Pokohiwi o Kupe, but this increases dramatically as sea level rises. The study, led by Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau in partnership with researchers at Earth Sciences NZ, shows about 20% of the site could be inundated during a 100-year storm event under current sea levels.

But with 50 centimetres of climate-driven sea-level rise, which could occur as soon as the 2050s under high-emissions scenarios, more than half of the site could flood in the same event. If sea levels rise to a metre, which could be reached during the early 2100s, three-quarters of the site will be inundated and subject to significant erosion.

From grave robbers to collaborators

During the first part of the 20th century, the site was raided by fossickers searching for curios. In 1939, they uncovered an urupa (cemetery) and disinterred the remains of one of the earliest ancestors, along with their sperm whale tooth necklace and moa egg.

Further “discoveries” drew Roger Duff, then an ethnologist at the Canterbury Museum, to the site in 1942. He led several excavations until the summer of 1963-64.

The Rangitāne community protested the excavations. Tribal elder Hohua Peter MacDonald was particularly vocal, but the tribe was unable to prevent the digs and the removal of ancestors and their burial goods.

In 2003, Rangitāne presented their Treaty of Waitangi claims before the Waitangi Tribunal. The tribunal agreed the Crown had breached the treaty in its dealings with the tribe and subsequent negotiations saw land at Te Pokohiwi returned to Rangitāne. These land parcels were close to where ancestors had been taken and the remains were eventually returned in 2009.

Prior to the repatriation, the University of Otago, Canterbury Museum and Rangitāne agreed that research, including genetic sequencing of the koiwi tangata and an archaeological survey of the site, would take place before the reburial. Due to their past experiences, Rangitāne had little trust in the scholastic community. But in a first of its kind, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the parties.

Maintaining connections

Our study used high-resolution, local-scale analysis of sea-level rise and coastal change to assess the risk to archaeological taonga (treasures) and wāhi tapu (sacred sites) at Te Pokohiwi o Kupe.

By combining the knowledge of Rangitāne hapū (sub-tribal groups) about the site’s boundaries and locations of ancestral or archaeological taonga with LiDAR-derived topographic data, the research team mapped its exposure to present-day and future coastal inundation from spring tides and storm-wave events.

Sea-level scenarios were consistent with the latest projections by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and national guidelines to estimate the likely timing of future inundation.

Results suggest climate-driven shoreline changes and permanent inundation will increasingly threaten this culturally and archaeologically significant site.

While this research focused on relative and extreme sea-level inundation risks, earlier palaeo-tsunami studies show the area is also known to be exposed to tsunami hazards.

Ongoing research supported by a Natural Hazards Commission grant seeks to expand on our findings by integrating multiple inundation types with iwi-led experiences of impacts and mitigation. The goal is to develop new inclusive approaches for quantifying the effects of compounding inundation hazards.

The integrated place-based approach underpinning this research supports dialogue about adaptation and rescue options for protecting sacred sites threatened by climate change through a combination of locally led and nationally supported interventions.

For Rangitāne, Te Pokohiwi o Kupe is a place where relationships are maintained, responsibilities upheld and identity reaffirmed. While its archaeological value is widely recognised, its deeper significance lies in the enduring connection Rangitāne maintain with the whenua (land) and with the stories, knowledge and obligations it carries.

Over time, the nature of that relationship has evolved. What was once marked by protest and exclusion has shifted into a place of active management and leadership, in part supported through the return of the land as part of the iwi’s treaty settlement.

Now, with growing threats posed by sea-level rise and coastal erosion, that connection faces a different kind of challenge. The concern is not only for what may be physically lost, but for what it might mean to lose the ability to stand in that place, to gather there and to sustain the relationship that has grounded generations of Rangitāne people in Wairau.

The focus is not only on preserving what remains, but on ensuring the connection to Te Pokohiwi continues, even as the landscape changes. More than protecting a site, this is about protecting the ability of Rangitāne to remain in meaningful relationship with Te Pokohiwi o Kupe, its stories and its significance.

Peter N. Meihana is a trustee of Te Runanga a Rangitāne o Wairau.

Ongoing research is supported through the Natural Hazards Commission (Toka Tū Ake EQC Project No. 4045).

Corey Hebberd does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Rising seas threaten to swallow one of NZ’s oldest settlement sites – new research – https://theconversation.com/rising-seas-threaten-to-swallow-one-of-nzs-oldest-settlement-sites-new-research-260799

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Fitzgerald, Associate Professor and Deputy Associate Dean (Academic), Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, The University of Queensland

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming an everyday part of lives. Many of us use it without even realising, whether it be writing emails, finding a new TV show or managing smart devices in our homes.

It is also increasingly used in many professional contexts – from helping with recruitment to supporting health diagnoses and monitoring students’ progress in school.

But apart from a handful of computing-focused and other STEM programs, most Australian university students do not receive formal tuition in how to use AI critically, ethically or responsibly.

Here’s why this is a problem and what we can do instead.

AI use in unis so far

A growing number of Australian universities now allow students to use AI in certain assessments, provided the use is appropriately acknowledged.

But this does not teach students how these tools work or what responsible use involves.

Using AI is not as simple as typing questions into a chat function. There are widely recognised ethical issues around its use including bias and misinformation. Understanding these is essential for students to use AI responsibly in their working lives.

So all students should graduate with a basic understanding of AI, its limitations, the role of human judgement and what responsible use looks like in their particular field.

We need students to be aware of bias in AI systems. This includes how their own biases could shape how they use the AI (the questions they ask and how they interpret its output), alongside an understanding of the broader ethical implications of AI use.

