Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mary-Rose McLaren, Professor of Teaching and Learning and Head of Program, Early Childhood Education, Victoria University

Some years ago, my daughter was set a maths problem: how much does it cost to drive a family of four from Melbourne to Sydney, calculating petrol per kilometre and including a night’s accommodation? Her answer was simple: the cost is four airfares – that way the kids won’t kill each other.

Unfortunately, flying is not an option for many people over the holiday period.

So, how do you get the family through that long car trip without all hell breaking loose?

Try and avoid screens

The obvious choice for a long trip is to give the kids a device. But while screens might buy peace in the short term, returning to the real world afterwards can be overwhelming for children.

Lots of passive screen time – such as watching a movie or looking at YouTube – disconnects children from the people around them.

Studies on children up to the age of seven show an association between too much screen time and behaviour problems. Straight after a long time with screens, children can be fractious and argumentative. Parents also know taking the screens away from children can lead to tantrums.

No one wants to start a holiday with a meltdown. So, while there are certainly times and places when screens are useful (and even a blessing) – the long car trip is probably not one of them.

Cars are not natural places to be

Cars are not natural environments for any of us, and especially not for children who discover the world through their senses.

In cars kids can’t move around much, they are cut off from the smells and textures of the world beyond the car. Things outside the window are moving really fast, making processing hard.

This is why some planning and a lot of understanding are important. The key to survival is making space, even in the car, for your child to do what they do best.

Let kids be creative

Children are naturally creative as they look at the world with fresh eyes.

There are lots of ways to harness this creativity in a car. Even with very young children, you can make music together. Make body percussion together (claps, raspberries, tapping and clicking) to create a soundtrack for part of the travel. You can change the rhythm, tempo or sound.

Or you could introduce them to a song you love – and give them a part to sing. Even very young children love serve and return singing – you sing a bit, they sing a bit.

When you need a break, ask the kids to prepare a concert for you using a song they love.

Ask lots of questions

Use the new environments around you as a prompt. Ask your kids questions like, if you were a bird, what would be able to see now? If you were that cow, what would you be thinking?

If you have drawing materials in the car, the children can draw their ideas and make a map of where they are.

If you have two or more children, you could encourage them to make up a play from the perspective of the animals or environment you are driving through. What is happening in that cafe? What is that dog planning for the afternoon?

Oldies but goodies

There are also old-fashioned games like “Spot It”, which is like bingo for the trip.

You can make your own version before you leave on the trip. Create a grid with images of things your child might see – an orange car, a cow, a kangaroo, a tractor, a grape vine.

When they see them, they tick them off. Children can move in and out of this game, especially if you have thought ahead about what they might see on different parts of the journey.

For older kids, make up silly phrases based on number plate letters. For example, QTJ might be “Quick Turtles Jump”. Then you can add several number plates together to make a rhyme or a rap.

Or, get them to add, subtract or multiply several number plate numbers until they get to 100.

Embrace the mess

A small amount of thought before and during the journey can help. But long car trips are hard on kids – which makes them hard on parents.

So embrace the mess and the inevitable moments of grumpiness. Trapped in a car together, this is an opportunity to know your child differently and for them to know you differently. Cars can be great places to discuss tricky topics with children (and teenagers) in non-confronting ways. Try asking some deeper questions, such as: what are the best things in life? What do you wish we did more of as a family? Or, do you think being fair is important?

There are chances here to make happy memories – even if the times in between feel a bit like torture.

Mary-Rose McLaren 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 to get the kids through a long car trip without screens or losing your mind – https://theconversation.com/how-to-get-the-kids-through-a-long-car-trip-without-screens-or-losing-your-mind-245681

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine E. Wood, Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist, Swinburne University of Technology

Christmas is coming, and with it many challenges for parents of young children.

You likely have one festive event after another, late nights, party food, way too much stimulation, tired kids and tired parents. All of which can culminate in what seems like an endless meltdown.

Yes, it’s the “Christmas crankies” – a far cry from the “festive friendlies” we are all conditioned to expect.

So, what can parents do to manage, or indeed prevent, the cranky times?

Routines are your friend

Routines are very important for children. They help them to know what to expect and what is expected of them while also helping them to feel safe.

Keeping to all your routines is almost impossible over the festive season (and it’s OK to be flexible to accommodate friends, family and celebrations).

But try and hold on to as many as you can. Try and stick to your bedtimes, or make sure you have the same breakfast and lunch if you are going out for a different dinner.

Even at a party, balance the festive food with healthier options. For example, have some carrot sticks next to the chip bowl and make sure the kids have some water (and not constant lemonade).

Read more:
8 tips to navigate Christmas if you have a fussy eater or child with allergies

Prepare kids for what will happen

Given there are so many changes to the routine, it can also be helpful to prepare children for what is coming up.

You could have a schedule somewhere for the whole family to see. This can let children see what is happening, which can help to minimise any anxiety associated with uncertainty. The schedule can include activities such as social events, the date relatives are arriving, and what is happening on Christmas Day (aside from opening presents).

Some children might also feel anxious when meeting new people or relatives, or going to unfamiliar places during the festive season. Having a clear explanation and time limit for these events can also be helpful. For example, saying something such as,

tonight we are going to your aunty’s house, you haven’t seen this aunty for a year but her name is Mary. We will be there for an hour [demonstrate on the clock] and have some dessert. Then we’re coming home, and you’ll get to read your book and then off to bed.

It can also be helpful to space out some of the activities so there is some rest time in between.

Ok, but we still have a meltdown here

Despite your best efforts, it might be genuinely hard to avoid a meltdown. When a child is overwhelmed, stressed, and/or fatigued, the brain’s panic button (the amygdala) can be set off. This is what US clinical professor of psychiatry Dan Siegel refers to as “flipping the lid”.

As Siegel explains, the frontal lobe (responsible for self-control), loses control over the limbic system (which contains the amygdala, and is involved in the emotional control of behaviour).

The brain’s ability to control emotions is relatively immature in younger children, and can take at least until the early 20s to fully mature.

This means in times of fatigue, stress, new and/or over stimulating environments, “self-control” can be challenged or even lost.

What to do in a meltdown

Parents can act as the proxy frontal lobe, helping their child to restore balance between their thoughts, feelings, and the demands of a sometimes chaotic Christmas setting.

In these circumstances, the child needs their parent(s) to stay connected, and to use a calm voice to bring them to a more balanced (or regulated) state. Parents could say something such as,

I can see you are feeling upset right now. It’s OK – there is a lot going on at Christmas time. I am here. Do you need a cuddle?

Remember, a child’s behaviour is not random – it is a vehicle to communicate a need. Maybe they need sleep, a drink, comfort, and/or some downtime.

So be on the lookout for those cranky cues so that the festivities can be enjoyed by all.

Catherine E. Wood 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. Keep calm and carry on your routines: how to manage kids’ ‘Christmas crankies’ over the holidays – https://theconversation.com/keep-calm-and-carry-on-your-routines-how-to-manage-kids-christmas-crankies-over-the-holidays-245273

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Nicole Driessen, Postdoctoral Researcher in Radio Astronomy, University of Sydney

With billions of children around the world anxiously waiting for their presents, Father Christmas (or Santa) and his reindeer must be travelling at breakneck speeds to deliver them all in one night.

But did you know that light from an object travelling at high speeds changes colour? This is thanks to what’s called the Doppler effect – the way speed affects the length of waves, such as sound or light.

When light changes colour due to speed, we call it redshift or blueshift, depending on the direction. If we could catch the colour of Rudolph’s famous red nose with one of our telescopes, we could use the Doppler effect to measure the speed of Father Christmas.

Here’s how that might work – and why this effect is also a crucial tool in astronomy.

