Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Francois Guillard, Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering, University of Sydney

Sinkholes are back in the news after a 13-year-old boy fell down a two metre deep hole in a waterlogged football field in Sydney over the weekend. The boy reportedly sank further into the hole every time he tried to push down with his feet, but was later rescued by a police officer who pulled him out by his wrists.

Sinkholes aren’t uncommon. Two opened up in the Sydney suburb of Rockdale in March, one of which reportedly left a commercial building at risk of collapsing. Another large sinkhole opened up in the South Australian city of Mount Gambier last year.

So, what is a sinkhole and why do they happen?

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What is a sinkhole?

A sinkhole is basically a hole which appears to suddenly open up in the ground. However, the process that leads to a sinkhole is not so sudden and may have been developing over a long period.

Sinkholes happen when a cavity starts to grow underground. It expands over time, but the soil on the surface is strong enough to hold together and form a “ceiling” over the cavity. This ceiling is essential, otherwise you don’t have a sinkhole; you just have a hole.

At some point the surface layer becomes too thin or too weak and it collapses under its weight (or, in the Sydney case on the weekend, under the weight of a 13-year-old boy).

When the ceiling collapses you end up with a hole that exposes the cavity previously hidden underground.

If the cavity is deep enough underground and surrounded by strong enough rocks, it may grow and never collapse, eventually forming tunnels and cave systems. In some cases, however, these caves may link up with localised sinkholes at the surface.

So what causes the cavity?

Acidic rainwater can degrade underground rock. This can create underground caves which can eventually collapse into sinkholes. Sinkholes of this type need a specific type of geology; you need certain rocks prone to dissolution. It is common in the Middle East and the United States for example.

In Australia, we more commonly see sinkholes emerging due to underground erosion. Here, flowing groundwater carries soil out of the area. The more the cavity opens up underground, the more water gets drawn to it and the higher the chance of a sinkhole. Water flow rate can increase over time, creating a snowball effect heightening the risk of the soil ceiling collapsing.

The sinkhole that appeared in Sydney over the weekend may already have been growing quietly for a while, and could have expanded faster as the weekend’s intense rain soaked into the soil. All it took was someone to walk over the top.

Human factors can play a part. For example, a leaking underground pipe can, over time, worsen underground erosion and may increase risk of a sinkhole developing.

How common are they?

They are not uncommon but it’s not really possible to say how many are in Australia.

The sinkholes you hear about in the media generally attract attention because they are in a city, so the public are more likely to interact with them and the risk to buildings or people may be greater.

But they can happen everywhere. I have seen them while bush walking just outside of Sydney.

How dangerous are they?

Most will not be dangerous as they may be quite small. But until the surface opens, there’s no way of knowing there is a sinkhole underground, and it’s hard to know from the outside what size cavity sits beneath the surface. You might have a small opening you can see from the surface but a very big cavity underneath.

That can make them dangerous or, at the very least, a problem.

Large sinkholes can happen but small ones are much more common. To get to bigger ones, the cavity ceiling needs to be able to sustain itself for a very long period of time, which is unusual.

But they can get very big. There are some very large sinkholes in Mexico that I discuss in my unit on geotechnical engineering. One has a diameter of about 60 metres.

A 30-metre-wide sinkhole opened up in the Japanese city of Fukuoka in 2016.

Another example of an area prone to sinkholes is Florida, as the carbonate rocks in the ground there are more susceptible being dissolved by water.

So in general, sinkholes are not uncommon but they usually don’t get reported unless they are very big or pose a risk to people or property.

My colleagues and I have a grant to study the formation of sinkholes, so we can better understand risk and how to predict where they might happen.

Read more:
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Francois Guillard receives funding from the ARC.

– ref. What is a sinkhole? A geotechnical engineer explains – https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-sinkhole-a-geotechnical-engineer-explains-227347

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Morrison, Associate Professor, Auckland University of Technology

Gossip flows through the offices and lunchrooms of our workplaces, seemingly filling idle time. But perhaps, through these ubiquitous and intriguing conversations, we are influencing our workplace relationships more than we realise.

Is gossiping a route to friendship or a surefire way to make workplace enemies? It turns out the answer hinges on how the recipient of the gossip perceives the intentions of the gossiper.

Workplace gossip – defined as informal and evaluative talk about absent colleagues – is pervasive yet often misunderstood.

Traditionally frowned upon and branded as unproductive or even deviant, recent research paints a more complex picture of gossip.

While some studies imply that gossip leads to friendships between coworkers, others suggest it undermines workplace relationships. Our research indicates these apparently contradictory findings stem from misunderstanding the nuances of how gossip shapes workplace social relations.

We focused on gossip recipients – the listeners – and asked how they perceived these exchanges, and what effect receiving gossip had on their relationships with coworkers.

Understanding workplace gossip

Researchers use three frameworks or concepts to make sense of workplace gossip.

The “exchange perspective” holds that gossip binds coworkers to one another through a sort of quid pro quo. A colleague may offer informational morsels, with an expectation of social support and inside information in return.

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The “reputational information perspective” focuses on how gossip shapes recipients’ views of targets – the people the gossip is about. Vital information might be shared to warn others about toxic personalities or to signal someone as particularly trustworthy.

Finally, the “gossip valence” refers to whether gossip conveys positive or negative information about its target.

The effect of hearing gossip

Our research looks at how gossip affects the recipient’s perception of the person sharing the gossip.

Data was collected from participants using two techniques: written incident reports and follow-up interviews. This approach provided the researchers with detailed descriptions of how workplace gossip incidents affected interpersonal relationships from the recipient’s perspective.

Our findings show that the recipients’ perceptions of these exchanges matter a great deal. In particular, their interpretation of the gossiper’s intentions can set off a chain reaction.

If the recipient judges the gossiper’s intentions as genuine and authentic – a way of opening up about one’s real views of coworkers – gossip can spark a new friendship or rekindle an old one.

When one person says, “I find it so frustrating when Mark talks down to me like that”, for example, the recipient has been trusted with the gossiper’s true feelings about Mark, a problematic colleague. This creates a stronger bond – especially if the recipient agrees with the opinion.

Curiously – and perhaps a little worryingly – we found negative gossip was a stronger way of building friendships than positive gossip, provided intentions were interpreted as genuine.

Read more:
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If the recipient evaluates the intention as prosocial – in other words, sharing accurate and valuable information that benefits people other than the gossiper – trust increases and collegial relationships are strengthened.

As one research participant explained:

I actually noticed that the source is the kind of guy that only really says positive things about people […] That’s why I think I began to trust him because he doesn’t run people down too much.

If the gossiper’s intentions are perceived as self-serving, the recipient’s trust in them goes down and there’s little likelihood of the two becoming friends.

One participant explained:

They said this to damage her reputation and cause drama in the workplace.

While another said:

After listening to him gossiping about another waitress, I felt very uncomfortable. I was afraid of him saying negative things about me if I make mistakes.

Not just idle chatter

Our study supports the idea that gossip isn’t merely idle chatter but a valuable (and risky) social currency.

We often engage in gossip without even thinking about why we’re doing so. But our findings show other people pay a lot of attention to our motivations for gossiping.

Given we have little control over how our intentions are interpreted by others, this study is a timely reminder to think before you share gossip.

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. Office gossip isn’t just idle chatter. It’s a valuable – but risky – way to build relationships – https://theconversation.com/office-gossip-isnt-just-idle-chatter-its-a-valuable-but-risky-way-to-build-relationships-227220

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Armitage, Associate Professor in Vision Science, Optometry Course Director, Deakin University

So, you got your eyesight tested and found out you need your first pair of glasses. Or you found out you need a stronger pair than the ones you have. You put them on and everything looks crystal clear. But after a few weeks things look blurrier without them than they did before your eye test. What’s going on?

Some people start to wear spectacles for the first time and perceive their vision is “bad” when they take their glasses off. They incorrectly interpret this as the glasses making their vision worse. Fear of this might make them less likely to wear their glasses.

But what they are noticing is how much better the world appears through the glasses. They become less tolerant of a blurry world when they remove them.

Here are some other things you might notice about eyesight and wearing glasses.

Lazy eyes?

Some people sense an increasing reliance on glasses and wonder if their eyes have become “lazy”.

Our eyes work in much the same way as an auto-focus camera. A flexible lens inside each eye is controlled by muscles that let us focus on objects in the distance (such as a footy scoreboard) by relaxing the muscle to flatten the lens. When the muscle contracts it makes the lens steeper and more powerful to see things that are much closer to us (such as a text message).

From the age of about 40, the lens in our eye progressively hardens and loses its ability to change shape. Gradually, we lose our capacity to focus on near objects. This is called “presbyopia” and at the moment there are no treatments for this lens hardening.

Optometrists correct this with prescription glasses that take the load of your natural lens. The lenses allow you to see those up-close images clearly by providing extra refractive power.

Once we are used to seeing clearly, our tolerance for blurry vision will be lower and we will reach for the glasses to see well again.

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The wrong glasses?

Wearing old glasses, the wrong prescription (or even someone else’s glasses) won’t allow you to see as well as possible for day-to-day tasks. It could also cause eyestrain and headaches.

Incorrectly prescribed or dispensed prescription glasses can lead to vision impairment in children as their visual system is still in development.

But it is more common for kids to develop long-term vision problems as a result of not wearing glasses when they need them.

By the time children are about 10–12 years of age, wearing incorrect spectacles is less likely to cause their eyes to become lazy or damage vision in the long term, but it is likely to result in blurry or uncomfortable vision during daily wear.

Registered optometrists in Australia are trained to assess refractive error (whether the eye focuses light into the retina) as well as the different aspects of ocular function (including how the eyes work together, change focus, move around to see objects). All of these help us see clearly and comfortably.

What about dirty glasses?

Dirty or scratched glasses can give you the impression your vision is worse than it actually is. Just like a window, the dirtier your glasses are, the more difficult it is to see clearly through them. Cleaning glasses regularly with a microfibre lens cloth will help.

While dirty glasses are not commonly associated with eye infections, some research suggests dirty glasses can harbour bacteria with the remote but theoretical potential to cause eye infection.

To ensure best possible vision, people who wear prescription glasses every day should clean their lenses at least every morning and twice a day where required. Cleaning frames with alcohol wipes can reduce bacterial contamination by 96% – but care should be taken as alcohol can damage some frames, depending on what they are made of.

When should I get my eyes checked?

Regular eye exams, starting just before school age, are important for ocular health. Most prescriptions for corrective glasses expire within two years and contact lens prescriptions often expire after a year. So you’ll need an eye check for a new pair every year or so.

Kids with ocular conditions such as progressive myopia (short-sightedness), strabismus (poor eye alignment), or amblyopia (reduced vision in one eye) will need checks at least every year, but likely more often. Likewise, people over 65 or who have known eye conditions, such as glaucoma, will be recommended more frequent checks.

Read more:
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An online prescription estimator is no substitute for a full eye examination. If you have a valid prescription then you can order glasses online, but you miss out on the ability to check the fit of the frame or to have them adjusted properly. This is particularly important for multifocal lenses where even a millimetre or two of misalignment can cause uncomfortable or blurry vision.

Conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure, can affect the eyes so regular eye checks can also help flag broader health issues. The vast majority of eye conditions can be treated if caught early, highlighting the importance of regular preventative care.

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James Armitage is a member of several Optometry Australia and Optometry Victoria/South Australia committees and also a member of several committees for the Australian College of Optometry. He is a locum optometrist and consultant for Carl Zeiss Meditec

Nick Hockley is affiliated with Vision2020.

– ref. Could my glasses be making my eyesight worse? – https://theconversation.com/could-my-glasses-be-making-my-eyesight-worse-225169

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

Former Australian Defence Force chief Mark Binskin has been given a very wide brief by the Albanese government in his role as its adviser on Israel’s response to the killing of seven aid workers.

Among the victims, from the aid group World Central Kitchen, was Australian Zomi Frankcom. Others were three British citizens, one from Poland, a joint US-Canadian citizen and a Palestinian driver.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Binskin would “engage with Israel and the Israel Defense Forces on the response to the attack.

“Australia has made clear to the Israeli Government our expectation and trust that this engagement will be facilitated.”

Air Chief Marshal Binskin was Chief of the Australian Defence Force between 2014 and 2018.

Binskin’s brief covers examination of:

• arrangements for the investigation of the incident

• Israeli Defense Force policies and procedures for operational incidents

• measures taken to hold those responsible to account

• if further investigation is warranted

• measures adopted to prevent such incidents happening again.

The government has a clear eye to the importance of the message it is sending domestically by its stand. It has been under criticism from some quarters for months for not reacting more strongly to the many thousands of civilians being killed in Gaza. The aid workers’ deaths has been a tipping point for a step up.

“The Special Adviser will provide advice to the Australian Government regarding any further representations or actions that could be taken to ensure a full and transparent investigation and to hold those responsible to account,” Wong said.

The Australian government had made it clear “we expect full accountability for these deaths”.

She said Binskin’s appointment would ensure Frankcom’s family and the Australian public “can have confidence in this process.”

But the Binskin mission is not without its complications. One will be whether he can obtain adequate access to material from the Israeli forces. Some of this information, presumably, might not normally be available to a foreign government.

Another potential issue is what the Australian government would do if Binskin’s findings were critical of the Israeli inquiry or other actions. Options would include the government toughening its diplomatic representations, or calling for an international inquiry.

Opposition spokesman on national security James Paterson said Binkin’s appointment was “a sensible appointment to be made.

“It is very important we get to the bottom of exactly how Zomi Frankcom was killed. She should not have been killed, and it is important that Israel takes responsibility for this, as they already have, by launching their own investigation and dismissing some of the soldiers involved.”

But Paterson accused the Albanese government of “a double standard”, by its less robust response when an Australian, Galit Carbone, was killed by Hamas on October 7.

“The Albanese government’s response to her death was not anywhere near as strong as it’s been to Zomi Frankcom’s death. […] I think a double standard has been introduced here.”

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement late last week that an investigation had found its forces wrongly thought one of the three World Central Kitchen vehicles was carrying a gunman.

“The investigation’s findings indicate that the incident should not have occurred. Those who approved the strike were convinced that they were targeting armed Hamas operatives and not World Central Kitchen employees.

“The strike on the aid vehicles is a grave mistake stemming from a serious failure due to a mistaken identification, errors in decision-making, and an attack contrary to the Standard Operating Procedures,” the statement said.

Two of those responsible were dismissed from their positions, and other officers were reprimanded.

It is not clear whether Binskin will travel to Israel or be able to obtain the information he needs in Australia.

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. Government gives its special adviser on aid workers’ deaths a wide brief – https://theconversation.com/government-gives-its-special-adviser-on-aid-workers-deaths-a-wide-brief-227348

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Townsend, Research Fellow, UQ School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland

The Australian Football League (AFL) recently announced it is “considering appointing independent doctors at all AFL games to assist club medical staff in identifying and assessing players for potential head injuries.”

The announcement came after recommendations of a coronial inquiry into the death of former AFL player Shane Tuck, who died by suicide in 2020.

A post-mortem examination of Tuck’s brain found an advanced case of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease linked with repetitive head trauma.

CTE is a form of dementia which is more frequently diagnosed in people with exposure to repeated head trauma, like athletes in contact sports.

The governing bodies of these sports, including the multiple football codes in Australia, have been striving for several years to assure players, parents and the public that their games are safe to play.

Read more:
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Why are independent doctors needed?

One of the most significant concerns about concussion (otherwise known as a mild Traumatic Brain Injury or mTBI) is the potential for an athlete to incur serious neurological damage if they suffer recurrent brain injuries within a short period of time.

This is why many contact sport organisations around the globe and in Australia have developed exclusion protocols for concussed players, to prevent their brain from receiving more trauma while it is still recovering.

In Australia, mandatory exclusion periods vary between different sports. The AFL recently announced it would adopt the Australian Institute of Sport’s (AIS) recommendation for 21 days of exclusion from games and training for non-elite or “community” athletes.