For example, does the data and the AI tool protect people’s privacy? Has the AI made a mistake? And if so, whose responsibility is that?

What about AI ethics?

The technical side of AI is covered in many STEM degrees. These degrees, along with philosophy and psychology disciplines, may also examine ethical questions around AI. But these issues are not a part of mainstream university education.

This is a concern. When future lawyers use predictive AI to draft contracts, or business graduates use AI for hiring or marketing, they will need skills in ethical reasoning.

Ethical issues in these scenarios could include unfair bias, like AI recommending candidates based on gender or race. It could include issues relating to a lack of transparency, such as not knowing how an AI system made a legal decision. Students need to be able to spot and question these risks before they cause harm.

In healthcare, AI tools are already supporting diagnosis, patient triage and treatment decisions.

As AI becomes increasingly embedded in professional life, the cost of uncritical use also scales up, from biased outcomes to real-world harm.

For example, if a teacher relies on AI carelessly to draft a lesson plan, students might learn a version of history that is biased or just plain wrong. A lawyer who over-relies on AI could submit a flawed court document, putting their client’s case at risk.

How can we do this?

There are international examples we can follow. The University of Texas at Austin and University of Edinburgh both offer programs in ethics and AI. However, both of these are currently targeted at graduate students. The University of Texas program is focused on teaching STEM students about AI ethics, whereas the University of Edinburgh’s program has a broader, interdiscplinary focus.

Implementing AI ethics in Australian universities will require thoughtful curriculum reform. That means building interdisciplinary teaching teams that combine expertise from technology, law, ethics and the social sciences. It also means thinking seriously about how we engage students with this content through core modules, graduate capabilities or even mandatory training.

It will also require investment in academic staff development and new teaching resources that make these concepts accessible and relevant to different disciplines.

Government support is essential. Targeted grants, clear national policy direction, and nationally shared teaching resources could accelerate the shift. Policymakers could consider positioning universities as “ethical AI hubs”. This aligns with the government-commissioned 2024 Australian University Accord report, which called for building capacity to meet the demands of the digital era.

Today’s students are tomorrow’s decision-makers. If they don’t understand the risks of AI and its potential for error, bias or threats to privacy, we will all bear the consequences. Universities have a public responsibility to ensure graduates know how to use AI responsibly and understand why their choices matter.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. AI is now part of our world. Uni graduates should know how to use it responsibly – https://theconversation.com/ai-is-now-part-of-our-world-uni-graduates-should-know-how-to-use-it-responsibly-261273

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Anthony Albanese hasn’t been in any rush to convene the new parliament, which Governor-General Sam Mostyn will open on Tuesday.

It’s only mildly cynical to observe that governments of both persuasions often seem to regard having pesky members and senators around too much as a hindrance to business. Accountability is all very good in theory – facing it in practice is another matter.

In this first fortnight of the new parliament, however, much of the attention will be less on the government than on the opposition. Liberal leader Sussan Ley has handled her early weeks without tripping. But her critics hover like crows on the fence in lambing season. Angus Taylor, who narrowly lost the leadership ballot, retains his ambition. The right-wing media wait for Ley’s mistakes.

Ley will need to maintain a strong grip on her team’s messaging, especially on foreign and defence policy, or the Coalition will open itself to criticism.

Taylor, now the defence spokesman, attracted attention this week when he went out on a limb on Taiwan, telling the ABC, “we should have a joint commitment with them [the US] to the security of Taiwan”.

Ley, who says she wants to avoid unrelenting negativity, must choose the Coalition’s targets carefully. It has been presented with some useful fodder with the (inadvertently) leaked Treasury brief to the re-elected government that urged the need for tax rises and spending cuts. This is manna from political heaven because it is on the Coalition’s favoured economic ground, and raises issues for which the government doesn’t have immediate or clear-cut answers.

As important as Ley’s own performance will be, so will that of shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien. Taylor’s handling of the job last term was a serious weakness for the Coalition.

Facing a well-prepared and confident counterpart in Jim Chalmers, O’Brien must find his feet quickly. Sensibly, he has hired on his staff an experienced, credible economist, Steven Hamilton, who has been an assistant professor of economics at George Washington University in Washington DC. Hamilton has also been a regular contributor to The Australian Financial Review, so he has a feel for, and contacts in, the financial media.

The government has a mix of legislation to introduce in this initial fortnight. Albanese promised during the campaign that Labor’s first cab off the rank would be its commitment to cut student debt by 20%. It also foreshadowed early action to cement in penalty rates.

It didn’t anticipate having to rush in a bill to strip funding from childcare centres that do not meet safety standards. This follows the recent revelations
of abuse.

The first parliamentary fortnight comes in the run-up to the government’s August 19–21 productivity roundtable (named by Chalmers the “economic reform roundtable”). With expectations inevitably exploding, observers will be watching closely the dynamics between the treasurer and the prime minister in parliament.

The two agree that delivering election promises should be the floor, rather than the ceiling, of ambition for the second term. But their degrees of ambition differ. Chalmers fears Albanese’s is limited; the prime minister fears his treasurer’s will overreach. Will Albanese show a restraining hand on the roundtable in the weeks before it?

As the government wants to emphasise delivery to voters in the early days of the parliament, Chalmers hasn’t rushed to seek the deal he needs with the Greens on his controversial changes to superannuation tax arrangements. The plan is to increase the tax on balances of more than $3 million, and tax the unrealised capital gains.