How far do Father Christmas and his reindeer need to travel?

Strap into your sleigh for some light Christmas maths. I’ve updated a method proposed in 1998 to work out how fast Rudolph and Father Christmas need to travel to deliver all the required presents (you can find my working here).

There are approximately 2 billion children under the age of 14 years in the world. Approximately 93% of countries observe Christmas in some way, so we’ll assume 93% of all children do.

We know Father Christmas only delivers presents to those who truly believe. If we assume the same percentage of believers by age group as found in the United States, that leaves us with approximately 690 million children.

With about 2.3 children per household worldwide, he has to visit roughly 300 million households.

Spreading those households evenly across 69 million square kilometres of habitable land area on Earth (taking oceans, deserts, Antarctica and mountains into account), Father Christmas has to travel 144 million kilometres on Christmas Eve. That’s nearly the same as the distance from Earth to the Sun.

Luckily, Father Christmas has time zones on his side, with 35 hours between dropping off the first and the last present.

Let’s say Father Christmas uses half his time to zip in and out of each household, which gives him 17.5 hours total or 0.2 milliseconds per household. He uses the other 17.5 hours for travelling between households.

My hypothesis is that he needs to travel at a whopping 8.2 million kilometres per hour, or 0.8% of the speed of light, to drop off all the presents.

How can we measure Father Christmas’ speed with Rudolph’s nose?

Let’s say we want to actually measure the speed of Father Christmas’ journey to see if it matches the hypothesis.

A standard speed camera wouldn’t do the trick. But we have telescopes on Earth that can measure the colour of something by using spectroscopy.

Father Christmas’ lead reindeer, Rudolph, has a famously ruby-red nose. If we could observe Father Christmas with telescopes, we could use the colour of Rudolph’s nose to measure his speed using the Doppler effect, which describes how speed affects wavelength. That’s because Rudolph’s nose wouldn’t look quite so red if he were travelling at high speeds.

What is the Doppler effect? A good example is the sound of an ambulance. When it goes past you on the street, its sound is higher pitched as it approaches, and lower pitched when it drives away. This is because as the ambulance travels towards you, the sound waves are compressed to a shorter wavelength, and a shorter wavelength means a higher pitch.

The same thing happens with light. If a source of light is travelling away from you, the wavelength is stretched out and becomes more red or “redshifted”. If the source of light is travelling towards you, the wavelength is compressed and the light becomes more blue or “blueshifted”.

Rudolph the redshifted reindeer

Red-coloured light has a wavelength of 694.3 nanometres when it’s “at rest”, which means it isn’t moving. That would be the measurement of a stationary Rudolph.

Let’s say Father Christmas would prefer to deliver presents fast, so he can relax with some milk and biscuits at the end of the night. He gets his reindeer to run much faster than I hypothesised, at 10% of the speed of light or 107 million kilometres per hour.

At this speed, Rudolph’s nose would be blueshifted to bright orange (624 nanometres) as he was flying towards your home.

And it would be redshifted to a very dark red (763 nanometres) as he was moving away. The darkest red human eyes can see is around 780 nanometres. At these speeds, Rudolph’s nose would be almost black.

The Doppler effect has a role in astronomy

Astronomers use the Doppler effect to measure how things move in space. We can use it to see if a star is orbiting another star – what’s known as a binary system.

We can also use it to find exoplanets (planets orbiting stars other than our Sun) using a method called “radial velocity”. We can even use it to measure the distances to far away galaxies.

There are some things science just can’t explain, and one of those is the magic of Father Christmas. But if astronomers ever catch Rudolph with their telescopes, they’ll be sure to let everyone know.

Laura Nicole Driessen is an ambassador for the Orbit Centre of Imagination at the Rise and Shine Kindergarten, in Sydney’s Inner West.

– ref. I’ve calculated Santa’s speed on Christmas Eve – and this is what it would do to Rudolph’s nose – https://theconversation.com/ive-calculated-santas-speed-on-christmas-eve-and-this-is-what-it-would-do-to-rudolphs-nose-245764

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Higgins, Professor & Director, Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University

Feeling unsure about your child going to a sleepover is completely normal. You might be worried about how well you know the host family, how they manage supervision or screen time, and even safety.

Sleepovers can carry risk through inadequate supervision or exposure to unsafe behaviours such as bullying, coercion, sexually inappropriate behaviour, or abuse from other children or adults.

These risks are heightened when there’s a lack of clear rules and oversight.

But in safe environments, sleepovers can also provide opportunities for children to build independence and strengthen friendships.

We research child safety. Here are a few strategies help to reduce risk and make the sleepover more successful.

Get to know the host family

Don’t be afraid to suggest a daytime playdate first.

This will give you a chance to chat to the family, get a sense of their household routines and parenting, and observe how comfortable your child seems with them.

An “everything but the sleep” sleepover can be a great starting point. This allows your child to enjoy the excitement of dinner, games and bonding time without the added stress of staying overnight.

Setting a prearranged pickup time can help anxious children (or parents) feel more comfortable.

Talk to the host family

When discussing the sleepover with the host family, it’s helpful to share that you have an open and honest communication style with your child.

This not only reassures the other parents that you’re engaged in your child’s safety but also subtly signals that you’ll follow up after the sleepover to ask how it went. For example you could mention:

• how you talk to your child about respecting boundaries, including personal space during activities like going to the toilet or showering
• your rules or expectations around use of devices and the internet
• your ideas around appropriate bedtime attire for children (and for the adults who might be called on during the night)
• that you plan to remind your child of these boundaries before the sleepover
• that you’ll check in with your child afterwards to hear about their experience.

It’s OK to ask the host family about their approach to supervision and safety. You might ask:

• who will be at home and who is supervising the kids? What adults will be present?
• will there be other siblings or adolescents present?
• what are the planned activities?
• where will the children be sleeping?
• how will they be supervised?
• what is their approach to internet use and devices?

These questions don’t need to feel intrusive. Framing them as part of ensuring everyone has a great experience helps keep the conversation positive and collaborative.

Talk to your child about safety

Before the sleepover, reinforce with your child the importance of personal boundaries and respect for others.

After the sleepover, follow through with open-ended conversations. Ask your child how they felt, what they enjoyed, and if there was anything they didn’t like.

These casual but intentional conversations strengthen your child’s confidence in speaking up and help you stay attuned to their experiences.

Children should understand:

• their body belongs to them and they have the right to say “no”
• privacy rules around private parts, bathrooms, appropriate sleeping attire, and other private spaces
• how to handle conflict with their friends, such as disagreements over sharing toys or activities
• how to stay safe online (including while gaming), such as not sharing personal details, not talking with strangers, and what content is appropriate.

Let them know they should feel comfortable speaking up if something doesn’t feel right or if they are unsure. Come up with ways together to say no excuse themselves if a situation makes them uncomfortable.

Create an exit strategy

Having a backup plan is essential, especially for younger children or first-time sleepovers.

Let your child know it’s OK to leave early if they’re feeling homesick or uncomfortable.

Remind them they can contact you at any time for any reason, no matter how small it seems. Discuss this with the host parents in advance to ensure they understand your approach.

Ensure your child has a way to contact you. If they don’t have their own device, coordinate with the host parents ways for your child to use their phone or landline.

Another option is to set up pre-arranged check-ins, where the host parents help your child call or text you at an agreed time.

You can also choose a code word with your child – if they say it during your chat, it means you’ll come and collect them.

Reassuring them they have an “out” can give children the confidence to fully enjoy the experience.

Assess your child’s readiness

Not every child is ready for a sleepover at the same age. Consider their emotional maturity and comfort level. Ask them directly how they are feeling – excited and eager or hesitant and nervous?