The rules are different for players in the elite AFL and AFLW competitions, who are only required to sit out for 12 days post-injury.

The first step in this exclusion process is determining whether or not a player has sustained a brain injury. Currently, this decision is made by a club doctor – a licensed medical doctor who is employed by an AFL or AFLW team.

Concerns have been raised about the impartiality of club doctors, and the potential for their decisions to be knowingly or unknowingly influenced by a desire to see their club succeed.

The subsequent suggestion is, if independent doctors are employed by the AFL or AFLW, rather than the clubs, they would be better able to make a diagnosis without being influenced by coaching staff or other players.

With pressure comes risk

Being embedded in a high-performance sporting environment can influence people, including doctors, to adopt a win-at-all-costs attitude.

If the AFL and AFLW decide to adopt independent concussion doctors, not only will it relieve club doctors of some of their responsibilities regarding players’ brain health, it will also remove another key decision-making group from the process – coaches.

Some coaches are vocal opponents of removing coaching staff and club doctors from decisions about brain injuries. In the National Rugby League (NRL), where independent doctors have been employed since 2022, coaches Ricky Stuart and Wayne Bennett argue it is a sign the governing bodies do not trust coaching staff or club doctors.

However, the code argues it is not an issue of trust, rather it is about ensuring decisions on player welfare are made dispassionately by those who have specific training in the area.

It has been argued from performance, legal, and moral perspectives that care for athletes should be central to the practice of sport across all codes.

Indeed, some coaches have been major public advocates for this and there is no suggestion that coaches or clubs do not care for the health of their players.

However, the pressures of elite sport and the backgrounds and training of many coaches, particularly those who are former players, can create an environment where player health is seen as a reasonable sacrifice for high-performance and competitive success.

Removing doctors from this environment is intended to help them make more impartial decisions about concussions.

Read more:
Here’s what we know about CTE, the brain condition that affected Danny Frawley

Are independent doctors the right move?

The introduction of independent doctors is a step-change for the AFL rather than a fundamental shift.

The AFL’s approach to managing brain injuries is precisely that – it ‘manages’ brain injuries because the league, along with the people who manage other high-contact games, know that any significant reduction to the incidence of brain trauma would require fundamental changes to the way their sports are played.

Ultimately, the introduction of independent doctors is an exercise in tinkering, which will have no tangible impact on reducing the number of brain injuries sustained by elite players.

It also remains to be seen how the AFL might seek to introduce a similar system of concussion watchers for the hundreds of thousands of recreational footballers across Australia, who play the same games as their professional counterparts with far fewer eyes watching them.

It is also important to note that emerging evidence tells us the risk of developing a long-term neurodegenerative disease like CTE is most strongly related with repeated micro-concussions, which cannot be diagnosed by a doctor, independent or otherwise.

If the AFL and AFLW adopt independent doctors, it will be a positive move toward further prioritising player welfare, but it will not fix the concussion problem.

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. Will introducing independent doctors at games help the AFL tackle its concussion problem? – https://theconversation.com/will-introducing-independent-doctors-at-games-help-the-afl-tackle-its-concussion-problem-226821

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Maxwell, Associate Professor in Performance Studies, University of Sydney

Angus Cerini’s Into the Shimmering World is an unforgiving and, frankly, bleak meditation on what it is to be good; what it is to live a good life.

The scene is the kitchen of the farmstead home of cocky Ray (Colin Friels) and his health-care worker wife, Floss (Kerry Armstrong). David Fleischer’s set floats in a great dark void: a formally precise form hovering on cross-braced timber pillars a metre above the floor of the theatre, separated from the audience by a dark moat, towards which descend a flight of wooden stairs.

Nestled in the stark nothingness, the kitchen is rendered in shades of beige: a bare table, two chairs; a kitchen sink, a microwave, kettle, cupboards and drawers from which meals, a first aid kit, and mostly tea cups are retrieved and then returned. Two jackets – Ray’s Driza-Bone and Floss’ denim – hang from pegs.

The domestic setting is as arid as the implied landscape beyond its walls: there is nothing here. No sign of the life of a family, no pictures, photographs, books, clutter. There is life, but not much more. A meal, when served, is a slab of unadorned meat accompanied by a mound of unappetising potato mash, at which Ray picks at without eating.

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A barren life

The life Ray and Floss have scraped out for themselves is – notwithstanding the cups of teas and recurrent mantra of “it’s okay” – barren. There is love, but the unasked question is whether love is enough. The scraping is literal: a hillside scraped bare of trees; an ill-conceived dam scraped out of the bowl between ridges.

When the drought breaks, the dam and its surrounding paddock turns to a muddy ruin. Ray sets out with a handful of cartridge boxes to take care of the cows stranded in the mire. He has missed the opportunity to sell off the stock. Now, the rains have come, and he has lost them all. He and Floss are broke.

But not broken. They’ve been there before: life on the land is feast or famine. In the good years, Ray tells us, there is a radiance and joy. In the more frequent bad years? Cups of tea and the mantra: it’s okay.

Ray tries to be good. He is proud of being a loving husband, a man committed to making a home, and being a good farmer. Unlike his neighbour: a criminal who seems to be able to restock overnight, and who Ray fantasises about accidentally shooting, or throwing into a wombat hole.

Ray also fantasises about killing the banker who has taken over his debts, and who turns up in city shoes in a brand new Landcruiser to rub Ray’s nose in his misfortunes. Circumstances – the weather, the bankers, the unethical neighbour – conspire against him, against his goodness.

Ray knows what he knows: the farm. He has no interest in seeing anything else of the world. When Floss proposes a beach holiday, he declines: too much sand. When it gets too much for Ray, his “Old Mate” (Bruce Spence) advises a judicious dose of self-harm: just enough to prick him back into life. But what, exactly, is that life?

Ray loves his adult sons, although he struggles to tell them as much. Neither want anything to do with the farm. Their horizons are grander: children, cities. Life.

How can life be good?

The drama unfolds subtly and inexorably. Friels is exceptional, charting Ray’s decline as his robust, blokey, she’ll-be-right bonhomie curdles, as his bladder fails, and his dark homicidal speculations — presented as stark, alarmingly funny monologues to the audience — assume, with the visit of the local policeman to seize his guns, a disconcerting menace.

Friels’ performance culminates in an extraordinary sequence, in which the almost televisual realism of the production (the isolated set against a black frame unmistakably evokes a cinema screen) gives way to a towering theatricality.

After a beautifully rendered scene in which Ray and (the now departed) Floss recall their whirlwind romance, Ray gently starts to dance with Floss’ denim jacket, moving into a wrenchingly primal apotheosis on the bare kitchen table: a fraught full-body peering into the abyss. Nothing is okay. No cup of tea will ever fill the deep emptiness, all he has to show for a lifetime of doing the right thing, of loving, making a home, being honest, being good.

Only at the end does Ray really step down from the kitchen set. Some action has been fleetingly staged in the emptiness between set and audience: a brief (fantasised) beach scene, in which waves ripple across the dark floor; a couple of encounters with his Old Mate, in which both remain anchored to the set.

Now, however, Ray descends and places his hand on the ground, allowing it to rest on the very earth on which he has built his home, but he has never really understood.

It is a powerful, unsettling moment. I found myself thinking: what kind of life is possible here? How can life be good? What do we need, when we find surviving, making do and, yes, even loving, is not enough? The answer Ray offers is confronting, and of little comfort: the dream of a postmortem reunion with his dead wife.

This is strong theatre, rendered with unwavering directorial precision from Paige Rattray and committed, finely-crafted performances.

Into the Shimmering World is at the Sydney Theatre Company until May 19.

Read more:
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Ian Maxwell 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. ‘Strong theatre with unwavering precision’: Into the Shimmering World asks us what does it mean to be good? – https://theconversation.com/strong-theatre-with-unwavering-precision-into-the-shimmering-world-asks-us-what-does-it-mean-to-be-good-224864

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hussein Dia, Professor of Future Urban Mobility, Swinburne University of Technology

A mob set fire to a Waymo self-driving taxi in San Francisco last month as residents’ anger about the cars boiled over.

Self-driving “robotaxis” run by Waymo and other operators such as Cruise have been causing major concerns in the United States by failing to react properly to certain traffic situations.

So how do Australians feel about automated vehicles? To find out, we surveyed 562 people about their views on self-driving vehicles.

Overall, our findings showed good public support. Nearly half of our respondents saw autonomous vehicles as a desirable trend and travel option for Australians.

However, three-quarters wanted these vehicles to retain the option of being driven by a person. It’s notable, too, how many respondents were undecided – consistently around a third or more – about the issues put to them.

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So why the anger in the US?

Last October, a robotaxi operated in San Francisco by Cruise struck a pedestrian who had been knocked into its path by another vehicle. Instead of making an emergency stop, it dragged her about six metres along the road. Days later, the company said it would suspend all operations to examine its process and earn back public trust.

Waymo has also had some safety slips. Two Waymo cars crashed into the same pickup truck while it was being towed in Phoenix, Arizona, last December.

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Tesla Autopilot has not been immune to repeated errors either. Last December, Tesla recalled more than 2 million vehicles to fix an Autopilot flaw. The recall followed an investigation by US regulators.

In a further blow to the industry, Apple is reported to have cancelled its secretive “Titan” project to build a self-driving electric car. Billions of dollars were reportedly sunk into the decade-long project.

Read more:
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Public acceptance of vehicles depends on trust

The industry now recognises that creating self-driving vehicles is a much harder technical challenge than previously thought. As recent incidents show, public acceptance and trust are also going to be crucial for their success.

In our representative survey of 562 respondents from Melbourne, the overall results showed good public support.

Around 47% of respondents had a positive view of these vehicles as a desirable trend and travel option for Australians. Only 18% disagreed, though 35% were undecided. Another 47% said vehicle automation would reduce their driving workload.

Sentiment about the benefits of these vehicles was also positive. A majority (51%) believed automated vehicles will provide them with more time to complete other tasks while travelling.

There was also good support for the potential of these vehicles to improve safety and reduce vehicle emissions if they are electrified.

People do not want to surrender all control

Highly automated vehicles do not require any human intervention. Overall, however, respondents did not favour this level of vehicle autonomy.

A large majority (74%) felt these vehicles must have the option of being driven by a person. Giving complete driving responsibility to a computer would make 62% of respondents feel stressed. Around 70% said they would like to control where and when to use the automated functions, and which functions to use.

Around 72% believed automated vehicles must be made identifiable by, for example, a specific label, licence plate or sign.

More than half (55%) thought it was unsafe for children to travel without an adult in a self-driving car.

These findings suggest most people are hesitant about entrusting all driving tasks to automation.

What other concerns do people have?

Around 80% of respondents were concerned about legal and financial liability in the event of a malfunction or crash. They had similar concerns about technology and system failures.

Respondents also raised concerns about how automated vehicles perform in bad weather conditions. Other issues included cyber security and data privacy.

Respondents emphasised concerns about the safety of automated vehicles in mixed traffic. Almost a third were strongly concerned about riding in a self-driving vehicle next to other automated vehicles.

Respondents also had concerns about how these vehicles will interact with other road users. Around 47% were strongly concerned about the safety of self-driving trucks in mixed traffic.

Respondents were more confident about the safety of automated public transport buses.

Read more:
Driverless cars: stopping dead seems to be a default setting when they encounter a problem — it can cause chaos on roads

Ranking the barriers to public acceptance

We asked respondents to rank the barriers to public acceptance on a scale of 1 to 7 (1 is most significant and 7 least significant).

The most prominent concern (46% of respondents ranked it first) was technical reliability or trust in the technology. It ranked as the number-one barrier to public acceptance.

The high price tag of automated vehicles ranked second (31% of respondents). Legal issues (25%) ranked third. Then, in order, came concerns about cyber security, potential erosion of privacy, and technology maturity. Respondents ranked lack of regulations as their least concern – 38% put it in seventh position.

Around 40% of respondents showed a strong willingness to buy an automated vehicle. Their main reasons were to reduce their carbon footprint and for safety.

Almost 47% said competitive purchase costs and lower insurance premiums would increase incentives to buy an automated vehicle. Premiums could fall because some studies expect these vehicles to be safer than human drivers.

What’s next?

These findings enrich the debate on automated vehicle adoption in Australia by offering an understanding of public sentiment. The factors that sway public willingness to embrace these vehicles must be acknowledged. Policymakers, manufacturers and other stakeholders can then focus on resolving the concerns and responding to public desires.

Strategies such as live demonstrations and dedicated travel lanes and routes can help build trust. Financial incentives and policy to resolve legal liabilities are also likely to help foster the uptake of automated vehicles.

While fully autonomous vehicles remain elusive, many automated vehicle technologies available today can still be built into our cars to help improve safety, reduce driving load and emissions, and improve air quality.

Read more:
‘Self-driving’ cars are still a long way off. Here are three reasons why

Automated vehicles can play an important role in a sustainable transport future. But unless public concerns and barriers are addressed, travellers will remain sceptical of vehicle automation, and adoption of these vehicles will stall.

Hussein Dia receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the iMOVE Australia Cooperative Research Centre, Transport for New South Wales, Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, and Beam Mobility Holdings.

Ali Matin acknowledges the PhD scholarship and financial support he is receiving from Swinburne University of Technology.

– ref. Australians are open to self-driving vehicles, but want humans to retain ultimate control – https://theconversation.com/australians-are-open-to-self-driving-vehicles-but-want-humans-to-retain-ultimate-control-225282

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University

The indexation of student debt is arguably the federal government’s biggest political problem when it comes to universities.

Last June, student debt balances increased by 7.1%, the highest rate in decades. While HELP loans do not attract interest, they are indexed to inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

When inflation remained low, this was not an issue for those with a HELP debt. But last year, as inflation rose, on average A$1,700 was added to each borrower’s debt. The next indexation date is approaching on June 1. We won’t know the 2024 indexation rate until the March quarter CPI level is released, but it’s likely to be around 5%.

Read more:
Undernourished, stressed and overworked: cost-of-living pressures are taking a toll on Australians’ health

Calls for change

At the same time, community pressure is building.

An online petition started by independent MP Monique Ryan is calling for a change to the way debts are indexed. It has amassed more than 230,000 signatures. Other independent, Greens, Liberal and backbench Labor MPs are also raising the issue in federal parliament.

Media reports regularly highlight the stress students and graduates experience due to their rising debts.

So what should happen?

In February, the Universities Accord final report proposed setting indexation at the lower of CPI or the Wage Price Index (WPI), which measures wage increases.

The government is now “looking at” this recommendation (along with all the others in the report). But it should be considering an alternative.

While the WPI would have lowered indexation in recent years, in most years it is higher than CPI. This means students would not necessarily be better off.

This is why a fixed maximum indexation rate of 4% would better protect HELP borrowers against unpredictable increases in their student debt.

Read more:
Universities Accord: many students could pay less for their higher education … eventually

A lower-of two indicators indexation system

The accord’s proposed “lower-of two” indicators indexation policy aims to balance competing policy considerations: the cost to government of lending to students and minimising the risk to borrowers of unexpected spikes in their debt.

As of June 30 2023, current and former student borrowers owed $78 billion. Due to the government’s own large debt, it pays significant interest on the student component, which explains why it has not rushed to change indexation policy.

Any economic indicator-based indexation system risks years of high indexation. Using CPI, average indexation between 2000 and 2021 was 2.5%, in line with a strong policy commitment to keep inflation in the 2% to 3% range. But the unusual economic conditions caused by COVID triggered an inflationary spike, flowing through to 3.9% indexation in 2022, 7.1% in 2023 and probably around 5% this year.

This has raised the question of what alternative indicators we could use to index student debts. Suggestions include the government bond rate and measures of wage increases.

The government bond rate

Of these options, the government bond rate makes policy sense if we consider both sides of the transaction. The bond rate is the interest rate the government pays when it borrows money. So it is directly relevant to the cost indexation offsets, which is public debt interest on outstanding student loans.