The Greens want the $3 million reduced to $2 million and that amount indexed. It’s a fair assumption a compromise will be reached when negotiations occur.

That will be a relatively easy test for the Greens under their new leader Larissa Waters, who has also said she wants to be constructive while holding the government to account.

Later on, though, will come harder issues, including whether the Greens will sign up to a new environmental protection authority, stymied by political obstacles last term.

In general, the Senate will be less complicated for the government in coming months than last term, given the Greens hold the sole balance of power on legislation contested by the opposition.

That means things are more frustrating for other Senate crossbenchers.

In his stand on staffing, Albanese is not improving their mood. Pauline Hanson’s One Nation doubled its representation to four senators but has no extra staff. Staff allocation is up to the prime minister, who has once again been arbitrary about how many staff individual Senate crossbenchers receive. This is an unfair and indefensible system – there should be independent, consistent rules.

ACT senator David Pocock hasn’t lost any staff but he has lost clout, compared with last term when his vote could be crucial and he was able to trade it for concessions from the government. The new numbers deal him and other non-Green crossbenchers out of the game.

In the House of Representatives, the Teals retain strong representation but, as in the last parliament, they can only exert (limited) influence, not power. For a while early this year, when it looked as if there would be a hung parliament, they were preparing wish lists.

One new Teal will be sworn in next week, Nicolette Boele, who won the seat of Bradfield from the Liberals. She can’t know, however, whether she will see out her term. The Liberals have challenged the result after she won by just 26 votes. The matter will be decided by the Court of Disputed Returns.

There are three possible outcomes: the court confirms the result; the result is overturned and the seat awarded to Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian (who was allowed to vote in the Liberal leadership and supported Ley); or a fresh election is ordered.

The Liberals are taking some risk with the challenge. If there were a new election, and they lost it, that would be another setback for them and could destabilise Ley’s leadership.

Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Grattan on Friday: New parliament presents traps for Albanese and Ley – https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-new-parliament-presents-traps-for-albanese-and-ley-261096

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amelia Scott, Honorary Affiliate and Clinical Psychologist at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, and Macquarie University Research Fellow, Macquarie University

If you spend any time in the wellness corners of TikTok or Instagram, you’ll see claims women need one to two hours more sleep than men.

But what does the research actually say? And how does this relate to what’s going on in real life?

As we’ll see, who gets to sleep, and for how long, is a complex mix of biology, psychology and societal expectations. It also depends on how you measure sleep.

What does the evidence say?

Researchers usually measure sleep in two ways:

• by asking people how much they sleep (known as self-reporting). But people are surprisingly inaccurate at estimating how much sleep they get

• using objective tools, such as research-grade, wearable sleep trackers or the gold-standard polysomnography, which records brain waves, breathing and movement while you sleep during a sleep study in a lab or clinic.

Looking at the objective data, well-conducted studies usually show women sleep about 20 minutes more than men.

One global study of nearly 70,000 people who wore wearable sleep trackers found a consistent, small difference between men and women across age groups. For example, the sleep difference between men and women aged 40–44 was about 23–29 minutes.

Another large study using polysomnography found women slept about 19 minutes longer than men. In this study, women also spent more time in deep sleep: about 23% of the night compared to about 14% for men. The study also found only men’s quality of sleep declined with age.

The key caveat to these findings is that our individual sleep needs vary considerably. Women may sleep slightly more on average, just as they are slightly shorter on average. But there is no one-size-fits-all sleep duration, just as there is no universal height.

Suggesting every woman needs 20 extra minutes (let alone two hours) misses the point. It’s the same as insisting all women should be shorter than all men.

Even though women tend to sleep a little longer and deeper, they consistently report poorer sleep quality. They’re also about 40% more likely to be diagnosed with insomnia.

This mismatch between lab findings and the real world is a well-known puzzle in sleep research, and there are many reasons for it.

For instance, many research studies don’t consider mental health problems, medications, alcohol use and hormonal fluctuations. This filters out the very factors that shape sleep in the real world.

This mismatch between the lab and the bedroom also reminds us sleep doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Women’s sleep is shaped by a complex mix of biological, psychological and social factors, and this complexity is hard to capture in individual studies.

Let’s start with biology

Sleep problems begin to diverge between the sexes around puberty. They spike again during pregnancy, after birth and during perimenopause.

Fluctuating levels of ovarian hormones, particularly oestrogen and progesterone, seem to explain some of these sex differences in sleep.

For example, many girls and women report poorer sleep during the premenstrual phase just before their periods, when oestrogen and progesterone begin to fall.

Perhaps the most well-documented hormonal influence on our sleep is the decline in oestrogen during perimenopause. This is linked to increased sleep disturbances, particularly waking at 3am and struggling to get back to sleep.

Some health conditions also play a part in women’s sleep health. Thyroid disorders and iron deficiency, for instance, are more common in women and are closely linked to fatigue and disrupted sleep.

How about psychology?

Women are at much higher risk of depression, anxiety and trauma-related disorders. These very often accompany sleep problems and fatigue. Cognitive patterns, such as worry and rumination, are also more common in women and known to affect sleep.

Women are also prescribed antidepressants more often than men, and these medications tend to affect sleep.

Society also plays a role

Caregiving and emotional labour still fall disproportionately on women. Government data released this year suggests Australian women perform an average nine more hours of unpaid care and work each week than men.

While many women manage to put enough time aside for sleep, their opportunities for daytime rest are often scarce. This puts a lot of pressure on sleep to deliver all the restoration women need.