Can they manage basic self care tasks? Have they successfully spent time away from home before, such as with a relative or close friend?

If your child is hesitant, starting with shorter visits or sleepovers at your own home might be better until they feel more comfortable.

Sleepovers can be a fun part of childhood, and can foster independence, friendship, and resilience.

It’s worth taking the time to prepare. It’s OK to start small, ask questions and trust your instincts.

Daryl Higgins receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council and a range of government departments, agencies, and service providers, including Bravehearts. He was a Chief Investigator on the Australian Child Maltreatment Study.

Gabrielle works with the Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS) team as part of her PhD Candidature. She has also previously worked for Bravehearts in various roles, including for the Turning Corners program, which provides support to young people who have displayed harmful sexual behaviours.

– ref. How parents can safely navigate their kid’s first sleepover – https://theconversation.com/how-parents-can-safely-navigate-their-kids-first-sleepover-243918

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Senior Lecturer of Urban Risk & Resilience, UNSW Sydney

Exactly 50 years ago, on Christmas Eve 1974, Cyclone Tracy struck Darwin and left a trail of devastation. It remains one of the most destructive natural events in Australia’s history.

Wind speeds reached more than 200 kilometres per hour. The cyclone claimed 71 lives and injured nearly 650, and left 70% of the city’s buildings flattened.

If you are about 60 or older, chances are you remember that day, even if the cyclone did not directly affect you.

The 50th anniversary of this disaster offers a crucial opportunity to reflect on how Cyclone Tracy not only reshaped Darwin but marked a turning point in Australia’s approach to disaster resilience.

The nightmare before Christmas

Cyclone Tracy was initially a relatively small, slow-moving system. But after meandering around the Arafura Sea for three days, it rounded Bathurst Island and headed towards Darwin, getting more ferocious as it approached the coast.

Some Darwin residents later reported not knowing a cyclone was approaching. They included Keith and Christine Pattinson, whose daughter Courtney Zagel later recounted their story:

They told me […] the rain started coming sideways through the louvered windows. The power went out, and everything turned black.

Keith stood against the doors to try and keep them shut, then suddenly there was a huge explosion. The roof of the house flew off and the walls fell in. Christine was thrown back into a glass cabinet. Keith was trapped beneath one of the fallen walls.

The couple spent the night in the neighbour’s house. Christine was later evacuated for urgent medical treatment.

Resident Andrea Mikfelder would later write of the cyclone’s aftermath:

our house […] was still standing. It was a brick home, but the roof was gone. The neighbour’s house looked like a dollhouse, split in half, while the next house was completely flattened.

The Bureau of Meteorology would later estimate peak wind gusts of between 217 and 240 kilometres an hour. A report published in 2010, employing more advanced techniques, suggested even higher speeds.

Tracy left about 10,000 houses destroyed and 40,000 people homeless from a city population of 47,000. The damage bill at the time totalled A$800 million.

More than 30,000 residents were evacuated, about 60% of whom never returned. The airlift operation remains the largest in Australia’s history.

What has changed since?

In the 50 years since the tragedy, authorities have become much better able to forecast tropical cyclones. They can now warn of a cyclone’s projected path, and the likelihood of it reaching land, several days in advance.

Cyclone Tracy reshaped Australia approach to disaster response and preparedness. The Natural Disasters Organisation – today known as Emergency Management Australia – had been established a few months before the cyclone, to coordinate national-level disaster relief efforts.

But its role and authority were still evolving. Tracy served as a “reality check” for the young organisation.

Cyclone Tracy revealed weaknesses in disaster response at all levels of government. The scale of the damage quickly outstripped local and state resources. The federal government was forced to step in to oversee mass evacuations of over 30,000 people and lead recovery efforts.

However, the Commonwealth lacked clear powers to intervene in national emergencies at the time, complicating its response effort. Its powers have since increased.

Cyclone Tracy also gave impetus to disaster management legislation, such as Queensland’s State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act, established in 1975. Such reforms set the stage for the more structured and integrated approach to disaster response now in place across Australia.

Building back better

Darwin’s devastation prompted more stringent building codes across Australia.

Even though Darwin is naturally prone to cyclonic winds, few structures had been built to withstand them.

Afterwards, regulations requiring all reconstruction to adhere to updated cyclone-resistant building standards were introduced. It meant, for example, screws rather than nails must be used to hold down corrugated iron roofing, and buildings must be clad to withstand airborne debris.

Similar regulations were implemented for new construction in other cyclone-prone areas of Australia.

Today, Darwin is a far more resilient city. In 2018 it was hit by Cyclone Marcus, the most powerful storm since Tracy with wind gusts of 130 kilometres per hour. No lives were lost, and relatively few structures were damaged.

Getting to grips with the mental toll

Cyclone Tracy left deep mental scars on survivors.

A study of residents who were evacuated to Sydney after Tracy revealed 58% displayed signs of psychological disturbance in the days following the cyclone. Women and older individuals were particularly affected.

Decades on, survivors described ongoing anxiety and depression, often triggered by the sounds of wind and rain.

Today, the psychological impact of natural disasters – on survivors, volunteers and first responders – is much better understood.

Initiatives such as the National Disaster Mental Health and Wellbeing Framework reflect this progress. It recognises that mental health needs after extreme events are complex, and support is needed at the individual and community level.

Volunteers are key

Cyclone Tracy also showed how community efforts and volunteers are essential in disaster recovery.

In the cyclone’s aftermath, local emergency services were overwhelmed. Volunteers quickly became the backbone of the relief effort, setting a precedent for future disaster responses.

Today, volunteers – alongside established relief organisations – still provide food, shelter, medical care and other crucial aid after disasters. As extreme weather becomes more frequent and severe under climate change, the need for community mobilisation will only grow.

The recent Senate inquiry into Australia’s Disaster Resilience recognises the ongoing need to strengthen volunteer participation and management in disaster scenarios.

A more resilient Australia

Under climate change, tropical cyclones conditions may occur less frequently. This means Australia is expected to experience fewer tropical cyclones in future.

But a greater proportion of those that do hit are expected to be high-intensity, with stronger winds and rain.

The tragedy of Cyclone Tracy means Australia’s disaster preparedness is more advanced than it might have been. However, building a disaster-resilient nation requires continuous efforts to strengthen infrastructure, refine evacuation plans, and address vulnerabilities in communities.

Achieving this is a responsibility which should be shared between governments and communities alike.

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. 50 years ago, Cyclone Tracy flattened Darwin – and Australia’s attitude to disasters changed forever – https://theconversation.com/50-years-ago-cyclone-tracy-flattened-darwin-and-australias-attitude-to-disasters-changed-forever-240369

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Irmine Keta Rotimi, Doctoral Candidate, Marketing and International Business department, Auckland University of Technology

Videos of children opening boxes of toys and playing with them have become a feature of online marketing – making stars out of children as young as two.

Twelve-year-old influencer Ryan Kaji, for example, earns US$30 million a year on YouTube leading one of the most popular children’s channels. His empire was built on toy unboxing.

An influencer (child or adult) with more than one million followers can earn upwards of $20,000 for one sponsored post, while a person with under 100,000 followers on a social media platform may still earn as much as $4,000 for each sponsored post.

But the rise of kidfluencers around the globe raises questions about the blurred lines between play and labour, independence and control, privacy, profit and online success.

Our research examines these questions. By analysing existing research to clearly identify the challenges faced by child toy unboxers, we can guide future researchers and governments to best support children who are living parts of their lives online.

YouTube as a career goal

A 2023 global survey of children aged between eight and 12 found they were three times more likely to aspire to be a YouTuber (29%) than an astronaut (11%).