In most years, CPI is less than the bond rate, so indexation only partly covers the government’s costs. But unusually, CPI indexation exceeded the ten-year bond rate in three of the last four years.

So, the government has made a profit on indexation, which is not a policy goal. Past proposals for “real” interest on student debt (inflation plus a margin), have always failed to secure parliamentary support. Real interest would cost all HELP debtors more than the usual CPI indexation of about 2.5%. So this is a difficult policy to sell politically, as the last two years have shown.

Wage growth indexation

The accord final report preferred a wage measure to the bond rate for indexing student debts.

WPI measures increases in hourly pay rates for the same job. The accord report’s logic is that weak wage growth in recent years undermined the long-term capacity of student debtors to repay. So WPI would maintain a relationship between earnings and debt.

A lower-of either CPI or WPI formula, however, would not reliably save HELP debtors money. WPI has been below inflation indexation levels just four times in the last 25 years. Two of these four are the high indexation years of 2022 and 2023, but these do not reflect the normal relationship between the two indexes.

WPI is usually higher than CPI because workers seek inflation-compensation wage rises plus real wage increases. The COVID lockdown period suppressed both CPI and wage levels. Wages took time to catch up after sudden inflation during the post-lockdown economic recovery. The latest wages figures show they are now again above inflation

Read more:
HECS-HELP loans have become unfair for women but there is a way to fix this

A fixed indexation cap

The accord’s proposed “lower-of inflation or wages” indexation policy can deliver savings to student debtors in specific circumstances. These occurred recently, but are already passing into history. A sustained period of simultaneous high inflation and high wage increases seems unlikely right now but happened in the 1970s. If it happened again student debt indexation under an inflation-wages alternative policy could remain high for years. Government bond rates are also increasing again.

The inherent variability of the economic indicators suggested as CPI alternatives makes them imperfect solutions to the indexation problem. Students and student debtors need to know their loan balances will not increase in unpredictable ways. The government needs to settle indexation as an issue now and for the future.

This is where a lower-of the CPI or 4% indexation system comes in. This would create certainty about future indexation ranges.

While 4% exceeds the long-term indexation average, a lower rate might not win support from a fiscally-constrained government. In most of the last 25 years a 4% maximum would have cost the government nothing compared to the current CPI system.

It is a cheap solution to a politically expensive problem.

Read more:
The 7 new graphs that show inflation falling back to earth

The politics of student debt indexation

This period of high inflation has shown that the politics of student debt have changed. Since the last time indexation exceeded 5%, more than 20 years ago, the number of people with a HELP debt has nearly tripled, to just under 3 million. Almost all of them are citizens entitled to vote.

The Universities Accord final report’s recommendation to significantly increase enrolments would also push up HELP debtor numbers, making them an even larger and more powerful voting constituency.

A 4% indexation maximum would not entirely solve the political problem: 3.9% indexation in 2022 started the current wave of complaints. But the lower of the CPI or 4% would reassure current student debtors and future borrowers that indexation will never be worse than 4% and will usually be much less.

Andrew Norton 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. How do we protect students from ballooning HELP debts? A fixed maximum indexation rate would help – https://theconversation.com/how-do-we-protect-students-from-ballooning-help-debts-a-fixed-maximum-indexation-rate-would-help-226497

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wendy Hargreaves, Senior Learning Advisor, University of Southern Queensland

On April 8 1974, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam announced to parliament the nation’s new national anthem: Advance Australia Fair.

Australia was growing up. We could stop saving “our gracious Queen” and rejoice in being “young” and “girt”.

Finding a new anthem hadn’t been easy. There were unsuccessful songwriting competitions and an unconvincing opinion poll. Finally, we landed on rebooting an Australian favourite from 1878.

After Whitlam’s announcement, Australians argued, state officials declined the change and the next government reinstated the British anthem in part. It took another ten years, another poll and an official proclamation in 1984 to adopt the new anthem uniformly and get on with looking grown-up.

Advance Australia Fair was never the ideal answer to “what shall we sing?”. The original lyrics ignored First Nations people and overlooked women. Like a grunting teenager, it both answered the question and left a lot out.

On its 50th anniversary, it’s time to consider whether we got it right. Advance Australia Fair may have helped Australia transition through the 1970s, but in 2024, has it outstayed its welcome?

How do you pick a national anthem?

A national anthem is a government-authorised song performed at official occasions and celebrations. It unifies people and reinforces national identity. Often, governments nominate a tune by searching through historical patriotic songs to find a golden oldie with known public appeal.

For example, the lyrics of the Japanese anthem Kimigayo came from pre-10th-century poetry. Germany’s anthem Deutschlandlied adopted a 1797 melody from renowned composer Joseph Haydn. An enduring song or text offers star quality, proven popularity and the prestige of age.

In the 1970s, Australia’s attempt at finding a golden oldie was flawed. In that era, many believed Australia’s birth occurred at the arrival of explorer James Cook in 1770. Hence, we narrowed our search to hymns, marches and fanfares from our colonial history for possible anthems.

With 2020s hindsight (pun intended), expecting First Nations people to sing Advance Australia Fair was hypocritical. We wanted to raise Australia’s visibility internationally, yet the custodians of the lands and waterways were unseen by our country’s eyes. We championed “history’s page” with a 19th-century song that participated in racial discrimination.

Changing anthems

With a half-century on the scoreboard, are we locked in to singing Advance Australia Fair forever? No.

Anthems can change. Just ask James Morrison. In 2003, the Australian trumpeter played the Spanish national anthem beautifully at the Davis Cup tennis final. Unfortunately, he played the old anthem that heralded civil war.

Morrison’s accidental performance incited a fist-shaking dignitary and an enraged Spanish team who temporarily refused to play. Morrison did, however, to his embarrassment, later receive some excited fan mail from Spanish revolutionists.

If we want to change our anthem, where could we begin? We could start by revisiting the golden-oldie approach with a more inclusive ear. Perhaps there’s a song from contemporary First Nations musicians we could consider, or a song from their enduring oral tradition that they deem appropriate (and grant permission to use).

If we have learnt anything from Australian history, it’s that we must include and ask – not exclude and take.

We could also consider Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton’s 1987 song I Am Australian, which reached golden-oldie status last year when the National Film and Sound Archive added it to their registry. The lyrics show the acknowledgement and respect of First Nations people that our current anthem lacks. The line “we are one, but we are many” captures the inclusivity with diversity we now value.

I Am Australian wouldn’t be a problem-free choice. Musically, the style is a “light rock” song, not a grand “hymn”, which could be a plus or minus depending on your view. Lyrically, romanticising convicted killer Ned Kelly is controversial, and mispronouncing “Australians” could be considered inauthentic (fair dinkum Aussies say “Au-strail-yins”, not “Au-stray-lee-uhns”).

That said, Australians are quite experienced at patching holes in our anthem. Advance Australia Fair required many adjustments.

Read more:
The Australian National Anthem has a big problem – the average Aussie can’t sing it in tune

If the golden-oldie approach fails again, how about composing a new anthem? We could adopt Kenya’s approach of commissioning an anthem, or could revive the good ol’ songwriting competition. Our past competitions weren’t fruitful, but surely our many talented musicians and poets today can meet the challenge.

It’s time to ask

Fifty years on, we acknowledge Advance Australia Fair as the anthem that moved our nation forward. That was the first and hardest step. Today, if Australians choose, we can retire the song gracefully and try again with a clearer voice.

Changing our anthem begins with asking whether the current song really declares who we are. Have our values, our perspectives and our identity changed in half a century?

Australia, it’s your song. Are you happy to sing Advance Australia Fair for another 50 years?

Read more:
Our national anthem is non-inclusive: Indigenous Australians shouldn’t have to sing it

Wendy Hargreaves 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. 50 years on, Advance Australia Fair no longer reflects the values of many. What could replace it? – https://theconversation.com/50-years-on-advance-australia-fair-no-longer-reflects-the-values-of-many-what-could-replace-it-226737

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Hughes, Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of Mathematics and Physics & UQ College, The University of Queensland

If you’ve ever been taught about how Earth orbits around the Sun, you might well think our planet travels along an oval-shaped path that brings it much closer to the Sun at some times of the year than at others. You’d have a good reason to think that, too: it’s how most textbooks show things.

Indeed, many people assume Earth is closer to the Sun in summer than in winter. As it happens, this is true during summer in the southern hemisphere, but it can’t also be true for summer in the northern hemisphere.

In the southern hemisphere, Earth is 5 million kilometres closer to the Sun in summer than in winter, but it’s the reverse in the northern hemisphere. The average Earth–Sun distance is 150 million kilometres, and the main reason for the seasons is Earth is tilted so each pole is sometimes pointing more toward the Sun and sometimes more away from it.

So Earth’s orbit only has a relatively tiny deviation from perfect circularity. But why is it so often shown as practically an egg shape? And how can we visualise the real situation?

Consider the bike wheel

In order to try to understand myself how circular the orbit of the Earth was and other planets, I decided to compare the shape of Earth’s orbit to an ordinary 26-inch bike wheel by scaling down the real dimensions to fit – and consulting my local bike shop about what the deviations would mean for a real wheel. I was very surprised at the result.

The orbit was far closer to a perfect circle than I had previously thought. If the orbit were a 26-inch (660.4mm) bicycle wheel the deviation from a perfect circle would be less than 0.1mm. That’s comparable to a thin coat of paint – essentially indistinguishable from a perfect circle to the naked eye.

I looked at the other planets, too. The orbits of Venus and Neptune are even closer to perfect circles, with the orbit of Venus deviating only 14μm (a μm or micrometre is a millionth of a metre) and Neptune 31μm.

The planets with the least circular orbits are Mars and Mercury. If the orbit of Mars were a 26-inch bike wheel it would be out by just less than 3mm – hardly noticeable if you were riding a bike with a wheel out of true by this amount.

Mercury has the least circular of the orbits, with a deviation of 14mm, although this is still only 2%.

If you have a bike, chances are its wheels are not even as circular as Mars’s orbit. If you’ve had a decent collision with a curb or rock, your front wheel might even be less circular than the orbit of Mercury.

A tiny deviation

Mathematically minded readers might have a question after reading the above: if Earth is on average 150 million kilometres from the Sun, and this distance varies by 5 million kilometres over the course of a year, shouldn’t the deviation in its orbit be a little over 3%?

The answer to this question is the Sun is not at the centre of the ellipse but offset to one side as a point called the focus. If during formation, a planet travelled at just the right speed to counteract gravity it would travel in a circle.

However, in the real universe planets rarely go at just the right speed for a circle. Sometimes they travel a bit faster and sometimes slower, which can only be achieved with an elliptical orbit.

Coming full circle

Thousands of years ago, the ancient Greeks believed all celestial objects orbited around the Earth, travelling in perfect circles.

This idea held sway for about 1,500 years, until Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543) realised the planets (including Earth) actually orbited around the Sun.

Copernicus thought the orbits were circular. Later, German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler (1571–1630) realised he was wrong and came up with the three laws of planetary motion.

The first law is the orbits of the planets are elliptical and not circular. The third law links the size of a planet’s orbit to the amount of time it takes in a way that’s a bit too complicated for us to get into here.

Read more:
Copernicus’ revolution and Galileo’s vision: our changing view of the universe in pictures

The second law is that, if you draw line from the Sun to any given planet, the line will sweep out equal areas in equal amounts of time as the planet moves. Think of pizza – a narrow wedge of a large pizza can have the same area as a wide wedge of a small pizza. This happens because planets move faster when they are closer to the Sun.

The main reason why orbits are drawn as ellipses in textbooks is to demonstrate Kepler’s second law. If the orbit of the Earth was drawn as shown in the correctly scaled diagram it would be impossible to see any difference in the wedges.

However, this can give the impression the orbit of the Earth is far more elliptical than it actually is. Such diagrams are not actually wrong – they are an exaggeration, a kind of mathematical caricature that emphasises an important feature.

Although the ancient Greeks were wrong about the Earth being at the centre of the solar system they were not far wrong about the orbits of the planets. So, if you’ll excuse the pun, we have come full circle.

Stephen Hughes 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. Earth, the Sun and a bike wheel: why your high-school textbook was wrong about the shape of Earth’s orbit – https://theconversation.com/earth-the-sun-and-a-bike-wheel-why-your-high-school-textbook-was-wrong-about-the-shape-of-earths-orbit-225200

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Divna Haslam, Senior Research Fellow, Queensland University of Technology

A special episode of the hit kids show Bluey will premiere on April 14. The episode will run for 28 minutes, which is four times the usual length of a Bluey episode. My kids are excited. In fact, I am too. As a parenting researcher and a mother I am a big Bluey fan.

If you’re feeling guilty about letting your children watch yet another episode of Bluey, you shouldn’t. Bluey is a valuable show for kids and families, promoting a variety of positive messages.

Before we get to these, an important caveat. Parents get lots of messages about limiting screen time. Excess screen time is linked with poor outcomes including lower levels of parent-child interaction and poorer cognitive and socio-emotional development for children.

So following the guidelines on screen time is important (this includes no screen time for children under two). I’m not endorsing unlimited Bluey, but a couple of 7-minute episodes, and even the new 28-minute episode, fit within recommended guidelines.

Why is Bluey good for families?

First, it models present, calm, engaged parents. Children benefit from positive parents who show affection, set consistent boundaries, and use assertive, non-violent forms of discipline. It’s particularly nice to see Bandit as a hands-on dad, even if mum Chilli seems to carry most of the mental load.

Second, it normalises the realities of parenting we all face. The show depicts the joys of parenting but also the challenges. For example, in the episode Sheepdog we see mum saying she just needs 20 minutes by herself. Every parent can relate to needing a break. And even better, she actually takes the time. Looking after ourselves is vital. Kids benefit when their parents’ own needs are met.

Third, the show tackles important issues such as infertility and male mental health. This provides a context for parents and general viewers to talk about these topics. You’d be surprised how many non-parents have watched Bluey.

Finally, it pushes gender norms. Those unfamiliar with the show often assume the main character is a boy, and are surprised to learn that both Bluey and Bingo are girls. A children’s show with two female protagonists that’s popular globally with children of all genders is a big step forward for gender equality.

Read more:
‘Making up games is more important than you think’: why Bluey is a font of parenting wisdom

5 tips to get the most out of watching Bluey

1. Watch it with your kids

I don’t mean catching up on work emails while it’s on in the background. I mean actively watching it with your kids. While it’s tempting to use your children’s screen time to catch up on tasks, research has shown co-viewing high-quality shows is linked with better language skills and may mitigate some of the negative effects of screen time.

2. Talk about the show

Every episode has a multitude of conversation starters. Talk to your children about what’s happening during the episode. Ask why characters are making the decisions they’re making. Discuss how different characters might be feeling and why.

Research suggests talking with children about shows and books can help develop children’s empathy and emotional understanding. It also helps children see situations from other people’s perspectives, which is an important life skill.

3. Use it as a springboard for imaginative play

Play is important for children. It helps develop executive function (the ability to plan, focus and juggle multiple tasks) and prosocial behaviours such as sharing, turn taking, and showing kindness and empathy.

You are not limited to the games Bluey and Bingo love like “shadowland” (where children can only walk on shadows) and “restuarants” (where children pretend to run a pizza shop), but you can start with these if this style of play is new for your family. The best types of imaginative play are child-led, so encourage your child to determine the rules of the game. Start by asking “what shall we pretend today?”

4. Reflect on your own parenting

Chilli and Bandit are good models of positive parents. They use evidence-based parenting strategies such as calmly responding to misbehaviour, giving clear instructions and showing affection. But they’re not perfect, and neither are we. They get tired and they make mistakes but most importantly they learn from them and try to improve.

This is a key lesson for us all. No parent is perfect all the time. What matters is doing our best, looking after ourselves and getting support when needed.