In my work with patients, we often untangle the threads woven into their experience of fatigue. While poor sleep is the obvious culprit, fatigue can also signal something deeper, such as underlying health issues, emotional strain, or too-high expectations of themselves. Sleep is certainly part of the picture, but it’s rarely the whole story.

For instance, rates of iron deficiency (which we know is more common in women and linked to sleep problems) are also higher in the reproductive years. This is just as many women are raising children and grappling with the “juggle” and the “mental load”.

Women in perimenopause are often navigating full-time work, teenagers, ageing parents and 3am hot flashes. These women may have adequate or even high-quality sleep (according to objective measures), but that doesn’t mean they wake feeling restored.

Most existing research also ignores gender-diverse populations. This limits our understanding of how sleep is shaped not just by biology, but by things such as identity and social context.

So where does this leave us?

While women sleep longer and better in the lab, they face more barriers to feeling rested in everyday life.

So, do women need more sleep than men? On average, yes, a little. But more importantly, women need more support and opportunity to recharge and recover across the day, and at night.

Amelia Scott is a member of the psychology education subcommittee of the Australasian Sleep Association. She receives funding from Macquarie University.

– ref. Do women really need more sleep than men? A sleep psychologist explains – https://theconversation.com/do-women-really-need-more-sleep-than-men-a-sleep-psychologist-explains-259985

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Miriama Young, Associate Professor Music Composition, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, The University of Melbourne

It was late January when I got the call. I’m asked to bring my sound art to a collaborative ecology and design project, Song of the Cricket, for the Venice Biennale of Architecture. When such as invitation arrives, you have no choice but to jump in.

I see an image of the site for the project: the Gaggiandre at the Arsenale – a medieval shipyard that serviced the Venetian military at its imperial peak.

Once a resplendent hive of industry, it is even detailed by Dante Alighieri in The Divine Comedy:

As in the arsenal of the Venetians,
all winter long a stew of sticky pitch
boils up to patch their sick and tattered ships
that cannot sail (instead of voyaging,
some build new keels, some tow and tar the ribs
of hulls worn out by too much journeying;
some hammer at the prow, some at the stern,
and some make oars, and some braid ropes and cords;
one mends the jib, another, the mainsail)

The Gaggiandre is a cavernous, church-like space flanked by stone colonnades, wooden roof beams, and situated, in true Venetian style, on a bed of water. With long reverberation times, music in this space would need to be slowly unfolding, drawing the listener in and inviting them to meditate.

It is a place of reflection, both metaphorically and physically. To a sound artist, creating for the Gaggiandre is a dream.

Art and the Anthropocene

The Song of the Cricket exhibit has been on display at the Biennale since May. Its purpose is to bridge ecological research with sound art to raise awareness for our fragile biodiversity, with a focus on the critically endangered Adriatic bush-cricket, Zeuneriana marmorata.

What better place than Venice – a city slowly sinking – to reflect on where we stand in this moment of environmental collapse?

The exhibit was created by a large team of collaborators. It features several mobile habitats populated with Zeuneriana. Some of these habitats sit on the Arsenale lawn, while other symbolic habitats float on the water as life rafts. Alongside the enclosures, my pre-composed “sound garden” plays through speakers onto the lawn.

At the end of the Biennale, the team, led by landscape architect and ecologist Alex Felson, intends to use the life rafts to ceremonially transport incubated eggs to a new home on the mainland.

Sounds of nature and Vivaldi

On the lawn, the chirrup of live courting bush-crickets blends with pre-recorded sounds of their ancestors. These ancestral sounds might double as a lullaby for newly orphaned eggs, as adults only live a few months.

The accompanying sound garden is richly diverse, created from an array of fauna sounds drawn from Northern Italian wetland environments, including the Eurasian reed warbler, the cuckoo and, my personal favourite, the green toad.

My intention is for the soundscape to transport audiences to a different time and place: to a future where these species thrive in a healthy ecology.

There is a second element to the sound installation, created with support from sound technologist Monica Lim. Informed by the music of Antonio Vivaldi, this element serves to further activate the untapped airspace and enhance visitors’ experience of the site.

Born in Venice in 1678, Vivaldi is a ubiquitous and avoidable cliché for locals. Yet his music was the perfect inspiration for this project, as it encodes a hidden ecological story.

Vivaldi incorporated the literal sounds of nature into The Four Seasons (1723), with particular species’ songs annotated onto the score.

The Song of the Cricket borrows elements from Vivaldi’s Summer: Allegro non Molto. In the short section I drew from, the cuckoo, turtledove and goldfinch are all musically described and credited by Vivaldi.

And although they are not expressly mentioned, I imagine bush-crickets also pervade Vivaldi’s Summer movement, as we know they were once prolific in the Venice lagoon, and would have filled the summer air during his lifetime. You might hear them in the rapidly repeating (tremolo) string gestures.

The cricket’s song serves as a indicator of an ecosystem’s health. But the sound of crickets in Venice today is largely missing.

Our take on Vivaldi is slowed down 30 times, magnified and fragmented, voiced through synthesizers, and piped into the Gaggiandre through five speakers – creating an immersive experience that feels at once futuristic and Baroque.

Bridging the past and an imagined future

The decision to borrow from music of the Western historical canon (in this case Vivaldi) fits into a burgeoning movement that composer Valentin Silvestrov coined “eschatophony”.

This is presumably a portmanteau of “eschatology”, the study of the end of the world, and “phony”, which in this case relates to sound (such as symphony). Here, we are left only to wrestle with and re-contextualise our musical past, to create “echoes of history”.