Advertisers have taken note. Social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube collectively earned nearly $11 billion in advertising revenue in 2022 from United States-based users younger than 18.

Toy unboxing has emerged as particularly popular, generating massive revenue and global audiences. These types of videos involved children who unbox, play and review toys.

Unboxing videos became popular in the 2010s, with content creators unpacking products such as tech gadgets and fashion items. Toy unboxing is now one of the highest-earning genres on YouTube.

Work, play or somewhere in between

At first glance, unboxing videos seem to follow a simple entertainer-audience relationship. The kidfluencers emotionally engage with young viewers, who are then inspired to create their own toy wish lists.

But behind the fun is a world of complexity often not obvious for young viewers (and sometimes older viewers too).

These children are hired by companies – and managed by their parents – to promote toys and other products in an job-like arrangement. This has raised concerns about child exploitation, privacy risks and unethical work practices.

But current child labour laws in New Zealand and elsewhere do not see child influencers as a type of “child worker”. And it is difficult to do so.

While kidfluencers seem to be genuinely playing with the sponsored toy, their content is managed by contracts with advertisers, and expectations set by their parents. Therefore it can’t fully be labelled as “play”.

At the same time, calling these practices purely “labour” ignores the real excitement children feel when creating sponsored content.

In 2020, the French government labelled kidfluencers a “grey zone” – where the child is not officially working, but nevertheless spends a significant amount of time making videos, or derives a significant level of income from them.

Protecting children

Another complexity is that some social media platforms require users to be over 13, yet some kidfluencers are toddlers, with parents creating and managing their accounts, including producing and posting their children’s online content.

While parents play a big role in managing their child’s online presence, the child drives the toy sales, creating tension between parental control and a child’s independence.

And behind this all is the issue of money. A child’s involvement – and success – is driven by the wants and needs of advertisers. This raises questions about how much of a say the child really has in terms of creating content.

Privacy and online safety are two key issues facing the kidfluencer industry. The more content a child toy unboxer posts online, the more popular and profitable they can become. But at the same time, popularity brings very real risks.

Young female unboxers – and female kidfluencers in general – have been targeted by online predators. To stay safe, some kidfluencers use fake names and don’t share their location. But these strategies are not perfect.

Current (and proposed) policies rarely balance protecting child stars with supporting their success in sponsored content.

In recent years, however, France and individual states in the US have created laws to protect the kidfluencers’ earnings.

All governments should follow suit and create policies that recognise the challenges of the kidfluencer industry, and which support and protect the children involved.

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. Work or play? The rise of online ‘kidfluencers’ is raising complex legal and ethical questions – https://theconversation.com/work-or-play-the-rise-of-online-kidfluencers-is-raising-complex-legal-and-ethical-questions-241904

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanna Nicholas, Lecturer in Dance and Performance Science, Edith Cowan University

Once the end-of-year dance concert and term wrap up for the year it is important to take a break. Both physical and mental rest are important and taking a few weeks off can help your body repair and have a mental break from dance.

If your mind and body are in need of an extended break (such as more than a few weeks), then it’s more than OK to take longer off, especially if you are training at a competitive or pre-professional level.

There is benefit in enjoying other aspects of your life outside of dance such as spending time with family, friends and enjoying hobbies.

A safe, fulfilling dancing life

Creating meaning and value in life outside of dance and expanding sense of self can make it easier to lean into other aspects when experiencing change or difficult times during dance training such as being injured.

Taking an extended break from dance training will, however, mean losing some fitness and physical capacity. When you return to dance your body will take time to return to full capacity again.

Approaches such as being “whipped back into shape” can promote sudden spikes in training load (hours and intensity of training) which can increase the risk of injury. It is advised to gradually and progressively increase training load over time to allow the body to adapt and return to full capacity safely.

A four-to-six week period of gradually progressing training load and introducing jumping has been suggested in dance settings.

For dancers wanting to maintain fitness over the summer holidays, a great place to start is focusing on building a physical foundation.

Building a physical foundation means focusing on targeted areas of fitness such as full body strength, cardiovascular fitness or stamina (such as skipping, cycling walking, running, swimming), flexibility, and some dance-specific conditioning (for example, calf rises for ballet).

A good physical foundation will mean an improved capacity and fitness level so your body is ready to take on more challenging dance movements and routines once you return to the studio.

Building full body strength at home or at the park

A great place to start is by choosing movements that require your muscles to work to support your own body weight.

Fundamental movements such as crawling (moving on the floor on hands and feet) and locomotion (travelling movements such as lunging, hopping, sliding) are great for developing body control, arm and leg stability and coordinated movement patterns.

Below is a sequence that can be used as a warm up and even as a workout itself. The ten minute sequence is based on gross motor and fundamental movement patterns. It includes exercises that work through a range of joint movements and in multiple planes (forwards, sideways, rotating).

Once feeling comfortable with the above fundamental movements, it is time to introduce body weight resistance exercises.

Body weight resistance exercises can be beneficial for developing a strong foundation for dance movements such as jumping, landing, floorwork, partnering and aerial work.

Exercises from the above sequence can be used to form a safe and effective neuromuscular warm up.

Aim to include one exercise from each of the below movement categories (squat, horizontal push etc) to build your own workout.

Aim to complete two to three sets (or rounds) of each exercise with about one minute rest between sets. An alternative is to complete one set of each exercise with minimal rest between, then complete a second or third time.

If training with friends, you could set a timer and do each exercise for up to 50 seconds (instead of counting reps) and take ten seconds to transition to the next exercise.

Depending on your level of strength you may need to do fewer repetitions and build up sets and repetitions overtime. After you have completed the body weight exercises complete a cool down including stretches for the upper and lower body muscles. Be sure to use a sturdy bar (such as an outdoor fitness station) for horizontal row and overhead hold.

Exercises may need to be modified depending on fitness level and physical limitations such as injury.

How often should I train?

A common misconception in dance is that “more is better”. This belief can lead to dancers training long hours on most or all days of the week which can lead to overtraining, plateauing and increased risk of injury.

Our bodies require sufficient time between training sessions to adapt and get stronger and fitter. The time between sessions is when our muscles and tissues repair and training gains are made.

By incorporating adequate recovery (including sleep and downtime) and including rest days throughout the week, our bodies can gain the most benefits from training.

Muscles can take up to 48–72 hours to recover from most types of strength-based exercises (the more intense the longer they’ll need to recover).

Aerobic activity at low intensity, such as a brisk walk, can be done most days (24-hour recovery) while high stress anaerobic exercise such as high intensity intervals or sprints can take three days or more to recover from.

Aim to spread training sessions out over the week and allow time to recover between sessions.

Below is an example weekly schedule based on incorporating adequate recovery between sessions, and incorporating polarised training where some days are harder and others are easier.

Seek guidance from your healthcare provider and/or an exercise professional prior to undertaking a new exercise program.

Joanna Nicholas 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. My dance school is closed for the summer, how can I keep up my fitness? – https://theconversation.com/my-dance-school-is-closed-for-the-summer-how-can-i-keep-up-my-fitness-244504

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kit MacFarlane, Lecturer, Creative Writing and Literature, University of South Australia

For those looking to introduce some musical conflict into the holidays, Bob Dylan’s Christmas in the Heart remains a great choice in its 15th anniversary – like it or not.

Before Dylan really got started, an iconic group opened the door to mainstream folk success for Dylan and his contemporaries. And at the height of their popularity, they also released an unexpected Christmas album.

But instead of becoming a perennial classic, it seemed to foreshadow the approaching end for the group’s dominance at the peak of popular music.

That album was The Kingston Trio’s ill-fated The Last Month of the Year from 1960.