Read more:
‘That’s cricket, kid’: what Bluey can teach us about the spirit of the game

5. Highlight behaviour you want to see

Bluey and Bingo are generally good role models for kids. To encourage similar behaviour in your children, comment on positive things Bluey and Bingo do, noting what you admire about their actions (for example, “wasn’t that great how Bingo waited for Bandit to finish talking?”). Then look out for opportunities to praise your child when you notice them behaving well in real life. Praise works best when you’re specific about what you like and are being genuine.

A final word

While watching an episode or two of Bluey should be guilt-free, it’s important to engage in variety of physical and intellectual activities with children.

If you’re going to watch Bluey or another programme with your kids, it’s especially important this doesn’t come at the expense of reading with them, which is enormously beneficial for children. Research comparing reading with children and co-viewing TV shows shows reading is associated with much richer language interactions between parents and children, which may improve language development.

For bonus points, add some Bluey books into bedtime reading.

Divna Haslam has received funding from various granting bodies and the Australian government for parenting and family-related research. She is a contributing author to the Triple P Positive Parenting Program and a member of the Parenting and Family Research Alliance. She has no affiliation with the Bluey program.

– ref. A bumper Bluey episode is about to hit screens. 5 ways to get the most out of watching the show with your kids – https://theconversation.com/a-bumper-bluey-episode-is-about-to-hit-screens-5-ways-to-get-the-most-out-of-watching-the-show-with-your-kids-224638

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kerrie Sadiq, Professor of Taxation, QUT Business School, and ARC Future Fellow, Queensland University of Technology

Australia talks a big game on global tax avoidance.

It has prepared draft legislation it says will make sure all companies with global revenue of at least A$1.2 billion, whether headquartered here or overseas, pay at least 15% on the profits they make in Australia.

It’s part of a united effort by about 140 countries co-ordinated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the so-called G20 group of rich industrial countries.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says it will make big multinationals pay their fair share.

But in other, broader forums Australia is showing itself to be less keen to make multinationals pay up.

The resolution Australia voted to block

What happened at the United Nations General Assembly in November is hard to square with Australia wanting big companies to pay their share.

In November, the assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution that called on all countries to work together to ensure multinationals pay tax in the locations in which they make their money. It established a committee to draft the terms of reference for a UN convention on international tax co-operation.

A total of 125 nations voted in favour of the resolution. Only 48 voted against it, one of which was Australia, along with Canada and New Zealand.

It was left to a representative of New Zealand to explain on behalf of Canada and Australia why the group of three was unable to support the resolution.

She said the resolution “focused on developing a binding legal arrangement without first assessing existing gaps in the current system” and called on the UN to work more closely with the OECD.

Part of the rich nations’ club?

What Australia and most of the other nations that opposed the resolution had in common was that they were rich industrial countries whose multinational corporations invested offshore. Most were OECD members.

What most of the 125 nations that put forward the resolution had in common was that they were poorer and played host to multinational corporations.

The signalling was stark: the richer countries preferred the international tax system we have – the one that grants taxing rights to the countries that multinational countries call home rather than the countries in which those multinational corporations derive their profits.

Read more:
Why taxing big companies at 15% won’t fix the gaping hole in global tax

The genesis of the UN resolution dates back more than a century when the UN’s predecessor, the League of Nations, first looked at the question of where taxes should be levied.

Recognising the hydra-headed nature of multinational corporations, the league’s experts suggested the fairest thing would be to measure the total profits of each enterprise and then divide up the taxing rights according to where the profits were generated.

What would come into play would be where they sold their products, where they employed their workers and where they obtained their resources.

Rich capital-exporting nations objected. They wanted more taxing rights for themselves and fewer for the nations in which their corporations operated.

Following the second world war, the United Nations replaced the League of Nations and tax discussion was sidelined.

In 1963, the newly formed OECD, which at the time represented mainly rich nations and did not include Australia, drew up a “model” treaty that allocated more taxing rights to the countries in which corporations were headquartered than those in which they operated.

The battle lines were drawn between the OECD, representing mainly the richest countries (now including Australia), and the United Nations, dominated numerically by poorer countries.

Australia conflicted

Australia has a foot in both camps. It both plays host to foreign multinationals that mine its minerals and sell to its citizens, and headquarters Australian corporations that do the same thing overseas.

Initiatives such as the 15% global minimum tax will go some way towards ensuring multinationals can no longer avoid paying tax altogether in the countries in which they operate, but won’t grant those countries primary taxing rights.

The November resolution introduced by Nigeria was a genuine attempt to give nations that host multinationals (most of them poor) guaranteed taxing power.

When asked to vote, Australia threw its lot in with the rich.

Kerrie Sadiq receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

Richard Krever receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

– ref. Why is Australia helping to block a move to tax multinational corporations properly? – https://theconversation.com/why-is-australia-helping-to-block-a-move-to-tax-multinational-corporations-properly-219305

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Waghorn, Lecturer, School of Education, RMIT University

While much attention has been drawn to the detrimental impact of violent video games on children’s developing brains, there has been relatively little discussion regarding the negative effects of news and current affair programs children are exposed to.

When people consume news and current affairs, it’s hard to escape tragic events, from natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and events that include loss of human life.

But do we stop to consider what distressing media is doing to our kids?

Read more:
From ‘Vladdy daddy’ to fake TikToks: how to guide your child through Ukraine news online

How children are impacted

Research undertaken by the Audience Research Department of the Netherlands Broadcasting Corporation found young children who are exposed to news and current affair programs can be impacted so much that they start viewing the world as a scarier place. Research was undertaken through random telephone interviews with 537 Dutch children, with 48.2% of respondents stating they a fear reaction to watching adult news.

The study found children aged between 7-12 were most afraid of interpersonal violence and natural disasters such as fires, accidents and other disasters.

Researchers from the study even found children’s symptoms are like a trauma response – including intruding thoughts (memories that pop into a child’s head, nightmares, repeated discussion around events), avoidance (refusal to talk about news events, or to participate in school activities) and changes to arousal and reactivity (increased irritability and anger outbursts, difficulties in concentrating).

Even subtle exposure needs to be monitored

Even when children are playing in the background, if adults have the news on, children can be listening in.

Children under the age of seven might not understand the content, which can cause confusion, therefore raising worry and anxiety. This is because children under the age of seven do not have the brain function to mentally manipulate information, and can’t see things from another point of view.

Older teens, meanwhile, generally gain much of their news content from the internet and social media, meaning some parents are not aware of how much, or what, they are exposed to. However, due to their age, they are able to have a greater understanding of different perspectives.

Read more:
Should parents expose children to news on terrorism?

Getting the balance right

According to psychological therapist Annie Gurton, different age groups require different strategies when it comes to consuming news and current affairs:

1. children under the age of seven may perceive televised events as live occurrences, leading them to believe traumatic incidents are recurring when they see repeated broadcasts. They are likely to be greatly disturbed by images depicting suffering, crying, or violence

2. between 7-12, children tend to grasp that news reports convey events that have already taken place. They are increasingly capable of empathising with victims, and may get anxious about the safety of themselves and their family when encountering distressing stories

3. teenagers aged 13 and older tend to exhibit heightened emotional responses to distressing events, often experiencing fear and deep concern for their and their family’s safety. They may project such events into the future and worry about potential risks. However, they are also capable of reasoning and understanding statistical explanations, which can provide reassurance and alleviate their anxieties.

There is no magic timeframe for parents to introduce their children to news and current affairs, however it is important that we consider not just the age, but the maturity and understanding levels of the individual child.

However, we do know it’s important for children to take a break from the coverage.

Setting a viewing limit of 30-60 minutes before encouraging children to get up and do something else is important.

Chat about it

A perfect opportunity to support children to know more about the world, without exposing them to the potential downside of the news, is to teach them about why you need to censor their viewing.

This can help teach children to regulate their emotions, by expressing themselves when they see things that are upsetting. This might include empathising with young children under the age of seven by saying something like: “I know you really want to watch the news, but some media can report events that are not safe for you to hear.”

For an older child, it could be: “I am happy for you to watch the ‘good news’ stories but other events that are televised we need to watch together.”

The Raising Children Network has some fantastic tips for parents of school-age children when it comes to distressing news events:

1. turn off and take a break – this might mean allowing families 30 minutes to catch up on the main headlines, but then getting up and doing something else

2. age-appropriate information – children will cope better if they have age-appropriate information given to them. For example, during fire season, you might talk to your children about how due to the extreme heat, the ground gets very dry, resulting in an increase of fires. This is why we have total fire ban days to reduce that risk.

3. talk to your children – explain, at an age-appropriate level, what they have watched and allow for open communication about what has happened. Allow them to ask questions and reflect

4. monitor your children’s reactions to the news – ask them how they’re feeling and share how you’re feeling.

A great first step into the world of news and current affairs for children is programs like the ABC’s “Behind The News”, as parents and kids can watch together and discuss afterwards.

Elise Waghorn 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. Kids and ‘bad’ news: how can parents safely introduce their children to news and current affairs? – https://theconversation.com/kids-and-bad-news-how-can-parents-safely-introduce-their-children-to-news-and-current-affairs-226609

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

The food and grocery code of conduct should be made mandatory to help rectify the heavy imbalance between suppliers and supermarkets, an inquiry by former Labor minister Craig Emerson has recommended.

Emerson says in his interim report, released Monday, that the mandatory code should apply to all supermarkets with annual revenues of more than $5 billion (indexed for inflation). This would cover Coles, Woolworths and ALDI, and wholesaler Metcash.

As well, the code “should be strengthened to better protect suppliers, with new protections against retribution, since suppliers’ fear of retribution compromises the code’s effectiveness,” the report says.

It says while many stakeholders said the voluntary code, introduced in 2015, had improved the supermarkets’ behaviour, the inquiry heard “many examples of opportunistic behaviours persisting”.

The voluntary code doesn’t contain penalties. Although it provides for compensation for suppliers (up to $5 million) if a code arbiter finds in the supplier’s favour, no compensation has been awarded. Since the beginning of the dispute-resolution provisions in 2021, only six disputes have been lodged with code arbiters.

The voluntary code applies only to supermarkets that elect to be bound by it. The inquiry says for the code to be effective it needs “to capture as much adverse conduct as possible, be subject to the credible threat of effective enforcement and not be undermined by the threat of signatories walking away from their commitments”. Only a mandatory code could achieve this, it says.

The report makes a number of firm recommendations, that won’t change, and others on the detail of which it will consult with stakeholders before the final report goes to the government mid-year.

To enforce the mandatory code the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission would be able to seek penalties of up to $10 million, 10% of a supermarket’s annual turnover or three times the benefit it gained from the breach – whichever was the greatest.

But Emerson – who served as competition minister in the former Labor government – says relying on legal proceedings alone wouldn’t be effective, and he proposes “a low-cost alternative” as well.

This would replicate processes for independent medication and arbitration operating in other industries, while also allowing for the way complaints are handled under the present voluntary code.

Supermarkets would be strongly encouraged to pay compensation where that was recommended, which could be capped at $5 million.

Among the firm recommendations is that the code should have more emphasis on addressing the fear of retribution. Also, supermarkets “should ensure that any incentive schemes and payments that apply to their buying teams and category managers are consistent with the purpose of the code”.

The draft recommendations on which the inquiry will consult are that

.. the mandatory code should include informal, confidential and low-cost processes for resolving disputes, providing options for independent mediation and arbitration – various suggestions are made on how this could be done

.. supermarkets are encouraged to commit to pay compensation of up to $5 million to resolve disputes, where that is recommended

.. specific obligations under the code should set minimum standards that cannot be contracted out of in supply agreements

… the government should consider increasing infringement notice amounts for the code.

The inquiry rejects the recommendation from former ACCC head Allan Fels’ inquiry into price gouging for a power to force divestiture to address market power issues.

Divestiture could result in greater market concentration, or other problems, the Emerson report says. “This review’s recommendations to make the code mandatory, with heavy penalties for major breaches will, alongside effective enforcement of the existing competition laws, constitute a far more credible deterrent to anti-competitive behaviour than forced divestiture laws.”

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. Inquiry into supermarkets says make voluntary code of conduct mandatory but don’t bring in divestiture power – https://theconversation.com/inquiry-into-supermarkets-says-make-voluntary-code-of-conduct-mandatory-but-dont-bring-in-divestiture-power-227327

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

At the March 23 Tasmanian state election, the Liberals won 14 of the 35 lower house seats, Labor ten, the Greens five, the Jacqui Lambie Network (JLN) three and independents three. This leaves the Liberals four short of the 18 needed for a majority.

The independents are the re-elected left-wing Kristie Johnston, former Labor MP David O’Byrne and anti-salmon farm campaigner Craig Garland.

Before the distribution of preferences began after the postal receipt deadline passed last Tuesday, the Liberals had been expected to win 15 seats, but lost a seat to Garland in Braddon.

This means the JLN alone is not sufficient to get the 18 votes needed for a majority. The Liberals will need JLN and at least one independent, but all three independents have some left-wing views. Labor has already conceded the election.

At the 2021 election, the Liberals had won 13 of the then 25 seats, Labor nine, the Greens two and an independent one, for a bare Liberal majority. In May 2023, two Liberal MPs had defected to the crossbench and eventually caused this early election; neither was re-elected.

Tasmania uses five electorates that each return seven members. The quota for election is one-eighth of the vote, or 12.5%. I previously explained the Hare-Clark system that is used in Tasmanian elections.

Read more:
Liberals will win most seats in Tasmanian election, but be short of a majority

Electors vote for candidates, not parties, and this results in parties losing votes to leakage when their candidates are either elected (resulting in a surplus that needs to be distributed) or excluded. In contrast, lone independents cannot leak, but just gain votes during the distribution of preferences process.

The most interesting electorate was Braddon, where the Liberals started with 3.65 quotas, Labor 1.97, the JLN 0.91, the Greens 0.52 and Garland 0.40. But leakage from both the Liberals and Greens helped Garland to win the final Braddon seat. He had 0.64 quotas to 0.56 for the Greens when the Greens were excluded, and defeated the fourth Liberal by 0.88 quotas to 0.73.

In Franklin, the Liberals had started with 2.72 quotas, Labor 2.18, the Greens 1.58, the JLN 0.38 and O’Byrne 0.70. The Liberals won the final seat by 0.89 quotas to 0.76 for the Greens, with many left-wing votes going to O’Byrne, who made it to a full quota.

In Lyons, the Liberals started with 3.00 quotas, Labor 2.62, the Greens 0.86 and the JLN 0.66. Preferences from mostly right-wing others gave the JLN an easy win, as they finished with 0.96 quotas, to 0.93 for the Greens and 0.63 for Labor’s third candidate. The JLN and the Greens were elected to the final two seats.

Final statewide vote shares were 36.7% Liberals (down 12.1% since the 2021 election), 29.0% Labor (up 0.8%), 13.9% Greens (up 1.5%), 6.7% JLN (new), 8.0% independents (up 2.9%) and 5.7% others (up 0.2%).

There were two polls from uComms and Freshwater taken about a fortnight before the election that had Labor at about 23%. There were no late Tasmanian polls. There may have been late movement to Labor and against independents in the final two weeks, or the polls may have understated Labor’s support.

Federal YouGov poll: 51–49 to Labor

A national YouGov poll, conducted March 22–27 from a sample of 1,513, gave Labor a 51–49 lead, a one-point gain for the Coalition since the previous YouGov poll in early March. Primary votes were 38% Coalition (up one), 32% Labor (steady), 13% Greens (down two), 7% One Nation (up one) and 10% for all Others (steady).

After jumping ten points in the previous poll, Albanese’s net approval dropped five points to -11, with 52% dissatisfied and 41% satisfied. Dutton’s net approval slipped one point to -11. Albanese led Dutton as preferred PM by 46–34, down from 48–34 previously.

Asked what aspect of Easter was most important, 37% said time off work, 27% celebrating the death and resurrection of Christ, 18% Easter eggs and 17% hot cross buns.