The inclusion of sound is still a novelty at the architecture Biennale. Of the 300 exhibits this year, I can count on one hand the projects that incorporated sound. All of them were special.

Sound creates a remarkable theatre, both through its immediacy, as well as its capacity to elevate a project beyond the prosaic, into the poetic.

Venice is a city where history pervades at every turn. The Song of the Cricket invites listeners in, offering them space to reflect, and to imagine a future where ecosystems might once again thrive.

This article is part of Making Art Work, our series on what inspires artists and the process of their work.

Miriama Young does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. I created a Vivaldi-inspired sound artwork for the Venice Biennale. The star of the show is an endangered bush-cricket – https://theconversation.com/i-created-a-vivaldi-inspired-sound-artwork-for-the-venice-biennale-the-star-of-the-show-is-an-endangered-bush-cricket-259681

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hortle, Deputy Director, Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania

In the darkest and coldest months of the year, Tasmanians have been slogging through an election campaign no one wanted.

It’s been a curious mix of humdrum plodding laced with cyanide levels of bitterness, with the most likely result being another hung parliament.

How did we get here?

It’s a long and sordid tale, but here’s the quick version.

In early June, the Labor opposition moved a motion of no confidence in the Liberal Premier, Jeremy Rockliff. The motion passed with the support of three crossbench MPs, the Greens, and a casting vote from the speaker.

Read more:
After weeks of confusion and chaos, Tasmania heads back to the polls on July 19

Rockliff refused to step aside and Opposition Leader Dean Winter ruled out doing a deal with the Greens to govern in minority, which left the Governor with no choice but to call an election just 16 months after the last.

Some Tasmanians would be forgiven for feeling a bit of election fatigue. On top of the March 2024 state election, there was the federal election on May 3, voting for three legislative council seats on May 24 and now this poll.

Trudging along the campaign trail

The vibe of the campaign has veered wildly between pedestrian and acrimonious.
Candidates have struggled to connect with a disgruntled public, and a combination of the stadium saga and political mudslinging have distracted from Tasmania’s serious challenges.

Despite the election being brought about by Labor’s no confidence motion, the party seemed curiously unprepared. Its candidate announcements were slow and disjointed, and red corflutes have been greatly outnumbered by blue.

Labor’s campaign has picked up some momentum in recent weeks by following the federal party’s playbook of making big health policy announcements.

In contrast to Labor, the Liberals hit the ground running with a slew of candidate announcements. They have presented themselves as the only party with a realistic chance of winning a majority, and sought to frame Labor’s Dean Winter as a power-hungry wrecker. They have also campaigned hard on health, attempting to neutralise Labor’s traditional strength in this area.

A bevy of former federal candidates are running, which could lead to changes in personnel, if not a big shift in the distribution of seats in parliament. Ones to watch include:

• Liberal’s Bridget Archer (who lost her seat of Bass in May) and Gavin Pearce (retired Braddon MP)

• Labor’s Brian Mitchell, the Lyons MP who stood aside for Rebecca White

• Peter George, the anti-salmon farming independent in Franklin

• and Vanessa Bleyer, a two-time Greens Senate candidate running in Braddon.

The Nationals are also in the mix following the latest in a series of Tasmanian “reboots” over the past few decades. Their candidate list includes former Jacqui Lambie Network and Liberal MPs, which could create a tense and chaotic party room if they win seats.

Disappointingly, both Labor and Liberal leaders have repeatedly demanded the other side stop playing “political games”, while merrily engaging in skulduggery of their own.

Labor was indignant when the Liberals challenged the eligibility of one of their star candidates, unionist Jessica Munday.

A few days later, Rockliff was righteously outraged when Labor grandee and former premier Paul Lennon registered the business “Tasinsure” – the name of the Liberals’ proposed state-owned insurance company.

Subpar signage

It’s fair to say no one has covered themselves in glory here.

The Liberals went with “Let’s finish the job for Tasmania”. I’m sure this isn’t meant to be read as a threat, but I can’t help but hear it in Alan Rickman’s voice.

Even if we leave aside the (unintended?) menacing implications, the slogan encourages voters to wonder why the job hasn’t been finished in the previous 11 years of Liberal government.

Labor is using “A Fresh Start for Tasmania”: a cliche, but serviceably simple.

The problem is, they stretched the slogan to the point of collapse by applying it to all of their policy headings. This meant that we ended up enduring “a fresh start for cost of living relief”, “a fresh start for our society”, and so on.

A special mention to Labor’s social media ads, which had all the gravitas of a toddler demanding their turn on the playground swings.

The Greens didn’t limit themselves to one slogan. Instead, they used various taglines on the theme of “the mess made by the major parties”, or simply stated their main policy pillars: stopping the stadium, investing in health and housing, protecting the environment, and stopping privatisation.

There were also some questionable offerings from the menagerie of independents. Surely the voters are entitled to expect more from their MPs than the “familiar face in Clark” offered by former Liberal MP Elise Archer? And as an experienced journalist, I’m sure Peter George could have done better than the derivative “Time for Change”.

What can we expect?

What will Tasmanians end up with after a campaign that has been less sound and fury and more white noise and niggle?

It looks like more of the same.

Polling shows that the two major parties are on the nose, particularly with younger voters. Labor and Liberal are fairly aligned on some of the headline issues that divide the electorate, including the stadium and salmon farming.

All this points to no party winning a majority of the 35 seats. If this happens, the convention is that the Governor gives the party with the most seats the first crack at cobbling together enough support from the crossbench to form a minority government.