The ‘hottest act in show business’

The Kingston Trio are often remembered as a clean-cut, sanitised and goofy footnote in musical history. Their matching striped shirts may be a difficult fashion choice to rehabilitate today, but the trio’s impact on popular music was explosive.

Popular performances in 1957 San Francisco led quickly to their self-titled first album the following year. Reshaping folk music for a mainstream audience energised professional and amateur performers.

Critic Greil Marcus describes their breakthrough hit, 1958’s Tom Dooley, as having “the same effect on hearts and minds in 1958 that Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit and Nevermind did in 1991”.

By the time they released their Christmas album, they were the “hottest act in show business”.

In the previous two years, they’d had five number one albums on the Billboard charts. Four of their albums were in the top ten at the same time. They reportedly generated 15% of Capitol Records’ annual sales.

Following that phenomenal success, one early response to their Christmas album noted:

By now it’s fairly well established that the Kingston Trio could record Row, Row Your Boat in 12 languages, put it on wax, and the album would sell a half-million copies. As a consequence, there’s little doubt that The Last Month of the Year will be one of the big sellers this Christmas.

Instead, The Last Month of the Year became their first studio album not to reach number one.

Although still successful, their later albums never reached number one or Gold Album status again. Founding member Dave Guard left in 1961. A new lineup with replacement John Stewart had peaks of success, enduring in a changing folk scene – but never quite recapturing those initial years.

‘Perhaps the most unusual set of the year’

The Kingston Trio were lambasted, then and now, for their commercial focus. Nevertheless, The Last Month of the Year stands in contrast to many enduring commercial norms.

Contemporary responses to The Last Month of the Year noted “a number of almost unknown Christmas songs instead of the usual diet of standard carols” and “perhaps the most unusual set of the year”.

There are none of the 1940s and 1950s staples that have persisted through the decades. Nat King Cole opened his 1960 album The Magic of Christmas with a spirited Deck the Halls. Both Ella Fitzgerald (on Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas) and Peggy Lee (on Christmas Carousel) opened their Christmas albums of the same year with Jingle Bells.

In contrast, The Kingston Trio’s opening track is a subdued version of the 16th century Coventry Carol, a lullaby for the children Herod ordered to be killed. The restrained use of a celeste, or bell-piano, summons Christmas vibes but largely augments the sombre harmonies.

Opening with the biblical Massacre of the Innocents was certainly one way to set The Last Month of the Year apart from its jolly competitors.

Range, energy and appropriation

Other songs include delicate folk (All Through the Night), traditional rounds (A Round About Christmas), historical carols (Sing We Noel) and uncharacteristic original lyrics (The White Snows of Winter).

Spirituals Go Where I Send Thee and The Last Month of the Year (What Month Was Jesus Born In) allow the trio to focus on the kind of energy (and appropriation) that had defined much of their previous output.

Goodnight My Baby charms as a Christmas Eve lullaby that’s too excited to lull anyone to sleep.

Adding oddness, Mary Mild reshapes the strange apocryphal The Bitter Withy where a child Jesus creates “a bridge of the beams of the sun” to encourage children to play with him. The Kingston Trio only hint at the song’s common outcome that leaves his playmates dead and Mary meting out some corporal punishment.

Perhaps more restrained than their usual performances, the album nevertheless guides listeners through some of the styles and sources that the Trio’s brand of popular folk could draw on.

A Christmas album that still has something to offer

The Last Month of the year wasn’t the cause, but it occupies a turning point where The Kingston Trio’s cultural dominance began to slip.

Soon after, Bob Dylan’s song Blowin’ in the Wind (published in 1962) and album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963) marked a new era of folk that revived its political energy (for a while).

As folk music further solidified its place in the civil rights movement, the Kingston Trio’s collegiate party vibes and perceived apoliticism seemed out of step.

When Dylan released his Christmas album in 2009, one critic asked “Is he sincere? Does he mean it?”

That’s also a question that defined and dogged The Kingston Trio from the outset of the folk revival they ushered in. Are these goofy guys serious?

The Last Month of the Year is an intriguing and ambitious album by a group that, for a short but influential time, reshaped popular music.

It’s a forgotten Christmas album that might still have something new to offer a Christmas-weary listener.

Kit MacFarlane 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 Christmas album that heralded the end of a folk musical era: The Kingston Trio’s The Last Month of the Year – https://theconversation.com/the-christmas-album-that-heralded-the-end-of-a-folk-musical-era-the-kingston-trios-the-last-month-of-the-year-242583

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kasey Symons, Lecturer of Communication, Sports Media, Deakin University

We are well and truly in cricket season.

The Australian men’s cricket team is taking centre stage against India in the Border Gavaskar Trophy series while the Big Bash League is underway, as is the Sheffield Shield.

It is a packed summer schedule, with the Australian women’s cricket team competing in an Ashes series against England that will culminate in a historic Test at the MCG on January 30: the first women’s Test played at the venue since 1948–49.

That match will also be the 90th anniversary of the first ever women’s Ashes series, when England toured Australia in the summer of 1934–35.

It’s an exciting schedule for fans and one Cricket Australia will be looking to capitalise on.

But is all this cricket driving participation?

The changing face of cricket participation

Like most sports, cricket faces a challenge to retain junior players in an oversaturated sports market. It is also competing with other entertainment offerings, increased screen time, financial pressures, and parent and guardian unavailability.

Read more:
No cash, no play? Have cost-of-living pressures impacted sports participation in Australia?

Ahead of the 2024–25 summer, Cricket Australia released its annual report, which included 2023–24 participation numbers.

On the whole, things are looking somewhat positive, with growth in junior cricket (ages 5-12) increasing 5%.

For women and girls, the numbers are even more encouraging, with Cricket Australia reporting 18% growth for the 2023–24 season, attributed to a 44% rise in school competitions, 6% growth in social competitions and a record-breaking year of youth girls’ participation (ages 5–12).

But Cricket Australia highlighted challenges in that next phase – the teenage years, with the governing body reporting an overall 5% drop in teenage participation.

The death of backyard cricket?

There has been reflection recently about the decline of junior participation in some demographics and a changing cricketing landscape.

A query that often arises in these conversations is whether the sport’s traditional breeding ground, backyard cricket, is under threat.

What is interesting is the nostalgia many cricket fans hold for the days of the iconic pastime and how it is central to a person’s, and maybe even our national, identity.

Backyard cricket has long been a staple for many Australian families (and those in cricketing countries). It has attracted a certain rose-coloured nostalgia that fills the memories of generations – the sounds of a ball bouncing off a wheelie bin, the shouts of “car!” in quiet suburban streets and maybe sometimes, of smashed glass and the cries of angry parents to not play near the windows.

Cricket fans can connect to stories of backyard cricket, reflecting on simpler times, mates made in the streets and maybe even how they perfected their action in narrow driveways, to avoid trees or to not lose the ball over the neighbour’s fence.

Cricket lovers can not only recall their childhood and growing cricket fandom, but also imagine how their cricketing heroes were likely doing the exact same thing.

In 2009, Steve Cannane wrote the book First Tests – Great Australian Cricketers and The Backyards That Made Them. The book is a testament to the romance of backyard cricket and how we can relate as fans to the icons of the game, who also experienced modest beginnings in similar streets. They were just like us.

But recreation looks different to today’s teens, with the rise of technology and other entertainment options, as well as changing social patterns where organic interactions are less likely or not encouraged.

This can make it hard to find fielders for those long cover drives down the driveway.

I recently discussed this on ABC Radio’s The Conversation Hour. We discussed how children might be less likely to approach other children to play today, which might be a result of COVID restrictions or general concerns about children’s safety.