Newspoll aggregate data for January to March

The Australian released aggregate data on March 31 for the three Newspolls taken from late January to late March, from a combined sample size of 3,691. The Poll Bludger reported the biggest change in the state breakdowns from the November to December period was a slump for Labor in Western Australia from a 54–46 lead to a 51–49 deficit.

There were two other five-point movements against Labor in demographic breakdowns, with Labor’s lead among voters aged 18 to 34 narrowing from 66–34 to 61–39, and their lead with non-English speakers narrowing from 60–40 to 55–45.

Education breakdowns had Labor losing three points with no tertiary education voters to fall to a 50–50 tie, but gaining a point with the university educated to lead 55–45, while the TAFE educated remained at a 50–50 tie.

Morgan poll and additional Resolve questions

A national Morgan poll, conducted March 25–31 from a sample of 1,677, gave Labor a 51–49 lead, a one-point gain for Labor since the previous week. Primary votes were 37.5% Coalition (down 0.5), 30% Labor (down 1.5), 15.5% Greens (up 1.5), 3.5% One Nation (down one), 9% independents (up 1.5) and 4.5% others (steady).

This is the highest support for the Greens in a Morgan poll since September 2023.

I previously covered the late March Resolve federal poll for Nine newspapers. In additional questions, 57% said there had been a rise in racism and religious intolerance as a result of the Israel-Gaza conflict, while 15% said there had not. By 56–19, respondents thought Australia needed stronger laws to ban hate speech on the basis of religion and faith.

By 74–4, respondents supported prosecuting those who engage in the malicious publication of private information online (“doxxing”) under a new federal criminal law.

Tammy Tyrrell quits JLN

On March 28, Tasmanian senator Tammy Tyrrell resigned from the Jacqui Lambie Network, but will remain a senator, sitting as an independent. This means Lambie herself is now the only JLN senator.

Tyrrell was elected in 2022, so her term does not end until June 2028 unless there is a double dissolution. Lidia Thorpe, who resigned from the Greens in February 2023, also has a term that ends in June 2028.

Adrian Beaumont 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. Liberals will have difficulty forming government after final Tasmanian results – https://theconversation.com/liberals-will-have-difficulty-forming-government-after-final-tasmanian-results-226906

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

At the March 23 Tasmanian state election, the Liberals won 14 of the 35 lower house seats, Labor ten, the Greens five, the Jacqui Lambie Network (JLN) three and independents three. This leaves the Liberals four short of the 18 needed for a majority.

The independents are the re-elected left-wing Kristie Johnston, former Labor MP David O’Byrne and anti-salmon farm campaigner Craig Garland.

Before the distribution of preferences began after the postal receipt deadline passed last Tuesday, the Liberals had been expected to win 15 seats, but lost a seat to Garland in Braddon.

This means the JLN alone is not sufficient to get the 18 votes needed for a majority. The Liberals will need JLN and at least one independent, but all three independents have some left-wing views. Labor has already conceded the election.

At the 2021 election, the Liberals had won 13 of the then 25 seats, Labor nine, the Greens two and an independent one, for a bare Liberal majority. In May 2023, two Liberal MPs had defected to the crossbench and eventually caused this early election; neither was re-elected.

Tasmania uses five electorates that each return seven members. The quota for election is one-eighth of the vote, or 12.5%. I previously explained the Hare-Clark system that is used in Tasmanian elections.

Read more:
Liberals will win most seats in Tasmanian election, but be short of a majority

Electors vote for candidates, not parties, and this results in parties losing votes to leakage when their candidates are either elected (resulting in a surplus that needs to be distributed) or excluded. In contrast, lone independents cannot leak, but just gain votes during the distribution of preferences process.

The most interesting electorate was Braddon, where the Liberals started with 3.65 quotas, Labor 1.97, the JLN 0.91, the Greens 0.52 and Garland 0.40. But leakage from both the Liberals and Greens helped Garland to win the final Braddon seat. He had 0.64 quotas to 0.56 for the Greens when the Greens were excluded, and defeated the fourth Liberal by 0.88 quotas to 0.73.

In Franklin, the Liberals had started with 2.72 quotas, Labor 2.18, the Greens 1.58, the JLN 0.38 and O’Byrne 0.70. The Liberals won the final seat by 0.89 quotas to 0.76 for the Greens, with many left-wing votes going to O’Byrne, who made it to a full quota.

In Lyons, the Liberals started with 3.00 quotas, Labor 2.62, the Greens 0.86 and the JLN 0.66. Preferences from mostly right-wing others gave the JLN an easy win, as they finished with 0.96 quotas, to 0.93 for the Greens and 0.63 for Labor’s third candidate. The JLN and the Greens were elected to the final two seats.

Final statewide vote shares were 36.7% Liberals (down 12.1% since the 2021 election), 29.0% Labor (up 0.8%), 13.9% Greens (up 1.5%), 6.7% JLN (new), 8.0% independents (up 2.9%) and 5.7% others (up 0.2%).

There were two polls from uComms and Freshwater taken about a fortnight before the election that had Labor at about 23%. There were no late Tasmanian polls. There may have been late movement to Labor and against independents in the final two weeks, or the polls may have understated Labor’s support.

Federal YouGov poll: 51–49 to Labor

A national YouGov poll, conducted March 22–27 from a sample of 1,513, gave Labor a 51–49 lead, a one-point gain for the Coalition since the previous YouGov poll in early March. Primary votes were 38% Coalition (up one), 32% Labor (steady), 13% Greens (down two), 7% One Nation (up one) and 10% for all Others (steady).

After jumping ten points in the previous poll, Albanese’s net approval dropped five points to -11, with 52% dissatisfied and 41% satisfied. Dutton’s net approval slipped one point to -11. Albanese led Dutton as preferred PM by 46–34, down from 48–34 previously.

Asked what aspect of Easter was most important, 37% said time off work, 27% celebrating the death and resurrection of Christ, 18% Easter eggs and 17% hot cross buns.

Newspoll aggregate data for January to March

The Australian released aggregate data on March 31 for the three Newspolls taken from late January to late March, from a combined sample size of 3,691. The Poll Bludger reported the biggest change in the state breakdowns from the November to December period was a slump for Labor in Western Australia from a 54–46 lead to a 51–49 deficit.

There were two other five-point movements against Labor in demographic breakdowns, with Labor’s lead among voters aged 18 to 34 narrowing from 66–34 to 61–39, and their lead with non-English speakers narrowing from 60–40 to 55–45.

Education breakdowns had Labor losing three points with no tertiary education voters to fall to a 50–50 tie, but gaining a point with the university educated to lead 55–45, while the TAFE educated remained at a 50–50 tie.

Morgan poll and additional Resolve questions

A national Morgan poll, conducted March 25–31 from a sample of 1,677, gave Labor a 51–49 lead, a one-point gain for Labor since the previous week. Primary votes were 37.5% Coalition (down 0.5), 30% Labor (down 1.5), 15.5% Greens (up 1.5), 3.5% One Nation (down one), 9% independents (up 1.5) and 4.5% others (steady).

This is the highest support for the Greens in a Morgan poll since September 2023.

I previously covered the late March Resolve federal poll for Nine newspapers. In additional questions, 57% said there had been a rise in racism and religious intolerance as a result of the Israel-Gaza conflict, while 15% said there had not. By 56–19, respondents thought Australia needed stronger laws to ban hate speech on the basis of religion and faith.

By 74–4, respondents supported prosecuting those who engage in the malicious publication of private information online (“doxxing”) under a new federal criminal law.

Tammy Tyrrell quits JLN

On March 28, Tasmanian senator Tammy Tyrrell resigned from the Jacqui Lambie Network, but will remain a senator, sitting as an independent. This means Lambie herself is now the only JLN senator.

Tyrrell was elected in 2022, so her term does not end until June 2028 unless there is a double dissolution. Lidia Thorpe, who resigned from the Greens in February 2023, also has a term that ends in June 2028.

Adrian Beaumont 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. Difficult for Liberals to form government after final Tasmanian results – https://theconversation.com/difficult-for-liberals-to-form-government-after-final-tasmanian-results-226906

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Guy C. Charlton, Associate Professor, University of New England

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s recent unsuccessful demand to have the central government repay the GST levied on property rates is the latest salvo in the battle over funding for local government in New Zealand.

It points to the topsy-turvy state of local government finance and the inability of central government to address local government financial and public policy concerns.

It’s also the result of poor decision-making by local governments to properly invest or adequately monitor their operating costs.

These problems hurt both ratepayers’ pocketbooks and quality of life. The issues also starve local governments of the funds they need to provide services and invest in important infrastructure.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Central government can ease the burden on ratepayers while helping local government to balance the books. The question is: will it?

Rates are on the rise

Auckland has proposed, on average, a 13.75% increase in rates. The Wellington Regional Council is proposing a 19.8% increase and Lower Hutt has proposed a 16.9% increase starting July 1. Hamilton is proposing a 25.5% rate hike, while Buller District Council is proposing a 31.8% rates increase.

These increased rates are the result of inflationary pressures that have impacted local government operations. It is estimated the increase in operating costs and infrastructure will require councils to scrap or delay 20% of proposed projects.

Read more:
Don’t believe the backlash – the benefits of NZ investing more in cycling will far outweigh the costs

Like many local governments across the world, New Zealand’s local governments rely on property taxes to fund a major portion of their operations. However, local taxation has not risen despite increasing responsibilities and public expectations.

In February, S&P Global Ratings reported that local government rates had not increased as a percentage of the economy (around 2%) in the past 100 years. This is compared with central government taxation, which has gone up 200% in the same period.

Councils carrying the weight of national objectives

This lack of growth is particularly alarming given the increased obligations assigned to local governments under the Resource Management Act, Local Government Act 2002 and a host of other legislation.

The lack of alternate sources of funding and tax authority has led to an over-reliance on rates. Rates account for more than half of council funding.

Even with increased central government transfers, the needed investments and increased costs faced by local councils have created an unsustainable situation which has been papered over by local government debt.

As a consequence, local councils’ average debt levels are much higher than similarly rated northern European countries – about 180% of revenue.

At the same time, the central government has a comparatively low debt rate. According to the OECD, the debt in 2023 was 56.6% of GDP. This compares with a 120.8% on average across the OECD. Clearly, there is room for more central government involvement.

These problems are exacerbated by the government’s repeal of the Auckland petrol surcharge and the axing of Labour’s Three Waters reform. This reform would have amalgamated the 67 council-owned authorities managing drinking, waste and stormwater.

Supporters of the reforms argued larger entities would have the financial capacity to address underlying infrastructure deficiencies. Similarly, the Auckland region petrol tax was meant to fund infrastructure improvements and public transport alternatives.

But with the government’s unequivocal rejection of these local financing options, one wonders where sufficient funding to repair and replace ageing infrastructure will be sourced, much less the new infrastructure and services needed to meet the needs of a growing population.

Councils need to have the authority to enact accommodation levies, congestion charging, expanded tax incremental and development districts, tourist levies and sales and excise taxes, such as the recently removed petrol levy in Auckland, as well as increased access to GST funds.

Read more:
If we want to improve NZ’s freshwater quality, first we need to improve the quality of our democracy

The central government also needs to provide funding in lieu of rates on Crown property or allow local councils to charge rates on Crown land.

This would avoid the often unfair or strained use of targeted rates to raise funds which should be borne more generally by all taxpayers, as well as the odd “tax-on-a-tax” Auckland’s mayor was complaining about.

At the same time, the central government needs to increase transfers to local councils and provide additional funding that can be put toward particular policy objectives, such as the 2018 Provincial Growth Fund.

Poor funding puts communities at risk

The Future of Local Government report noted local government needs to deal with three different kinds of infrastructure: physical infrastructure (for example, roads, water and waste); social infrastructure (libraries and parks); and civic infrastructure (actions and practices that can leverage community engagement).

Funding shortfalls put these objectives at risk.

When New Zealand was first organised as a self-governing colony in 1853, the basic unit of government was considered to be local provinces and cities. Over time, policymakers appreciated the need to centralise policy and finance. This is reflected in the growth of the central government over the past 100 years.

However, centralisation and distance from on-the-ground problems have created the need for a new social compact. While central government finances are in relatively good shape, local governments have struggled.

This is unfair and counterproductive.

It does not recognise that New Zealanders move about the country in search of economic opportunity and quality of life. Their tax dollars should provide a basic level of local services and infrastructure.

Guy C. Charlton 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. There is a ceiling on rate increases. It’s time to look for alternatives to local government funding – https://theconversation.com/there-is-a-ceiling-on-rate-increases-its-time-to-look-for-alternatives-to-local-government-funding-226493

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karleen Gribble, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University

Parents are often faced with well-meaning opinions and conflicting advice about what to feed their babies.

The latest guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends formula-fed babies can switch to cow’s milk from six months. Australian advice says parents should wait until 12 months. No wonder some parents, and the health professionals who advise them, are confused.

So what do parents need to know about the latest advice? And when is cow’s milk an option?

Read more:
Why is toddler milk so popular? Follow the money

What’s the updated advice?

Last year, the WHO updated its global feeding guideline for children under two years old. This included recommending babies who are partially or totally formula fed can have whole animal milks (for example, full-fat cow’s milk) from six months.

This recommendation was made after a systematic review of research by WHO comparing the growth, health and development of babies fed infant formula from six months of age with those fed pasteurised or boiled animal milks.

The review found no evidence the growth and development of babies who were fed infant formula was any better than that of babies fed whole, fresh animal milks.

The review did find an increase in iron deficiency anaemia in babies fed fresh animal milk. However, WHO noted this could be prevented by giving babies iron-rich solid foods daily from six months.

On the strength of the available evidence, the WHO recommended babies fed infant formula, alone or in addition to breastmilk, can be fed animal milk or infant formula from six months of age.

The WHO said that animal milks fed to infants could include pasteurised full-fat fresh milk, reconstituted evaporated milk, fermented milk or yoghurt. But this should not include flavoured or sweetened milk, condensed milk or skim milk.

Why is this controversial?

Australian government guidelines recommend “cow’s milk should not be given as the main drink to infants under 12 months”. This seems to conflict with the updated WHO advice. However, WHO’s advice is targeted at governments and health authorities rather than directly at parents.

The Australian dietary guidelines are under review and the latest WHO advice is expected to inform that process.

Read more:
Misleading food labels contribute to babies and toddlers eating too much sugar. 3 things parents can do

OK, so how about iron?

Iron is an essential nutrient for everyone but it is particularly important for babies as it is vital for growth and brain development. Babies’ bodies usually store enough iron during the final few weeks of pregnancy to last until they are at least six months of age. However, if babies are born early (prematurely), if their umbilical cords are clamped too quickly or their mothers are anaemic during pregnancy, their iron stores may be reduced.

Cow’s milk is not a good source of iron. Most infant formula is made from cow’s milk and so has iron added. Breastmilk is also low in iron but much more of the iron in breastmilk is taken up by babies’ bodies than iron in cow’s milk.

Babies should not rely on milk (including infant formula) to supply iron after six months. So the latest WHO advice emphasises the importance of giving babies iron-rich solid foods from this age. These foods include:

• meat
• eggs
• vegetables, including beans and green leafy vegetables
• pulses, including lentils
• ground seeds and nuts (such as peanut or other nut butters, but with no added salt or sugar).

You may have heard that giving babies whole cow’s milk can cause allergies. In fact, whole cow’s milk is no more likely to cause allergies than infant formula based on cow’s milk.

Read more:
Infant formula companies are behind the guidelines on milk allergy, and their sales are soaring

What are my options?

The latest WHO recommendation that formula-fed babies can switch to cow’s milk from six months could save you money. Infant formula can cost more than five times more than fresh milk ($2.25-$8.30 a litre versus $1.50 a litre).

For families who continue to use infant formula, it may be reassuring to know that if infant formula becomes hard to get due to a natural disaster or some other supply chain disruption fresh cow’s milk is fine to use from six months.