Minority governments can come in lots of different shapes and sizes, from loose “confidence and supply” agreements to more formal power-sharing coalitions.

If the party with the most seats fails to form government, the Governor would typically let the second-largest party try.

Both the Liberals and Labor will face big challenges if they are given the opportunity to form minority government.

The Liberal Party has its nose ahead in most polls. However, several of the crossbench MPs the previous Liberal government relied on for support voted in favour of the no confidence motion in Rockliff.

Most of these MPs are likely to be re-elected, and will be wary of doing deals that essentially put in place the same government that they recently helped to bring down.

Read more:
Hung parliament still likely outcome of Tasmanian election, with Liberals well ahead of Labor in new poll

Labor have backed themselves into a corner by repeatedly ruling out working with the Greens. This would leave them needing to negotiate with a diverse array of crossbench MPs. Depending on the final distribution of seats, this might not secure them enough votes on the floor of parliament.

If – as seems likely – Tasmania ends up with another hung parliament, it will fall to our MPs to move beyond point scoring and gamesmanship. We urgently need budget repair, alongside ambitious reforms in health, housing, education, sustainability and productivity.

Here’s hoping that the next government is willing to collaborate and compromise – for the good of the state and to restore trust in our political system.

Robert Hortle does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Tasmania is limping towards an election nobody wants. Here’s the state of play – https://theconversation.com/tasmania-is-limping-towards-an-election-nobody-wants-heres-the-state-of-play-260504

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne

Have you ever gone to the optometrist for an eye test and were told your eye was shaped like a football?

Or perhaps you’ve noticed your vision is becoming increasingly blurry or hard to focus?

You might be among the 40% of people in the world who live with astigmatism.

What causes astigmatism?

The eye acts like a camera, capturing light through the front surface (the cornea) and focusing it onto the “film” at the back of the eye (retina).

To get a clear picture, the eyeball and all of its surfaces (cornea, lens and retina) have to meet certain specifications of size and shape.

Otherwise, vision can appear blurred and out-of-focus, known as “refractive error”.

Astigmatism (uh-STIG-muh-tiz-um) is a type of refractive error where one or more of the eye’s surfaces are not smooth and/or round. It is broadly classified into two types: regular and irregular.

Regular astigmatism is the most common. It typically comes from changes in the shape of the cornea. Instead of being round, it is more oval, like a football or an egg. We don’t fully understand why some people develop regular astigmatism, but it’s partly due to genetics.

Irregular astigmatism is rarer. It occurs when a part of the cornea is no longer smooth (from scarring or growths on the cornea), or its shape has changed in an uneven or asymmetrical way.

Eye conditions such as keratoconus – where the cornea weakens over time and becomes cone-like in shape – causes irregular astigmatism.

If the cornea is no longer round or smooth, light entering the eye is scattered across the retina. This can cause blurry or distorted vision, reduced sensitivity to contrast, shadows or double vision and increased sensitivity to bright lights.

Is astigmatism a new condition?

In 1727, Sir Isaac Newton was the first to describe the physics of how an irregular surface might affect the focus of light passing through it.

This was followed in 1800 by Thomas Young, a scientist who had astigmatism and described how it affected his vision in a lecture.

In 1825, Sir George Airy, an astronomer who also had astigmatism, discovered he could see more clearly when he tilted his glasses on an angle. He became the first person to suggest using cylindrical lenses to correct for astigmatism. These are still used today.

The name “astigmatism” came last, coined by William Whewell in 1846. The name was derived from Greek: “a-” (“without”), and “stigma” (“a mark/spot”), literally translating as “without a point”, referring to the lack of a single, clear focal point of vision.

How is astigmatism measured?

Optometrists usually detect and measure regular astigmatism during refraction, when they place different lenses in front of the eye to determine a spectacle prescription.

As irregular astigmatism can involve very small rough patches or bumps, it is best seen with specialised imaging such as corneal topography. This creates a 3-dimensional map to show local bumps and irregularities on the cornea.

I’ve got astigmatism, what do I need to know?

Astigmatism can present at any age but becomes more common as we get older.

You can develop astigmatism over time, and the level of astigmatism can change as well.

With mild astigmatism, you may not notice any problems with your vision. With increasing levels of astigmatism, your vision becomes less crisp. This can lead to reduced vision, eye strain, or fatigue.

You may need astigmatism correction to see clearly and effortlessly. Correcting astigmatism aims to compensate for the differing curvatures of the cornea, to ensure that light entering the eye focuses correctly on the retina.

To correct regular astigmatism, cylindrical lenses compensate for each curvature in the “football”. Cylindrical lenses are prescribed as either glasses, contact lenses.

Astigmatism can also be corrected with laser eye surgery.

Orthokeratology (ortho-k) can also be used. This involves wearing specialised hard contact lenses overnight. These hard contact lenses temporarily reshape the cornea, allowing the wearer to be glasses-free during the day.

To manage irregular astigmatism, it is important to treat the underlying condition causing astigmatism as well. But often, hard contact lenses are needed for clear vision during the day, as they can sit on the surface of the eye to compensate for local uneven patches in a way that glasses or soft contact lenses cannot.

Surgery, such as corneal transplants, is also sometimes needed as a last resort to replace a damaged, misshapen cornea and manage the irregular astigmatism.

Do I need to worry about astigmatism in my children?

In children, if there is enough astigmatism present to cause blurred or distorted vision, it can impact their learning and development both in the classroom and during sporting activities.