Australia’s changing housing market is also affecting backyard cricket.

Apartment living and smaller homes in urban areas with limited outdoor space make the activity not only very difficult but not visible to invite others in.

Modern city planning appears focused on making cities more compact and experts note the loss of outdoor space could increase the risks of physical and mental health problems among city residents.

It appears for many, the days of walking down a street, seeing kids playing a game and joining in until your parents called out “dinner” (or “tea” in the rural neighbourhood I grew up in) are long gone.

Finding the fandom balance

Kerry Packer’s 1977 World Series Cricket is what inspired CEO of Softball Australia Sarah Loh to pick up a cricket bat when her family migrated to Australia when she was six years old.

She told ABC Radio Melbourne:

There were those great characters, and that is when my love of sport and cricket came.

While traditional cricket fans often bemoan new formats, flashy tournaments and increased commercialisation of cricket, for many, these innovations also offer entry points, drive interest and allow their fandom to grow.

Cricket Australia’s chief of cricket James Allsopp has spoken of the need for more social forms of cricket to keep kids interested in the game and prevent the drop-off in teen years.

A balance must be achieved in our rapidly changing society – the challenge for cricket’s administrators will now be to connect with kids, women, and diverse communities in ways that respond to their needs and bring them to the sport on their terms.

They must also do this in a way that protects the history that has already brought so many people together every summer in front of televisions, in stadiums and in backyards across the country.

Kasey Symons consults to and conducts research for a number of organisations across Australia. Her research has received funding from organisations including the Victorian Government, and national and state sport governing bodies including the Australian Football League and its clubs and the National Rugby League. Dr Symons is also one of the co-founders of Siren: A Women in Sport Collective.

– ref. From smaller homes to screen time, backyard cricket is facing challenges in modern Australia – https://theconversation.com/from-smaller-homes-to-screen-time-backyard-cricket-is-facing-challenges-in-modern-australia-241351

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Woods, Lecturer, Nursing, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University

Summer is here and for many that means going to the beach. You grab your swimmers, beach towel and sunscreen then maybe check the weather forecast. Did you think to grab a first aid kit?

The vast majority of trips to the beach will be uneventful. However, if trouble strikes, being prepared can make a huge difference to you, a loved one or a stranger.

So, what exactly should you be prepared for?

Knowing the dangers

The first step in being prepared for the beach is to learn about where you are going and associated levels of risk.

In Broome, you are more likely to be bitten by a dog at the beach than stung by an Irukandji jellyfish.

In Byron Bay, you are more likely to come across a brown snake than a shark.

In the summer of 2023–24, Surf Life Saving Australia reported more than 14 million Australian adults visited beaches. Surf lifesavers, lifeguards and lifesaving services performed 49,331 first aid treatments across 117 local government areas around Australia. Surveys of beach goers found perceptions of common beach hazards include rips, tropical stingers, sun exposure, crocodiles, sharks, rocky platforms and waves.

Sun and heat exposure are likely the most common beach hazard. The Cancer Council has reported that almost 1.5 million Australians surveyed during summer had experienced sunburn during the previous week. Without adequate fluid intake, heat stroke can also occur.

Lacerations and abrasions are a further common hazard. While surfboards, rocks, shells and litter might seem more dangerous, the humble beach umbrella has been implicated in thousands of injuries.

Sprains and fractures are also associated with beach activities. A 2022 study linked data from hospital, ambulance and Surf Life Saving cases on the Sunshine Coast over six years and found 79 of 574 (13.8%) cervical spine injuries occurred at the beach. Surfing, smaller wave heights and shallow water diving were the main risks.

Rips and rough waves present a higher risk at areas of unpatrolled beach, including away from surf lifesaving flags. Out of 150 coastal drowning deaths around Australia in 2023–24, nearly half were during summer. Of those deaths:

• 56% occurred at the beach
• 31% were rip-related
• 86% were male, and
• 100% occurred away from patrolled areas.

People who had lived in Australia for less than two years were more worried about the dangers, but also more likely to be caught in a rip.

Read more:
Drugs and the sun – your daily medications could put you at greater risk of sunburn

Knowing your DR ABCs

So, beach accidents can vary by type, severity and impact. How you respond will depend on your level of first aid knowledge, ability and what’s in your first aid kit.

A first aid training company survey of just over 1,000 Australians indicated 80% of people agree cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the most important skill to learn, but nearly half reported feeling intimidated by the prospect.

CPR training covers an established checklist for emergency situations. Using the acronym “DR ABC” means checking for:

• Danger
• Response
• Airway
• Breathing
• Circulation

A complete first aid course will provide a range of skills to build confidence and be accredited by the national regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority.

Read more:
Snakes are waking up. What should you do if you’re bitten? And what if you’re a long way from help?

What to bring – 10 first aid essentials

Whether you buy a first aid kit or put together you own, it should include ten essential items in a watertight, sealable container:

1. Band-Aids for small cuts and abrasions
2. sterile gauze pads
3. bandages (one small one for children, one medium crepe to hold on a dressing or support strains or sprains, and one large compression bandage for a limb)
4. large fabric for sling
5. a tourniquet bandage or belt to restrict blood flow
6. non-latex disposable gloves
7. scissors and tweezers
8. medical tape
9. thermal or foil blanket
10. CPR shield or breathing mask.

Before you leave for the beach, check the expiry dates of any sunscreen, solutions or potions you choose to add.

If you’re further from help

If you are travelling to a remote or unpatrolled beach, your kit should also contain:

• sterile saline solution to flush wounds or rinse eyes
• hydrogel or sunburn gel
• an instant cool pack
• paracetamol and antihistamine medication
• insect repellent.

Make sure you carry any “as-required” medications, such as a Ventolin puffer for asthma or an EpiPen for severe allergy.

Vinegar is no longer recommended for most jellyfish stings, including Blue Bottles. Hot water is advised instead.

In remote areas, also look out for Emergency Response Beacons. Located in high-risk spots, these allow bystanders to instantly activate the surf emergency response system.

If you have your mobile phone or a smart watch with GPS function, make sure it is charged and switched on and that you know how to use it to make emergency calls.

First aid kits suitable for the beach range in price from $35 to over $120. Buy these from certified first aid organisations such as Surf Lifesaving Australia, Australian Red Cross, St John Ambulance or Royal Life Saving. Kits that come with a waterproof sealable bag are recommended.

Be prepared this summer for your trip to the beach and pack your first aid kit. Take care and have fun in the sun.

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. Hitting the beach? Here are some dangers to watch out for – plus 10 essentials for your first aid kit – https://theconversation.com/hitting-the-beach-here-are-some-dangers-to-watch-out-for-plus-10-essentials-for-your-first-aid-kit-243037

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Saman Khalesi, Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead in Nutrition, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia

The holiday season can be a time of joy, celebration, and indulgence in delicious foods and meals. However, for many, it can also be an emotional and stressful period.

This stress can manifest in our eating habits, leading to what is known as emotional or stress eating.

There are certain foods we tend to eat more of when we’re stressed, and these can affect our health. What’s more, our food choices can influence our stress levels and make us feel worse. Here’s how.

Why we might eat more when stressed

The human stress response is a complex signalling network across the body and brain. Our nervous system then responds to physical and psychological events to maintain our health. Our stress response – which can be subtle or trigger a fight-or-flight response – is essential and part of daily life.

The stress response increases production of the hormones cortisol and insulin and the release of glucose (blood sugars) and brain chemicals to meet demand. Eating when we experience stress is a normal behaviour to meet a spike in energy needs.

But sometimes our relationship with food becomes strained in response to different types of stress. We might attach shame or guilt to overeating. And anxiety or insecurity can mean some people under-eat in stressful times.