It is also important to know what has not changed in the latest feeding advice. WHO still recommends infants have only breastmilk for their first six months and then continue breastfeeding for up to two years or more. It is also still the case that infants under six months who are not breastfed or who need extra milk should be fed infant formula. Toddler formula for children over 12 months is not recommended.

All infant formula available in Australia must meet the same standard for nutritional composition and food safety. So, the cheapest infant formula is just as good as the most expensive.

Read more:
If you’re feeding with formula, here’s what you can do to promote your baby’s healthy growth

What’s the take-home message?

The bottom line is your baby can safely switch from infant formula to fresh, full-fat cow’s milk from six months as part of a healthy diet with iron-rich foods. Likewise, cow’s milk can also be used to supplement or replace breastfeeding from six months, again alongside iron-rich foods.

If you have questions about introducing solids your GP, child health nurse or dietitian can help. If you need support with breastfeeding or starting solids you can call the National Breastfeeding Helpline (1800 686 268) or a lactation consultant.

Karleen Gribble is a member of the Public Health Association of Australia, the World Public Health Nutrition Association and the Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies Core Group. She is a volunteer breastfeeding educator and counsellor with the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) and Project Lead on ABA’s Community Protection for Infants and Young Children in Bushfire Emergencies Project.

Naomi Hull is a member of the Australian Breastfeeding Association and the Public Health Association of Australia. She is also an executive on the Infant and Toddler Food Research Alliance and the National Coordinator for the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative Australia.

Nina Chad has been the Infant and Young Child Feeding Consultant for the World Health Organization since 2021. She is a member of the Public Health Association of Australia, the World Public Health Nutrition Association and the Australian Breastfeeding Association.

– ref. When can my baby drink cow’s milk? It’s sooner than you think – https://theconversation.com/when-can-my-baby-drink-cows-milk-its-sooner-than-you-think-227044

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Worthington, Adjunct Professor, Swinburne University of Technology

If you’ve ever taken money out at an Australian ATM, been handed $20 change at a supermarket or paid someone in cash, you’ve probably used the services of Armaguard.

Owned by Linfox Group, Armaguard is Australia’s largest currency transport business, servicing about 90% of the cash-in-transit market.

But the company is struggling. Use of cash as a means of payment has declined sharply in recent years, a trend that was only turbocharged by the pandemic. Last year, Armaguard said it would need a $190 million lifeline over the next three years in order to stay afloat.

Read more:
The move to a cashless society isn’t just a possibility, it’s well underway

Last week, the company rejected a A$26 million rescue offer put together by some of Australia’s biggest banks and retailers, which would have required it to open its books. Instead, it opted for a smaller A$10 million package from its parent company Linfox that will see it through the next few weeks.

But the company’s future remains far from certain, worrying the Reserve Bank.

Why is “physical money” still important, and what could Australia learn from countries who’ve already gone cashless?

Cash-in-transit at a dead end?

Australian cash use has fallen off a cliff over the past decade. Consumers have moved overwhelmingly toward paying by card, now often facilitated by digital
wallets on phones or watches.

As a result, there are now far fewer bank branches and ATMs operating in Australia. Between 2017 and 2023, bank branch numbers declined by 37% and the number of bank-owned ATMs fell from 13,814 to just 5,693.

According to the Australian Banking Association, cash is now only being used for about 13% of payments, a 57% decline since 2017.

Moving cash around was already expensive – the sheer size of the Australian continent means it has to be transported securely over huge distances. The fall in cash usage has further increased the unit cost of this process.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has outlined an alarming “cash-use cycle”, showing that if cash usage continues to fall, it could become uneconomic for banks and other ATM providers to offer cash services in some regional areas.

With permission from the ACCC, Armaguard acquired its main competitor Prosegur in June last year, arguing the merger would allow it to continue offering cash-in-transit services to all locations both companies had served.

But Armaguard has claimed it is still sustaining larger-than-expected losses, citing a structural reduction in demand for cash-in-transit services.

Having now accepted a A$10 million lifeline from its parent company, Armaguard will continue to operate all of its cash-in-transit services for the moment. But it remains to be seen what extra financial support it will be able leverage from the businesses it currently services.

Why do we need cash to survive?

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has a vested interest in maintaining cash as a store of wealth and means of payment for many people, particularly as a backup option when electronic payment systems are unavailable or offline.

As RBA governor Michelle Bullock explained in a recent speech:

For these reasons, the RBA places a high priority on the community continuing to have reasonable access to cash withdrawal and deposit services.

The Reserve Bank is keeping a close eye on the negotiations to keep Armaguard afloat, having previously floated the idea of an industry “cooperative model”.

This would see major cash users like banks form a cooperative entity to replace private sector suppliers like Armaguard.

Such models already exist in European countries. In the United Kingdom, the Link network connects almost all of the country’s ATMs and allows consumers to withdraw cash regardless of who they bank with.

Link is a not-for-profit organisation jointly owned by its members, who all issue cards used in its ATMs.

Read more:
Cash may no longer be king, but the Optus debacle shows it is still necessary

Lessons from overseas

Much further down the road than Australia on this journey, Sweden has become one of the most cashless societies in the world. But this has prompted a degree of backlash in the country.

The governor of the Swedish Central Bank, the Riksbank, recently called for urgent legislation to protect both notes and coins as a payment option for Swedes:

Cash is needed to avoid people suffering digital and financial exclusion.

The Riksbank says the banks should be mandated to accept deposits of banknotes and coins and ensure their customers can withdraw cash from both branches and ATMs.

In a recent report, the Riksbank also pointed out there is currently only one private company in Sweden providing a cash-in-transit service, creating a potential point of vulnerability.

It called for collaboration between the Riksbank and Sweden’s commercial banks on ensuring that cash could still be transported if the current system ever broke down.

Importantly, Sweden offers an example of how the true death of cash will ultimately sound alarm bells. Faced with this, central banks and governments can bend to popular opinion and legislate for cash’s survival.

Steve Worthington 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. Money transporter Armaguard is in peril. Could cash be dead sooner than we think? – https://theconversation.com/money-transporter-armaguard-is-in-peril-could-cash-be-dead-sooner-than-we-think-226957

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leoni Connah, Lecturer in Government, Flinders University

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is favoured to win a third term in office when the country holds its massive general election, starting on April 19.

While there are many questions about what another Modi term could mean for the country, residents in the Muslim-majority northern region of Kashmir are particularly apprehensive.

Modi visited the Kashmir capital, Srinagar, in early March in a bid to win Kashmiri hearts and minds – his first visit since his government controversially stripped the region of its semi-autonomous status in 2019.

Amid a heavy security presence, Modi promised over US$774 million (A$1.2 billion) worth of development projects to boost the economy and tourism in the region.

Whether this is enough to placate Kashmiri voters remains to be seen. Many residents have been made to feel like second-class citizens under Modi’s Hindu nationalist government and have dim views that things will improve if he wins another term in office.

Read more:
Narendra Modi’s economy isn’t booming for India’s unemployed youth. So, why is his party favoured to win another election?

Autonomy revoked

Since Modi was sworn in as India’s 14th prime minister in 2014, he has taken a decidedly muscular approach to Kashmir.

Pledging to quell a rebel movement that has been fighting the Indian state since the 1980s, his government heavily increased its security presence in the region and launched a special operation to root out Kashmir’s terrorist cells.

Then, in a watershed moment for the region in 2019, his government revoked Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which had granted special privileges to local residents and gave the region its own constitution and flag and the ability to make its own laws.

Modi also redefined domicile rules, making it easier for non-Kashmiris to obtain jobs, land and permanent residency in the region.

The scrapping of Article 370 was recently upheld by the Supreme Court, a key victory for Modi’s Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) before the election.

Human rights abuses and crackdowns on civil liberties have also worsened in the region since 2014. This has included draconian clampdowns on the internet and other communications, strict curfews and the detentions of activists and journalists.

As part of my PhD research in 2020-21, I conducted online interviews with numerous Kashmiris in Srinagar and the surrounding areas and found the revocation of Article 370 had taken away any hope they had and led to a overwhelming sense of betrayal.

Some struggled to describe their feelings, while others said the move was completely unconstitutional and a political disaster. My interview participants said there were protests all over Kashmir after the revocation, but according to one working in journalism, these were very much underreported at the time.

Since then, Modi has done very little to address concerns that Kashmiris may have for their future. Instead, he is actively encouraging development projects and tourism in the region, raising fears about his party’s settler-colonial ambitions in Kashmir, particularly the Kashmir Valley.

Read more:
India is using the G20 summit to further its settler-colonial ambitions in Kashmir

Can local elections bring change?

Elections for Kashmir’s legislature are also expected to take place by September. The region has not had a local government since the revocation of its special status in 2019; since then it has been directly ruled by New Delhi.

If local elections do go ahead, this may be seen as an attempt by New Delhi to show some normalcy in the region and demonstrate the central government’s dedication to reinstating a fully functioning democracy. It may also result in Kashmiris feeling more included and involved in wider Indian politics.

However, in his recent visit to Srinagar, Modi failed to mention the likelihood of the local elections, which adds the feelings his government is ignoring the grievances of residents. These include the effects of the revocation of Article 370, the limited economic prospects in the region, and the treatment of Muslim Kashmiris in the rest of India.

Further, the area still remains heavily militarised, raising the question of just how successful Modi has been in uniting Kashmir with the rest of India, especially since Kashmiris still do not have the same freedoms and liberties as other Indians.

Many Kashmiris also fear the spread of disinformation prior to the election, especially if it propagates negative stereotypes associating residents with terrorist organisations. This could have a negative impact on Kashmiri political parties, discrediting their status as representatives of the Kashmiri people.

Kashmir’s future

It is important to note Modi’s support not only comes from the Hindu majority. Some Muslims in Kashmir will support the BJP due to tribal caste reasons, as well as for the belief the party could bring more jobs or economic prospects to the region.

Nonetheless, many Kashmiris believe a continuation of BJP leadership could result in additional human rights abuses, the loss of land or jobs to outsiders from the south and further alienation from the central government.

Ultimately, if Modi wins an unprecedented third term, this will cement the decisions that have already been in the region. And this means the future for many Kashmiris will remain bleak in what is purported to be the world’s largest democracy.

Leoni Connah 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. In heavily militarised Kashmir, the upcoming India elections do not inspire much hope – https://theconversation.com/in-heavily-militarised-kashmir-the-upcoming-india-elections-do-not-inspire-much-hope-225281

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tahereh Alinejadtabrizi, PhD student, Monash University

The Southern Ocean is renowned for having the cleanest air on Earth. But the precise reasons why have remained a mystery, until now.

There’s more to it than just a lack of human activity. Yes, there are fewer people down there using industrial chemicals and burning fossil fuels. But there are natural sources of fine particles too, such as salt from sea spray or dust whipped up by the wind.

Regardless of origin, fine solid particles or liquid droplets suspended in air are known as “aerosols”. We consider clean air to have low levels of aerosols, without discriminating between natural or industrial sources.

Our recent research discovered clouds and rain play a crucial role in scrubbing the atmosphere clean.

Understanding the role of clouds and rain

Aerosol levels over the Southern Ocean are influenced by a range of factors. These include the amount of salt spray and seasonal variation in the growth of tiny plant-like organisms called phytoplankton, which are a source of airborne sulphate particles.

Fewer sulphates are produced during winter, which is when the air over the Southern Ocean is most pristine.

But that’s not the full story. The Southern Ocean is also the cloudiest place on Earth. It experiences short-lived, sporadic showers like nowhere else. We wanted to understand the role of clouds and rain in cleaning the air.

The biggest barrier to understanding these processes has always been the lack of high-quality observations of clouds, rainfall and aerosols in this poorly observed region of the world.

Thankfully, a new generation of satellites allows us to study images of clouds in unprecedented detail. We developed a computer program to recognise different cloud patterns over a vast area of the Southern Ocean.

In particular we were on the lookout for distinctive honeycomb-shaped patterns in the cloud field. These honeycomb-like clouds are of great interest because they have a major role in regulating the climate.

When the honeycomb cell is filled with cloud or “closed” it is whiter and brighter, reflecting more sunlight back to space. So these clouds help keep the Earth cool.

Empty or “open” honeycomb cells, on the other hand, let more sunlight in.

These intricacies remain a source of error in modelling the Earth’s climate because they are not being properly included. It’s important to get the balance of open and closed cells right, or the results can be way off.

Whether the honeycomb cells are open or closed also relates to the amount of rainfall they can produce.

The cells are big enough to be seen from space, around 40-60km in diameter. So we can study them using satellite images.

Our research is particularly timely given this month’s launch of a cloud and precipitation experiment at Kennaook/Cape Grim in Tasmania. It aims to get higher resolution data on clouds, rain and sunlight.

Read more:
Forty years of measuring the world’s cleanest air reveals human fingerprints on the atmosphere

Scrubbing aerosols out of the sky

We compared the honeycomb cloud patterns with measurements of aerosols from the Kennaook/Cape Grim observatory and also with the Bureau of Meteorology’s rainfall observations from a nearby rain gauge.

Our results showed days with the cleanest air were associated with the presence of open honeycomb cloud. We think this is because these clouds generate sporadic but intense rain showers, which seem to “wash” the aerosol particles out of the air.

It’s somewhat counter-intuitive, but it turns out the open cells contain more moisture and produce more rain than the fluffy white closed cells filled with cloud. We found the open honeycomb clouds produce six times as much rain as the closed ones.

So what looks like less cloudy weather by satellite actually triggers the most effective rain showers for washing the aerosols out. Whereas the filled or closed honeycomb pattern, which looks cloudier, is less effective. That was one of the more surprising aspects of our findings.

We found the empty honeycombs to be far more common during the winter months, when the air is cleanest.

We also wanted to know what makes cloud fields look the way they do. Our analysis suggests large-scale weather systems control the pattern of the cloud field. As unruly storms track across the Southern Ocean, they produce these open and closed cells.

Read more:
The Southern Ocean upwelling is a mecca for whales and tuna that’s worth celebrating and protecting

Fresh air and better climate models

Our research has added a new piece to the puzzle of why the Southern Ocean has the world’s cleanest air. Rainfall is the key, especially rain from these clear, open honeycomb cell-type clouds. We were first to discover they are truly responsible for cleaning up all the air flowing over the Southern Ocean.

These honeycomb patterns are also found in both the North Atlantic and North Pacific regions during winter. So our work will also help explain how these clouds remove aerosols including dust and pollution in these locations. And our findings will help improve climate models, enabling more accurate predictions.

Rain scrubs the aerosols out of the sky in much the same way as a washing machine acts to clean clothes.

After the cold front comes through, the air is clean. If you’re wintering on the south coast of Australia, you can breathe in the benefits as this fresh air comes in off the Southern Ocean.

We would like to acknowledge the valuable contributions of CSIRO, ANSTO and the Bureau of Meteorology to this research.

Read more:
More than 200 scientists from 19 countries want to tell us the Southern Ocean is in trouble

Steven Siems receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program.
Steven Siems is a co-chair of the World Meteorological Organisation Expert Team on Weather Modification

Yi Huang receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program, and Joyce Lambert Antarctic Research Grants.

Tahereh Alinejadtabrizi 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. The Southern Ocean has the cleanest air on Earth. We have just discovered why – https://theconversation.com/the-southern-ocean-has-the-cleanest-air-on-earth-we-have-just-discovered-why-226811

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kimberley Reid, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Atmospheric Sciences, Monash University

Headlines declaring a “Black Nor’easter” appeared this week as New South Wales and Queensland copped heavy rain – and residents have been warned to brace for more.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a 75% chance of Sydney receiving at least 50mm of rain, and a 25% chance of at least 100mm of rain on Friday (the average rainfall for the entire month of April in Sydney is 121.5mm).

Parts of Sydney were drenched in more than 100mm of rain overnight and the main dam that supplies the city’s drinking water is expected to spill in coming days. At least one man has died in Queensland floodwaters after torrential rain.