Untreated astigmatism is not dangerous, but high levels of astigmatism in young children can cause other vision problems such as “eye turns” or “lazy eye” (amblyopia).

But don’t worry, regular eye checks with the optometrist for children (and adults as well) allows for early detection and management, when needed.

Flora Hui works part-time in private practice as an optometrist.

Angelina Duan works in private practice as an optometrist.

– ref. What is astigmatism? Why does it make my vision blurry? And how did I get it? – https://theconversation.com/what-is-astigmatism-why-does-it-make-my-vision-blurry-and-how-did-i-get-it-256235

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janelle K Johnstone, Associate Lecturer Crime, Justice and Legal Studies, PhD Candidate School of Social Inquiry, La Trobe University

I’ve been playing a 1963 Maton FyrByrd guitar since I was 14 years old. It’s Australian designed and made with the unique sharkbite body, and pickups named cool, midway and hi-fi.

With only 1,160 of this model produced between 1962 and 1965, it’s a rarity. But so too is its provenance. In lieu of jewellery, cabinet crystal or other family heirlooms, I inherited my mother’s electric guitar.

The electric guitar is synonymous with rock’n’roll genres emerging from the 1950s. It’s also become one of the most potent icons of masculine heroism in popular music culture. Stereotypical imagery circulates around riffs, shredding and posturing.

The wailing guitar solo has become a signature feature of virtuosity, a spotlight of grandeur setting the male guitarist apart from the band with a distinctive textural line.

These characteristics mean the electric guitar takes up space – something traditionally associated with masculine performance.

But the paradox about the gendering of “the axe” is that a leading, stylistic founder was a woman – and many follow in her footsteps today.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

The guitar has been an important instrument of music making for centuries, but the 1930s marked the invention of the electric guitar.

Amplifying the guitar produced its distinctive feature: the capacity for sustain. This enabled sounds to siren out, dive and waver – often at high volume.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe emerged alongside the electrification of the guitar.

Her style developed over four decades from the 1930s to 1960s with fluid fretboard prowess and a percussive right hand, leaning into the hover of distortion. Tharpe influenced big names of contemporary music such as Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards.

Audiences loved her.

However, a woman (also queer, and a person of colour) “owning” the electric guitar challenged the patriarchal music industry who tended to frame her as a singer, rather than a prolific instrumentalist.

DIY learning systems

While stereotypes such as “masculine” taking up space might help to explain a lack of women and gender diverse electric guitarists (and indeed other instrumentalists in rock tropes), their absence also stems from the way that skills are developed and subsequently valued.

In rock and punk music, learning to play often comes via friendship groups where knowledge is passed around and learnt using do-it-yourself (DIY) methods.

These processes are often associated with rites of passage into adulthood.

But these social networks are also gendered. Women and gender diverse people are often excluded from informal channels that create opportunities, or relegated to support roles, a reflection of mainstream ideas that set “women’s roles” to passive. This starts from a young age.

My research (to be published) shows that, for those who do pick up a guitar, DIY (and punk sentiment) is an effective tool to circumvent social barriers to skill acquisition.

Yet women and gender diverse guitarists are constantly compared to a male cannon of music history, scrutinised as an exception, but rarely exceptional.

Gendered divisions of labour that see women carry a greater weight of unpaid labour further impact the time available to hone a craft. These are the double gates of sexism and ageism that make becoming a music legend a masculine, middle aged, luxury.

Despite this, a treasure trove of musical elders have distorted the way that guitar playing is historically and sentimentally wedded to masculine expertise.

The axe in different hands

When Joan Jett burst onto the punk scene in the 1970s with her low-slung electric guitar, she had the look and attitude of her male counterparts. But she carved a style centred on solid, rhythmic blocks, saturating accents with power chords in lieu of complex, single note techniques.

Later, Kurt Cobain adopted a similar technique, perhaps explaining Jett’s appearance in Nirvana’s recent 30th album anniversary special.

In subcultural spaces, artists like Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama from Japanese cult band the 5, 6, 7, 8s, now in her mid 70s, shape-shifts her way through a range of genre bending musical statements that challenge stereotypical guitar playing with signature guitar pedals, and joyous virtuosity.

On her recent album tour, Kim Gordon, one of the most recognisable women in punk, now also in her 70s, ditched her bass for the electric guitar.

She ended her shows standing on her amp holding her guitar overhead. She’s doing what she’s always done: querying the boundaries of culture tropes, cementing her iconic status.

These artists and countless others challenge expectations of gender via the symbolism projected through the electric guitar.

And they go a step further in rejecting pressures for older women to be sidelined.

The Australian soundscape

Australian music culture has a rich and diverse heritage. However, the same touchstones tend to be used to produce a particular narrative about musical connoisseurship that enables (mostly) men to be elevated through to legendary status.

It’s annoying. Because in the context of rock guitar playing, the local talent pool is extensive. Current stars Courtney Barnett, Erica Dunn, and emerging musicians like Jaybird Bryne represent a legacy to the work of artists such as Suze DeMarchi, Orianthi, Adalita, Barb Waters and Sarah McLeod, all sharing commercial success as guitarists.

They sit alongside well-established independent artists really stretching the sonic parameters of the electric guitar in DIY/punk traditions including Penny Ikinger, Lisa Mackinney, Sarah Hardiman, Claire Birchall, Bonnie Mercer and Sarah Blaby.

Moving past the musical bias of the great, white, male not only expands our sonic palettes – it might also help us to rethink the limitations of binary gender roles more broadly. This means querying cultural inheritances like the axe, re-imagining who an elder might be, and embracing what they sound like.