Over time, people can start to associate eating with negative emotions – such as anger, sadness, fear or worry. This link can create behavioural cycles of emotional eating. “Emotional eaters” may go on to develop altered brain responses to the sight or smell of food.

What stress eating can do to the body

Stress eating can include binge eating, grazing, eating late at night, eating quickly or eating past the feeling of fullness. It can also involve craving or eating foods we don’t normally choose.
For example, stressed people often reach for ultra-processed foods. While eating these foods is not necessarily a sign of stress, having them can activate the reward system in our brain to alleviate stress and create a pattern.

Short-term stress eating, such as across the holiday period, can lead to symptoms such as acid reflux and poor sleep – particularly when combined with drinking alcohol.

In the longer term, stress eating can lead to weight gain and obesity, increasing the risks of cancer, heart diseases and diabetes.

While stress eating may help reduce stress in the moment, long-term stress eating is linked with an increase in depressive symptoms and poor mental health.

What we eat can make us more or less stressed

The foods we choose can also influence our stress levels.

Diets high in refined carbohydrates and sugar (such as sugary drinks, sweets, crackers, cakes and most chocolates) can make blood sugar levels spike and then crash.

Diets high in unhealthy saturated and trans fats (processed foods, animal fats and commercially fried foods) can increase inflammatory responses.

Rapid changes in blood sugar and inflammation can increase anxiety and can change our mood.

Meanwhile, certain foods can improve the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain that regulate stress and mood.

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and flaxseeds, are known to reduce inflammation and support brain health. Magnesium, found in leafy greens and nuts, helps regulate cortisol levels and the body’s stress response.

Vitamin Bs, found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans and animal products (mostly B12), help maintain a healthy nervous system and energy metabolism, improving mood and cognitive performance.

5 tips for the holiday table and beyond

Food is a big part of the festive season, and treating yourself to delicious treats can be part of the fun. Here are some tips for enjoying festive foods, while avoiding stress eating:

1. slow down: be mindful about the speed of your eating. Slow down, chew food well and put down your utensils after each bite

2. watch the clock: even if you’re eating more food than you normally would, sticking to the same timing of eating can help maintain your body’s response to the food. If you normally have an eight-hour eating window (the time between your first meal and last meal of the day) then stick to this even if you’re eating more

3. continue other health behaviours: even if we are eating more food or different food during the festive season, try to keep up other healthy behaviours, such as sleep and exercise

4. stay hydrated: make sure to drink plenty of fluids, especially water. This helps our body function and can help with feelings of hunger. When our brain gets the message something has entered the stomach (what we drink) this can provide a temporary reduction in feelings of hunger

5. don’t restrict: if we have a big day of eating, it can be tempting to restrict eating in the days before or after. But it is never a good idea to overly constrain food intake. It can lead to more overeating and worsen stress.

Plus 3 bonus tips to manage holiday stress

1. shift your thinking: try reframing festive stress. Instead of viewing it as “something bad”, see it as “providing the energy” to reach your goals, such as a family gathering or present shopping

2. be kind to yourself and others: practise an act of compassion for someone else or try talking to yourself as you would a friend. These actions can stimulate our brains and improve wellbeing

3. do something enjoyable: being absorbed in enjoyable activities – such as crafting, movement or even breathing exercises – can help our brains and bodies to return to a more relaxed state, feel steady and connected.

For support and more information about eating disorders, contact the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800. If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call 000.

Saman Khalesi was previously supported by a Postdoctoral Fellowship (Award No. 102584) from the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

Talitha Best is affiliated with Australian Psychological Society.

Charlotte Gupta 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. You could be stress eating these holidays – or eating your way to stress. 5 tips for the table – https://theconversation.com/you-could-be-stress-eating-these-holidays-or-eating-your-way-to-stress-5-tips-for-the-table-244156

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia

Marketing is critical to the success of commercial films, and companies will often spend half as much again on top of the production budget to let people know about a film. But this is usually not the case with the local industry.

Frequently, Australian films will do well enough on the festival circuit to be picked up by a theatrical distributor who spends virtually nothing on marketing – and then pulls the film when it doesn’t prove to be the next Muriel’s Wedding.

This is painfully in the back of my mind as I try to compile a list of my top five Australian films of 2024. Top five? Did I even see five? It turns out I did. Did I miss many? A few, because they never crossed my radar – no posters, no advertising, no social media presence.

Out of the, let’s say ten, Australian films I did manage to see in 2024, this is my top five (which isn’t to say they are, necessarily, five films that I would recommend).

1. Late Night with the Devil

Written and directed by Colin and Cameron Cairnes, Late Night with the Devil is a solid genre film.

The narrative frames the film as found footage. We watch an episode of a late night talk show from Halloween 1977, in which a supposedly possessed girl becomes the centre of the show, unleashing (or not?) various demonic events.

David Dastmalchian is commandingly goofy in the lead as ratings-hungry host Jack Delroy, and the supporting cast provide some nice character touches.

The production design is first rate, with everything we love about 1970s horror cinema – and television culture – recreated in vivid strokes.

Starved of unpretentious and non-didactic cinema, one is tempted to declaim the brilliance of this enjoyable romp. But, at the end of the day – and despite Stephen King’s comment it’s “absolutely brilliant” – it’s just a good horror film, sure to please fans of well-made cinema with a retro bent.

2. Christmess

Though released at select cinemas at the end of 2023, I’m including the well-made (and low budget) Christmess on the list, as it secured a mainstream release in 2024.

The film follows a trio of recovering addicts in a halfway house during the holiday period, centred around once-famous actor Chris (beautifully played by Steve Le Marquand) as he successfully – and unsuccessfully – deals with his demons.

Christmess is sentimental without being overly schmaltzy, the characters are rendered with nuance while still containing a recognisably mythical dimension, and it feels hopeful while still making sense.

Writer-director-producer Heath Davis does exactly what is needed for a low budget film. It is economically but effectively shot in the Sydney suburbs, the writing is razor sharp, and the performances are (mostly) excellent. Films like Christmess give hope independent Australian cinema has life yet.

3. Force of Nature: The Dry 2

Now we’re getting into trickier territory for a top five list. Force of Nature is the sequel to The Dry from 2020, and treads similar ground, with Eric Bana returning as federal police detective Aaron Falk.

This time it’s a mystery surrounding a hiking trip and a disappearing informant.

As with the first film, Force of Nature is an engaging genre film with some arresting moments and effectively handled elements (the cinematography, music, performances are all fine). But it’s also totally forgettable and uninspired, pale in comparison to some of the great variations on the cop-mystery theme of the past.

4. Birdeater

Popular at SXSW, Birdeater makes the list by virtue of its style alone.

What begins as an intriguing look at the horrors of group dynamics when a bunch of youngsters leave the city for a buck’s party quickly fizzles into nothing, the early gestures towards Ted Kotcheff’s masterful Wake in Fright proving little more than hot air.

But it looks and sounds amazing, one of the most stunningly shot Australian films I’ve seen – actually warranting that haphazardly thrown about adjective “cinematic” – and is worth watching for this dimension alone.

5. The Moogai

Some may think writer-director Jon Bell’s The Moogai is an impressive horror film, cleverly integrating a critique of Australian colonisation into a possession story about motherhood and the anxieties of the parent-child relationship.

I found its treatment of a potentially engaging story humdrum and forgettable, the critique of colonisation obvious and uninteresting, and the performances strained.

Unlike Jennifer Kent’s excellent The Babadook, which anchors its allegorical dissection of parenthood to specific and weird horrific moments, The Moogai depends too much on the abstract, on the viewer’s knowledge of events and the world outside the film, and suffers as a work of art for this.