You might be wondering: what is a Black Nor’easter, what’s causing all this rain and does it have anything to do with climate change? I’m an atmospheric scientist who researches atmospheric rivers, extreme rainfall and climate change. Here’s what you need to know.

Read more:
Like rivers in the sky: the weather system bringing floods to Queensland will become more likely under climate change

A wavy atmosphere leads to wild weather

Nor’easter simply means the wind comes from the northeast and black refers to the thunderstorm clouds likely to darken the sky.

Pirate-esque poetry aside, this type of weather system is not that unusual for this time of year, and technically the weather system started in the south.

But to understand the bigger question of why the east coast is copping all this rain, you need to remember the atmosphere is a fluid.

That means the same laws of physics that apply to water in the ocean also apply to air in the atmosphere. Like the ocean, the atmosphere has waves that break.

The jet stream is a current of fast winds about 10km high that blows from west to east and steers high and low pressure systems around the planet.

High pressure systems tend to bring clear skies and sunny weather, while low pressure systems are associated with clouds and rain.

But when the jet stream becomes wavy or even breaks, the high and low pressure systems can veer off course.

Like sea spray blowing off an ocean wave as it breaks, a low pressure system can blow off an atmospheric wave, as seen in the video below:

What causes a long stretch of intense weather?

When a high or low breaks away from the jet stream, it can become “stuck”, leading to a stretch of wet weather or a stretch of hot weather.

The worst heatwaves are caused by high pressure systems stalling.

Conversely, some of the worst floods in the world are caused by low pressure systems being cut off from the jet stream and dumping rain in one place for multiple days.

The map below shows the cut-off low and blocked high over eastern Australia.

Like toothpaste in a tube, the air between the high and low is being squeezed along a narrow path (the purple arrow in the map above).

Since the air is coming from the Coral Sea, the air is warm and humid. This narrow region of enhanced moisture in the air is called an “atmospheric river”.

This atmospheric river acts like a hose, feeding moist air into the low. There, the atmospheric moisture is converted to rainfall.

We have seen this before

This is the exact weather set up that caused the devastating floods in Lismore and other places in February to March 2022.

In fact, a recent study showed 72% of all heavy rainfall events over the eastern seaboard are caused by this same weather set up.

That said, we are unlikely to see the same devastating impacts we did in 2022.

The stalled systems causing the current wild weather are forecast to move away after two days. By contrast, the set up that caused the torrential rain in 2022 persisted for three and a half days. It may not sound like a big difference but to atmospheric scientists, it is.

The atmospheric river associated with the current event is also weaker, so there is less moisture in the air to turn into rainfall.

How will climate change affect these weather events?

Recent research found an increase in the intensity of rain from short (less than an hour long) downpours over Sydney.

Another study has shown the atmospheric moisture over Sydney is projected to increase by the end of the century.

However, the representation of certain weather systems in climate models isn’t good enough yet.

Since we are missing this key part of the puzzle, it’s still uncertain how heavy rainfall over eastern Australia may change in the future.

Recent funding to research on this topic and developments in powerful, high definition models should improve our understanding of how these weather events may change in the future.

In the meantime, for those about to face the current deluge, heed warnings from the SES and the Bureau.

Never drive through flood waters and if the sky does turn black, put your headlights on.

Read more:
Here’s why climate change isn’t always to blame for extreme rainfall

Kimberley Reid receives funding from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes.

– ref. Why is Australia’s east coast copping all this rain right now? An atmospheric scientist explains – https://theconversation.com/why-is-australias-east-coast-copping-all-this-rain-right-now-an-atmospheric-scientist-explains-227158

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Tregear, Principal Fellow and Professor of Music, The University of Melbourne

Major anniversaries of works of art present us with an opportunity to engage in cultural stocktaking. We are invited to take a moment to contemplate and celebrate the basis of their lasting significance.

April 7 2024 presents one such opportunity; it is exactly 200 years from the first performance of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, or “Solemn Mass”.

Today, the Missa Solemnis is generally considered to be one of the most remarkable works of Christian liturgical (relating to public worship) music ever conceived. It is also a summation of Beethoven’s mature compositional style.

A self-consciously great work

Beethoven’s initial excuse for composing the Missa Solemnis had been a commission in 1819 for a Mass to accompany the enthronement of his friend, patron and composition pupil, Archduke Rudolph, as the archbishop of Olmütz (now Olomouc, Czech Republic). But he became so engrossed in the creative challenge that he ran some three years late in finishing it.

In part, this was because he seemed very aware of its potential to be a work of lasting significance. He later claimed to his publishers it was also his best composition. His favourite (and most famous) portrait shows him in the act of writing it.

A masterpiece you’ve likely never heard

Why, however, is the Missa Solemnis also one of Beethoven’s lesser-recognised and performed works today? One reason is mounting a performance is not for the faint-hearted. At some 90 minutes in length, calling for about 100 highly skilled musicians, it presents a host of logistical and musical challenges.

It also seems, at least at first, to have a potentially uncomfortable relationship with its original liturgical purpose, which was to accompany a full Catholic service of Holy Communion.

However, the period of the Mass’s composition, roughly 1818–1823, was also a period in European history where there was a profound shift away from established religion’s central role in public and private life. This is perhaps reflected in the fact the Missa Solemnis defied, in both its form and content, conventional expectations at the time of what this kind of Mass setting should be.

Perhaps the most famous example is the way Beethoven sets the closing “Dona nobis pacem”, the traditional closing prayer for peace. Heard initially in the liturgically correct place, these words then initiate one of Beethoven’s famous extended codas (or closing passages) to give voice to what he described as a “Bitte um innern und äussern Frieden”, or prayer for inner and outer peace.

Beethoven goes on to highlight, ironically and very dramatically, the disasters of war. And he had good reason to, having experienced first-hand some of the horrors of the Napoleonic wars.

Also, by the time Beethoven composed the Mass he was close to being profoundly deaf. As a result, his music became less concerned with the practicalities (and indeed limits) of performance. He was now realising on paper what he heard in his imagination and seemed to have felt more free to explore the extremes of conventional musical expression.

Read more:
We used DNA from Beethoven’s hair to shed light on his poor health – and stumbled upon a family secret

An overt struggle between form and function

While Beethoven made a detailed study of the Mass settings of earlier masters, such as those by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, he also knew he could not simply follow their example. He said:

It would be a folly to imitate Palestrina’s language unless its spirit and world of religious thought lives within us.

A century later, German critic Paul Bekker wrote Beethoven instead broke through the walls of musical tradition and liturgical dogma “which divide the church from the world”. Indeed, the Missa Solemnis has been almost exclusively performed as a concert piece, despite Beethoven himself intending for it to be performed as part of an actual Mass service.

But all these aspects can also be considered a part of, and not necessarily in opposition to, the work’s underlying religious sensibility.

The score of the Missa Solemnis embodies much of what we have come to label as a “Late Style”. This category of creative output tends to emerge from an artist towards the end of their life. Late Style works are commonly infused with an awareness of impending death, as well as speculation about the limits of artistic expression itself.

An emblematic example might be the way Beethoven sets the text “Et vitam venturi sæculi. Amen” (“[…] and the life of the world to come, Amen”) from the closing passage of the Mass’s Credo (Creed) movement.

While Beethoven at first takes up the tradition of setting these words with a concluding flourish of musical counterpoint, he then proceeds to do so to a technically extreme degree.

Not for nothing did British musicologist Sir Donald Tovey later describe this as “the most difficult choral passage ever written”. It sounds deliberately overproduced, as if Beethoven wishes to convey both a mood affirmation and doubt – perhaps similar to the supplicant in St Mark’s Gospel who declares: “Lord I believe, forgive my unbelief”.

Even what might at first seem to be an outwardly conservative setting, such as the Mass’s opening Kyrie Eleison prayer (“Lord have mercy upon us, Christ have mercy upon us, Lord have mercy upon us”), draws us into such a mode of contemplation. Here, the Mass’s grandiloquent music contains a more urgent, anxious, prayer as the text changes to “Christ have mercy”.

It expresses both tremendous religious yearning, but also battles with that yearning – and ultimately does not find peace with it. As the opening sequence of 1994 film Immortal Beloved imaginatively depicts, this movement was also performed at Beethoven’s funeral in 1827.

An enduring message

This direct engagement with doubt as an inevitable companion to expressions of faith is, I suspect, a key reason why Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis can still speak directly to us across the centuries. Just as Beethoven himself wished: “from the heart to the heart again”.

On Sunday, 200 years to the day, more than 100 musicians will join to commemorate the anniversary of Missa Solemnis with a liturgical performance at St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne.

In this way, we hope to bring renewed attention to the powerful amalgam of traditional ritual, musical force and theological questioning that lies at the heart of this great work.

The author is conducting the Missa Solemnis on April 7 2024 as part of a service of communion at St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne.

– ref. The ‘Missa Solemnis’ at 200: Beethoven was close to deaf when he wrote his self-proclaimed best work – https://theconversation.com/the-missa-solemnis-at-200-beethoven-was-close-to-deaf-when-he-wrote-his-self-proclaimed-best-work-227148

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University

Since Australia first began producing feature films, it has returned time and again to the subject of the first world war. Before Dawn, out in cinemas today, is the latest in this long line of productions.

Based on the real-life war diaries of ANZACS, many of which are held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, the film retells how Australian forces helped secure positions from which an attack on the Hindenburg Line could be launched.

As this has been written into history as one of Australia’s great contributions to the attack of the Western Front, the film provides an important essay on the human sacrifice the ANZACS made during WWI.

A sombre portrait of war

The Germans constructed the Hindenburg Line, also known as the Siegfriedstellung or “Siegfried Position” in German, as a defensive fortification on the Western Front in France during the winter of 1916–1917. Stretching between the towns of Arras and Laffaux in the country’s north, it served as a formidable barrier against Allied offensives.

The Hindenburg Line has been portrayed in various films, offering different national viewpoints. Most recently, director Sam Mendes’ 1917 (2019) depicts it from the British perspective, while Edward Berger’s 2022 film All Quiet on the Western Front provides insight from a German standpoint.

Similar to All Quiet on the Western Front, Before Dawn downplays the celebration of victory and nationalist sacrifice by instead providing a sombre portrait of the horrors of combat.

By the time Armistice Day arrives on November 11 1918, marking the end of the war, it is hardly a victory for the soldiers. Rather, it is a moment to absorb the trauma the living now carry, as they are literally surrounded by the corpses of their dead mates.

This portrayal comes through the fictionalised story of teenager Jim Collins (played by Levi Miller), who voluntarily leaves his family-run sheep station to join the ANZAC.

A young man’s film through and through

This backstory alone makes for an obvious comparison between Before Dawn and Peter Weir’s seminal film Gallipoli (1981). Both films depict the story of an 18-year-old stockman from Western Australia. That said, it would seem a little unfair to compare Before Dawn with the quality and emotional gravitas of Gallipoli.

Read more:
Peter Weir’s Gallipoli 40 years on: deftly directed and still devastating

By the time Weir directed his war epic he was well experienced, 38 years old and with four feature director credits under his belt. He also had experienced talent at his disposal, most notably screenwriter David Williamson, cinematographer Russell Boyd and actor Mel Gibson (hot off the heels of George Miller’s Mad Max 1 and 2).

In contrast, the director of Before Dawn is Jordon Prince-Wright, who is in his twenties. He worked with relatively inexperienced talent, including upcoming Aussie actors Levi Miller, Travis Jeffrey, Ed Oxenbould and Stephen Peacocke.

Prince-Wright’s prior credits include 2018 film The Decadent and Depraved, an independent western genre film set in outback colonial Western Australia.

Before Dawn was exclusively filmed in regional Western Australia – primarily on about 34 hectares of land near the beach town of Esperance. An extensive set was built to recreate the trenches and battlegrounds of Flanders, Belgium. Originally scheduled to begin in June 2020, the production team postponed filming for a year due to the pandemic.

Prince-Wright shares screenwriting duties with Jarrad Russell, who is receiving his first screenwriting feature credit on the film. It is also the first feature credit for cinematographer Daniel Quinn.

Before Dawn is certainly a young man’s film, both in what is being represented as well as in the cast and crew behind the production. This seems somewhat apt since, during WWI, the largest proportion of men fighting was comprised of 18 and 19 year olds.

Ambitious work

While you can’t deny the enthusiasm and ambition of the production team, the film does fall short of evoking the necessary empathy. It relies too heavily on composer Sean Tinnion’s overstated musical score to provide emotional weight.

Furthermore, despite more than 100 Aboriginal soldiers also serving on the front lines on the Western Front, Before Dawn is yet another production depicting Australian WWI soldiers as exclusively white men. The contribution of Aboriginal soldiers during WWI is yet to be satisfactorily fictionalised on the screen.

Despite these faults and oversights, Before Dawn offers an account of the important sacrifice Australia made in assisting the Commonwealth during the war. Coupled with other sources, it could function well as a teaching text for students learning about the Hindenburg Line.

Correction: this article originally stated the director was 19. This has been amended.

Read more:
War movies are big earners. What does that say about us?

Stephen Gaunson 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. Before Dawn: young Aussie director’s new film is a sombre recount of the ANZACs’ sacrifice – https://theconversation.com/before-dawn-young-aussie-directors-new-film-is-a-sombre-recount-of-the-anzacs-sacrifice-224243

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laurence Don Wai Luu, Lecturer and Chancellor’s Research Fellow, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney

Australia is facing a whooping cough outbreak. Some 2,799 cases were recorded in the first three months of 2024. Cases are highest in Queensland and New South Wales, with more than 1,000 recorded in each state.

The last time Queensland recorded more than 1,000 cases in three months was the first quarter of 2013. This was at the tail end of a significant outbreak that spanned 2008 until 2012 – Australia’s largest reported outbreak since the widespread introduction of whooping cough vaccines in the 1950s. More than 140,000 cases were recorded during this period, with the number peaking at 38,748 in 2011.

There was a smaller outbreak between 2014 and 2017, with more than 60,000 cases in these years.

So what is whooping cough, why are cases rising now, and how can you protect yourself?

It’s most dangerous for babies

Whooping cough is a serious and highly contagious respiratory disease. Also called pertussis, it’s caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis.

The initial symptoms of whooping cough resemble other cold and flu-like symptoms. These include runny nose, sneezing, mild cough and fever. However, as the disease progresses into the second week, the coughing fits become worse and more frequent. After or between bouts of coughing, patients may gasp for air and produce the characteristic “whoop” noise.

The disease is also sometimes called the “100-day cough” as it can last for 6–12 weeks. It’s especially serious and can be life-threatening in newborns who are yet to receive their vaccinations. In older children who are fully vaccinated, as well as adolescents and adults, the disease is normally less severe. However, even in adults, the coughing can lead to fractured ribs.

Read more:
Respiratory infections like whooping cough and flu have plummeted amid COVID. But ‘bounce back’ is a worry

Antibiotics are used to treat whooping cough but are most effective when given during the initial stages of the illness. The best protection in the first instance is vaccination, which prevents most cases of serious illness, and reduces the spread of whooping cough in the community.

It’s recommended children are given six doses of a whooping cough vaccine (which is combined with vaccines for other diseases) between the ages of roughly two months and 13 years. Vaccination is free under the National Immunisation Program for children and pregnant women. Vaccinating women against whooping cough during pregnancy protects newborns in their first months of life.

Immunity from these vaccines wanes over time, so it’s also recommended adults receive a booster, particularly those who may come into frequent contact with babies.

Why are cases rising now?

Whooping cough outbreaks generally occur every 3–4 years. Due to COVID measures such as border closures, social isolation and masks, the number of cases declined dramatically during 2020–23. If trends had followed the usual outbreak cycle, this might have been around the time we’d have seen another outbreak.