Janelle K Johnstone receives funding from Creative Victoria and the Australia Council.

– ref. From Sister Rosetta Tharpe to Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama: how electric guitarists challenge expectations of gender – https://theconversation.com/from-sister-rosetta-tharpe-to-ronnie-yoshiko-fujiyama-how-electric-guitarists-challenge-expectations-of-gender-254704

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phillipa C. McCormack, Future Making Fellow, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide

Former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry has warned Australia’s global environmental reputation is at risk if the Albanese government fails to reform nature laws this term.

In his speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday, Henry said reform was needed to restore nature and power the net zero economy.

Speaking as chair of the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation, Henry said with “glistening ambition”, Australia can “build an efficient, jobs-rich, globally competitive, high-productivity, low-emissions nature-rich economy”.

The speech comes at a crucial time for nature law reform in Australia. The new Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to prioritise reform, after the Albanese government failed to achieve substantial changes to these laws in the last parliament.

On Wednesday, Henry condemned previous failed attempts to reform the laws. He described delays in improving environmental management as “a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry”.

The need for fundamental reform

The Albanese government abandoned efforts to pass important reforms in its first term.

Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to achieving reforms within 18 months, acknowledging “our current laws are broken”.

In his speech on Wednesday, Henry agreed with this sentiment. He described the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act as “a misnomer, if ever there was one”.

Henry is both a former Treasury Secretary and former chair of National Australia Bank. He also wrote Australia’s most important white paper on tax reform.

Henry has previously said environmental law reform could be a template for other essential, difficult law reform, such as fixing Australia’s broken tax system.

He understands Australia’s broken environmental laws. In 2022-23, he led an independent review into nature laws in New South Wales. That review found the laws were failing and would never succeed in their current form.

At the start of his speech on Wednesday, Henry came close to tears when he acknowledged Greens Senator Sarah Hansen-Young’s support for those who look after injured and orphaned native animals.

As a bureaucrat in Canberra, Henry also used to rescue injured animals and nurse them back to health.

Big challenges ahead

As Henry noted on Wednesday, Australia faces enormous challenges. These include the need to rapidly build more housing and triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.

But before building suburbs, wind farms, transmission lines, mines and roads, projects need to be assessed for their potential to harm the environment.

Henry on Wednesday called for sweeping changes, drawing on Graeme Samuel’s 2019-20 review of the EPBC Act. The changes include:

• genuine cooperation across all levels of government, industry and the community
• high-integrity evidence to inform decision making
• clear, strong and enforceable standards applied nationwide
• an independent and trusted decision-maker, in the form of a national Environment Protection Authority
• a natural capital market, which – if well-designed – could provide a financial incentive for nature restoration and carbon storage in the form of tradable credits.

Without the reforms, Henry said, Australia would not “retain a shred of credibility” for two global commitments: reaching net zero emissions, and halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

The net zero commitment is at risk because existing laws are not sufficient to protect carbon sinks, such as forests. The roll out of renewable energy is also being slowed by inefficient approvals processes.

Henry said the concept of “ecologically sustainable development”, which seeks to balance economic, social, and economic goals, needs serious rethinking. This concept has been the foundation of environment policy in Australia, including the EPBC Act, for the past 30 years.

Henry wrote the first Intergenerational Report for the federal government in 2002. He has criticised governments for allowing environmental destruction that will leave future generations worse off.

He has variously described Australia’s failure to steward our natural resources as an intergenerational tragedy, as intergenerational theft, and a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry – claims he repeated on Wednesday.

Making money grow on trees

Henry grew up on the Mid North Coast of NSW where his father, a worker in the timber industry, helped log native forests.

Land clearing is the main threat to Australian biodiversity, and preventing native vegetation loss would also cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The foundation Henry chairs advocates for the protection and restoration of Australia’s native forests. Henry has previously backed a plan to store carbon in native forests, which would mean trees were protected and not cut down.

In his Press Club address, Henry lamented ongoing land clearing, poor fire management in remnant forests, and logging of habitat for endangered species such as the koala and the greater glider. He also called for nature laws that enable projects to be delivered in a way that not only protects but also restores nature. For instance, he said carbon credits could help fund the Great Koala National Park proposed for NSW.

What’s the Australian government doing?

Despite Murray Watt’s stated commitment to nature law reform, there are signs the environment may again come off second-best.

At a recent meeting with key stakeholders, including industry and environment groups, Watt said compromise was needed. He warned environmental protections must come with streamlined project approvals “to improve productivity”.

Henry on Wednesday acknowledged faster approvals were needed, saying:

We simply cannot afford slow, opaque, duplicative and contested environmental planning decisions based on poor information mired in administrative complexity.

But he said faster approvals should not come at a greater cost to nature. In his words:

with due acknowledgement of the genius of AC/DC, there is no point in building a faster highway to hell.

Henry said the current parliament has time to put the right policy settings in place. The remedies also enjoy broad stakeholder support. “We’ve had all the reviews we need,” he said. “All of us have had our say. It is now up to parliament. Let’s just get this done.”

Phillipa C. McCormack receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Natural Hazards Research Australia, the National Environmental Science Program, Green Adelaide and the ACT Government. She is a member of the National Environmental Law Association and affiliated with the Wildlife Crime Research Hub.

– ref. Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’ – https://theconversation.com/ken-henry-urges-nature-law-reform-after-decades-of-intergenerational-bastardry-261167