Missed routine whooping cough vaccinations at the height of the pandemic may mean Australia is more vulnerable now. Reduced immunity in the population could be one of the reasons we’re seeing a rise in whooping cough cases in Australia and other countries including the United Kingdom and the United States.

In Australia, cases have been particularly high during this outbreak in children aged 10–14.

A potential superbug

Over the past two decades, whooping cough has been getting better at evading vaccines and antibiotics. Most vaccines used in Australia and other developed countries stimulate your immune system to recognise and target three to five components of the bacteria.

Over time, the bacteria that causes whooping cough has been slowly acquiring mutations in these genes. These mutations make the bacteria look slightly different to the one used in the vaccine, helping it better hide from the immune system.

Most of these changes were small. But in 2008, a new strain appeared in Australia that no longer produced pertactin, one of the components targeted by the vaccine. This means your immune system, like a detective, has one less clue to recognise the bacteria.

This new strain rapidly increased from 5% of strains found in 2008, to become the dominant strain in less than ten years, making up 90% of strains by 2017. This pertactin-negative strain was shown to survive better in vaccinated mice and may have contributed to the high number of cases in the 2008–12 outbreak.

Worryingly, since 2013, antibiotic-resistant strains of whooping cough have become widespread in China. While there are other antibiotics available, these are not recommended for infants younger than two months (the age group at most risk of serious disease). These resistant strains are increasingly spreading through Asia but are not yet in Australia.

Read more:
Low vaccination and immunity rates mean NZ faces a harsh whooping cough winter – what needs to happen

What next?

It’s too early to know how big this outbreak will be or what strains are responsible for it. Greater tracking of whooping cough strains, like we do with COVID, is needed to inform future vaccine design and treatments.

Importantly, although the bacteria is evolving, current vaccines are still very effective at preventing serious disease and reducing transmission. They remain our best tool to limit this outbreak.

To protect oneself, vulnerable newborns, and the wider community, everyone should ensure they are up-to-date with their whooping cough vaccinations. You can check this with your GP if you’re not sure. And anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms should stay away from infants.

Laurence Don Wai Luu 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. Whooping cough is surging in Australia. Why, and how can we protect ourselves? – https://theconversation.com/whooping-cough-is-surging-in-australia-why-and-how-can-we-protect-ourselves-226918

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wright, Senior Research Fellow, Energy & Circularity, Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University

Connecting cheap, clean energy from renewables comes with a hidden cost and challenge: building 5,000 kilometres of new transmission lines this decade, and another 5,000km after that. This sounds like a lot, but 5,000km is only around 10% of the existing grid network, and unlocks more than 32 gigawatts of new clean energy capacity by 2030.

The problem is, communities are often not sold on having to host new transmission lines. As the recent review of community engagement by renewable and transmission companies demonstrates, this is because it wasn’t explained well to these communities as to why it’s needed and how they can benefit.

We already know uncertainty undermines the social license for big projects. And we know public engagement is vital in translating national policies into local impacts.

In my research, I work with RE-Alliance, a community organisation working to help local communities actually benefit from the energy transition. In the course of this research, rural residents often say they would like to host wind turbines on their property. But we have seen those same residents oppose new transmission line projects – without realising the wind farm will not be viable without this infrastructure.

When these projects succeed, it’s because developers engage early and often with communities, showing them why the project matters to society – and to them.

Projects are much more likely to succeed when communities feel the project is theirs or includes them.

Community pushback could scupper the green transition

Community scepticism is not unique to Australia.

More than two-thirds of Americans favour renewables over fossil fuels. But when it comes to actually building them, opposition is common. Around 300 wind, solar and transmission projects are being delayed by local opposition, stalling A$132 billion of investments and 74,000 jobs.

In some respects this is understandable. Communities can bristle if they feel a project is imposed on them – especially if it feels like a cost without benefits.

Developers who engage with communities from the beginning and work to tackle concerns and issues collectively have a better chance of success. Equitable sharing of benefits can help.

Focus on local benefits

Almost 20 new renewable projects are planned in Victoria’s Wimmera Southern Mallee region near the Grampians. Until now, solar farms in this flat, sunny region have been hamstrung by a lack of transmission lines. But some local residents are strongly sceptical of transmission projects, which means some renewable projects can’t proceed.

Even so, progress is being made, due in part to the efforts of regional development organisation, Wimmera Southern Mallee Development, to broker between community and developers. As the organisation’s CEO Chris Souness told me:

Renewable energy will thrive [in this region] if developers and communities collaborate, the interests of the farming communities and rural towns are supported, and the benefits flow to communities.

The region is in need of jobs, more diverse industries, workforce reskilling, and better housing stock. These are all things renewable and transmission projects can help provide.

Read more:
A clean energy grid means 10,000km of new transmission lines. They can only be built with community backing

It’s a similar story in the South West Renewable Energy Zone in New South Wales, one of several laid out by the state government to boost efficiency by grouping big solar and wind projects with existing or new transmission lines.

The zone has led to a renewable gold rush, as developers scout for good locations. But what does it mean for people? The Hay Shire Council last year asked its 3,000 residents what they thought.

The council took the lead on consultation to increase community influence and make clear to renewable developers what the community does and does not want. The alternative was to have many developers running their own consultation efforts.

The consultation revealed some residents felt overwhelmed by the interest from developers. Others worried wind and solar farms could damage the local environment. Would there be enough housing for workers, given the existing housing crisis? And what about the visual impact of large transmission lines? In the consultation document, council staff note:

It is very important that the development of renewable energy projects in Hay Shire happens “with” our community, not “to” our community.

How do we do better when time is so short?

The conundrum we face is we know we need to do better, but we have only a narrow window of time to green the grid.

One avenue is to focus on the long-term prosperity of these projects, both for landowners hosting them and for the broader community. Local leadership here is essential, as are First Nations voices and leadership in clean energy.

For farmers battling increasingly volatile growing and grazing conditions due to climate change, renewables offer new income streams. Typical payments by wind companies are now more than A$40,000 per turbine per year.

Many farmers host dozens of turbines while still farming sheep or cattle. For solar projects, farmers can earn around $1,500 per hectare per year in rent and can keep running sheep under the panels. Landowners willing to host new high voltage transmission lines can get payments from $200,000 to $300,000 a kilometre depending on the state.

But we will also need national action.

The federal government must find ways of better communicating their plans at local level. Explain why we need to do this, what the benefits are to communities, and why transmission is key.

The government could consider a CSIRO-based research centre focused on environment, technology and social outcomes in the energy transition.

And the government could invest in local energy hubs where people can ask questions, get information, and find out ways of sharing benefits. These hubs could work alongside existing project shopfronts, such as the ENGIE hub in Hay.

As James Joyce wrote, mistakes are the portals of discovery. We need to learn quickly from the early opposition so we can avoid repeating our mistakes.

Read more:
Is there an alternative to 10,000 kilometres of new transmission lines? Yes – but you may not like it

Dr Simon Wright is a member of RE-Alliance, a not-for-profit renreable advocacy organisation focused on the clean energy transition in the regions.

– ref. Without community support, the green energy transition will fail. Here’s how to get communities on board – https://theconversation.com/without-community-support-the-green-energy-transition-will-fail-heres-how-to-get-communities-on-board-225163

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leonie Rutherford, Associate professor, Deakin University

We know teenagers have busy and complex lives. School makes increasing demands on them, as do their social and extracurricular activities. We also know video games, social media and TV and movies are very popular when they have down time.

So where do books come into this picture? Our new research looks at how much Australian teenagers are reading for leisure, and how we can help them read more.

Read more:
10 ways to help the boys in your life read for enjoyment (not just for school)

Our study

We surveyed more than 13,000 Australian high school students about their reading habits in their free time, away from school and homework. The survey was done between March 2022 and June 2023.

At first, we specifically looked at book reading. These could be fiction, non-fiction or graphic novels. It also included printed books or e-books.

Our survey showed showed 15% of students read daily, while 10% read four to six times a week. About 16% read two to three times a week and 12% once a week. However, a concerning 17% engage in reading less than once a week. The rest – 29% – don’t read at all.

This last figure is broadly similar to our smaller 2016 survey which found 29% don’t read on a weekly basis and 21% don’t read any books in a month.

We also looked at other kinds of reading, such as blogs, magazines, comics, news media and other articles. Most of those surveyed read these materials weekly or less, with only 10% reading these daily. More than one-third don’t engage with these materials at all in their free time.

Audiobooks were not popular either, with only 13% listening to audiobooks in their free time.

Why is it so important to read books?

This lack of engagement with reading and books is a problem because reading for pleasure is associated with better school results as well as post-school job opportunities and emotional wellbeing.

This is because it improves vocabulary and builds contextual knowledge relevant to study. Reading also improves empathy through exposure to different ideas and perspectives.

Research also shows it is important to read longer books as opposed to shorter items such as emails or blog posts because sustained reading builds literacy for school success.

The 7 types of teen reader

Our research, which also included 118 interviews with publishers and booksellers, English teachers and librarians, and 20 focus groups with teenagers, identified seven types of teen readers from our survey results.

1. Fiction Fanatics: feel very positive about reading and read daily with a strong preference for fiction, and they read even more during holidays. They make up 12% of teen readers.

2. Regular Bookworms: also feel very positive about reading and read multiple times per week. They lean towards fiction but also read news and online articles. They make up 10% of teen readers.

3. Rushed Fans: also feel positive about about reading but read only 2-6 times a week during the school term. They read more during the holidays. They also prefer fiction but also read news articles and other articles online. They make up 9% of teen readers.

4. Casual Dabblers: read only 1-3 times per week, they feel less positive about reading and read the same or less during holidays. They make up 16% of teen readers.

5. Holiday Browsers: read infrequently and feel more neutral about reading. They are more likely to read more during holidays, usually fiction. They make up 10% of teen readers.

6. Sparse Readers: have neutral to negative feelings about reading. They tend to read articles on a weekly basis and books (mostly fiction) more rarely. They make up 10% of teens.

7. Book Abstainers: don’t engage with books or short-form reading. They make up 33% of teens (this figure is different from the 29% figure of non-readers in our survey. The survey results excluded responses from teenagers who did not finish the survey).

How can you help the teen in your life to read more?

What do these categories mean for parents and teachers who want to help the teens in their life to read more?

Our previous research has found the main reason teens give for not reading more is the difficulty of finding a good book.

While Fiction Fanatics have an excellent idea of what they like, teens who read less often lack familiarity with the types of fiction available. So they may need help identifying the genres, themes or formats they might enjoy. Talking to a librarian who knows about young adult literature such as a trained teacher-librarian or visits to a bookstore fronted by a passionate bookseller can broaden teens’ experience of what’s out there.

Adults can also help by having a selection of potential reads available to teens, particularly during holidays

We found time time pressure is a significant barrier, even though occasional readers such as Rushed Fans and Holiday Browsers do return to reading when they have more free time. You can help ease time pressure by using holiday time to maximise reading.

Think about making an inviting space for reading at home (a comfortable couch will do) and setting up a time for communal reading at home. This will provide social support for your teenager to read.

Read more:
Some kids with reading difficulties can also have reading anxiety – what can parents do?

Leonie Rutherford receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund.

Andrew Singleton receives funding from the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund and the Australian Research Council for research towards this project.

Bronwyn Reddan receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Katya Johanson receives funding from the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund and the Australian Research Council for research towards this article.

Michael Dezuanni receives funding from the Australian Research Council for several projects, including for the project that informed this article.

– ref. From ‘Fiction Fanatic’ to ‘Book Abstainer’: which type of reader is your teenager? – https://theconversation.com/from-fiction-fanatic-to-book-abstainer-which-type-of-reader-is-your-teenager-226818

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isaac Gross, Lecturer in Economics, Monash University

Every six weeks, the Reserve Bank of Australia sets the “cash rate”, affecting the interest rates paid on every Australian mortgage and savings account.

Like any price mechanism, the cost of borrowing money is determined by supply and demand – how much cash is in the banking system, and how much has been borrowed at any one time.

With powers to manipulate this supply, the Reserve Bank is able to set and precisely achieve its target cash rate.

But during the pandemic, an abundance of cash forced the Reserve Bank to quickly change its method for doing so. Now, that method is set to change again.

The traditional method – ‘scarce reserves’

When you make a purchase, pay a bill or send money to a friend, it’s quite likely the transaction involves transmitting money between different banks. Around the country, these transactions add up to a colossal amount of money – more than A$200 billion daily – and banks need to hold enough money in reserve to settle their books at the end of each day.

Banks hold these reserves in large “exchange settlement accounts” with our central bank – the Reserve Bank.

But managing these accounts gives the Reserve Bank a powerful lever for setting and adjusting interest rates.

Before the pandemic, the Reserve Bank operated under a “scarce reserves” system. Cash reserves held by banks to enable interbank transactions were kept relatively small.

Because these funds were in short supply, banks would have to actively lend them to each other to ensure they all had enough money to settle transactions at the end of each day. The interest rate on these loans was Australia’s effective cash rate.

Read more:
Interest rates are expected to drop but trying to out-think the market won’t guarantee getting a good deal

To maintain a set cash rate under a scarce reserves system, the Reserve Bank had to conduct “open market operations” to continuously fine-tune the supply of money.

If it wanted to raise the cash rate, it would sell securities (such as bonds) to commercial banks. This drew money out of the banking system and reduced the level of cash reserves.

Conversely, to lower the cash rate, it would buy securities from the commercial banks, adding money back into the system and increasing total cash reserves.

This could be a tricky process, as it required the Reserve Bank to continuously and accurately estimate the demand for cash reserves. But the central bank managed it rather well, in part because commercial banks would almost always follow their lead and lend at the target cash rate.

The main downside of this approach was that the limited supply of funds available to the banking sector increased the risk that individual banks could face liquidity problems – not having enough cash to maintain their operations.

The pandemic saw banks flush with cash

During the pandemic, however, the Reserve Bank flooded the financial system with additional funds to support the Australian economy in a downturn.

The banks suddenly had plenty of cash, so there was no need for them to lend between themselves. In central banking, this is known as a system of “abundant reserves”.

In this environment, the only way the Reserve Bank could later get the banks to lift interest rates was by offering to pay them a positive interest rate themselves. The Reserve Bank would simply increase the interest rate paid to the banks on their exchange settlement accounts, who would in turn pass that rate on to Australian households.

This is a much simpler method of lifting interest rates than continuous open-market operations, but it’s expensive. Interest rate increases over the past two years have cost the Reserve Bank more than A$40 billion.

A third option – ‘ample reserves’

With the crisis now over and many bonds sold during the pandemic falling due, the total amount of cash in exchange settlement accounts has begun to fall.

In light of this, the Reserve Bank could have chosen to continue with its current (costly) abundant reserves system, or to revert back to scarce reserves.

But its board has chosen to embrace a third option that mixes the two: “ample reserves”.

Under this approach, the Reserve Bank will continue to supply plenty of funds that banks can freely borrow at the target cash rate, which will ensure it still controls interest rates. But it will now also focus on limiting excess cash reserves in the financial system, to keep the cost of those interest payments down.

As the Reserve Bank navigates from a system of excess to ample reserves, careful monitoring and adjustments will be crucial, especially as it responds to market conditions and liquidity needs. The plan announced by the Reserve Bank didn’t contain any specific numbers about the size of the balance sheet, which will have to be worked out over time as the demand for reserves evolves.

The ultimate goal is to achieve a more efficient, stable, and flexible system for monetary policy implementation that supports the Australian economy while minimising central bank intervention in markets.

Reworking the plumbing of the monetary system won’t garner much mainstream attention, but plays a vital role in stabilising the economy without breaking the bank.

Read more:
Rising bank profits highlight tensions between competition watchdogs and central banks

Isaac Gross 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. As the COVID cash glut comes to an end, the Reserve Bank is changing the way it sets and maintains interest rates – https://theconversation.com/as-the-covid-cash-glut-comes-to-an-end-the-reserve-bank-is-changing-the-way-it-sets-and-maintains-interest-rates-226962