The best of the rest (perhaps)

Before you attack my evident myopia, there were a handful of Australian films released in 2024 I haven’t seen and that look like they might be worthwhile. Don’t blame me, blame the marketers!

Sting, directed by Aussie genre maestro Kiah Roache-Turner, looks like a rousingly trashy monster film (there hasn’t been a good giant spider film for years).

The Rooster, written and directed by actor Mark Leonard Winter, looks like a potentially solid character mystery (and has received great reviews).

In the Room Where He Waits – which looks like a disturbing Repulsion-like thriller about a queer actor losing his marbles in a hotel room – has also received excellent reviews.

And this isn’t to discount the potential mirth of a film like Runt, a sweet-looking kids’ film about a ten-year-old girl and her friendship with a dog.

The biggest Australian film of the year was George Miller’s latest Mad Max endeavour, Furiosa. While some swear by Fury Road, as a long-time fan of the Mad Max films I found it shrill and incomprehensible, a senseless assault on the viewer with little payoff and no dynamism. Well, Furiosa is this, but a little worse.

How can Screen Australia ensure 2025 (well, 2026 now) has a more robust offering of Australian films? Less money invested in American productions, more on Australian films with lower budgets – and more spent on marketing!

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

– ref. I was asked to come up with my top 5 Aussie films of 2024. It was a difficult task – https://theconversation.com/i-was-asked-to-come-up-with-my-top-5-aussie-films-of-2024-it-was-a-difficult-task-243922

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Francisco Jose Testa, Lecturer in Earth Sciences (Mineralogy, Petrology & Geochemistry), University of Tasmania

As a kid, it was tough for me to grasp the massive time scale of Earth’s history. Now, with nearly two decades of experience as a geologist, I think one of the best ways to understand our planet’s history and evolution is by condensing the entire timeline into a single calendar year.

It’s not a new concept, but it’s a powerful one.

So, how do we go about this? If we consider Earth’s age as 4.54 billion years and divide it by 365 days, each day of the Gregorian calendar represents about 12.438 million years.

Let’s say we want to calculate what “day” the Paleozoic started in our new Earth calendar. We just need to subtract 541 million years from the age of the planet and divide it by 12.438 million years. Simple, right?

As I ran these equations, I noticed something amusing. Some of the most significant events in Earth’s history coincide with major holidays in the Western world. By this reckoning, the dinosaurs went extinct on Christmas Day.

The Earth calendar

View the events in the infographic above, or scroll down to read about the entire year in order.

January 1

4.54 billion years ago: Formation of proto-Earth as part of the Solar System

Dust and gas in the early Solar System collide and combine under gravity. This process eventually leads to the formation of a molten planet, our proto-Earth.

January 3

4.5 billion years ago: Theia’s impact and the formation of the Moon

A Mars-sized planet, Theia, collides with the proto-Earth, changing the composition of our planet forever. This massive impact ejects a significant amount of material into orbit around Earth, which eventually coalesces to form the Moon.

February 4

4.1 billion years ago: Beginning of the Late Heavy Bombardment

Earth, the Moon and other inner bodies of our Solar System experience intense asteroid and comet impacts, which shape their surfaces. Unlike Earth, the Moon still retains these craters today because it lacks an atmosphere, water and tectonic activity. The bombardment continues until the very end of February – 3.8 billion years ago.

February 14

3.97 billion years ago: Beginning of the Archean Eon

By Valentine’s Day, the hottest period in Earth’s history – the Hadean Eon – has finally come to an end. With these hostile conditions in the past, the stage is lovingly set for life to emerge as the Archean Eon begins.

March 16

3.6 billion years ago: Formation of the first supercontinent, maybe

For a couple of weeks now, Earth has been cool enough to form stable continental crusts. Vaalbara is a theorised supercontinent consisting of two cratons (ancient, stable and thick blocks that form the cores of continents): Kaapvaal in eastern South Africa, and Pilbara in north-western Western Australia. While still under debate, this would make Vaalbara 3.6 to 2.7 billion years old, one of the oldest supercontinents we know of.

March 26

3.48 billion years ago: Earliest direct evidence of life

Right before the end of the first quarter of the year, simple prokaryotic organisms appear during the Paleoarchean. These are the earliest direct evidence of life recorded as microfossils (stromatolites).

May 27

2.7 billion years ago: Cyanobacteria become the first oxygen producers

Blue-green algae called cyanobacteria develop oxygenic photosynthesis. They use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic compounds, releasing oxygen as a byproduct. It’s a milestone for the development of our current atmosphere.

June 16

2.46 billion years ago: The Great Oxygenation Event

A dramatic rise in oxygen levels occurs in shallow seas and in Earth’s atmosphere, driven by oxygenic photosynthesis from cyanobacteria. This event lasts approximately 400 million years, transforming Earth’s environment and paving the way for more complex life forms to thrive on a radically changed planet.

September 17

1.3 billion years ago: Formation of the supercontinent Rodinia

One of the first supercontinents to form on Earth, Rodinia brings together most of the planet’s landmasses. During its 550 million years of existence, Earth is predominantly inhabited by simple life forms, including prokaryotes and early eukaryotes.

October 31

750 million years ago: Breakdown of Rodinia and Snowball Earth events

By Halloween, Rodinia begins to crack apart just like candies in a kid’s trick-or-treat bag. The breakup of Rodinia dramatically influences the planet’s climate and ocean circulation, potentially triggering Snowball Earth events. These two major global glaciations, lasting approximately 70 million years, play a significant role in shaping Earth’s history.

November 9

635 million years ago: The Ediacaran Period begins

Right before the start of the Paleozoic, the first large, complex, multi-cellular marine life forms appear. The Ediacaran biota includes diverse, soft-bodied organisms – early animals, algae and other complex life. Today, curious visitors to the Flinders Ranges in South Australia might be lucky enough to spot some Ediacaran fossils.

November 17

538.8 million years ago: The Cambrian Explosion

The Cambrian Explosion lasts no more than two days (25 million years). During this time, sudden development of complex life occurs in the oceans. Almost all present-day animal phyla appear, and other groups diversify in major ways. Undoubtedly, this is a critical period for life on our planet.

November 23

470 million years ago: Plants first colonise Gondwanaland during the Ordovician Period

Early land plants are simple, non-vascular organisms that colonise moist environments – much like moss today. Over time, plants evolve more complex structures, including vascular tissue specialised for transporting water, nutrients and food, allowing them to thrive in a wider range of terrestrial habitats.

December 1

370 million years ago: First vertebrates move onto land

On the very first day of December, four-limbed animals called tetrapods are the first animals with backbones (vertebrates) to transition to a life on land during the Late Devonian period. These are the ancestors of all land-dwelling vertebrates, living and extinct.

December 10

252 million years ago: Permian-Triassic mass extinction

Life is almost entirely obliterated after a series of massive Siberian volcanic eruptions trigger global warming and a lack of oxygen in the oceans. The Great Dying is the largest extinction in Earth’s history, wiping out more than 90% of marine species and about 70% of terrestrial species.

December 12

230 million years ago: The rise of dinosaurs

The very first dinosaurs are small, bipedal reptiles that eventually evolve into the diverse group of animals that dominate Earth during the Mesozoic Era. Dinosaurs reign over our planet for 13 days, meaning their kingdom endures for an epic 165 million years.

December 25

66 million years ago: Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction

Christmas Day is not a joyful day for dinosaurs: they go extinct. The current leading hypothesis for their demise is an asteroid impact in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. A massive space lump of coal from Santa, if you will.

December 26

56 million years ago: The rise of mammals

Boxing Day is a good day for mammals. During the Palaeocene, right after the extinction event, mammals begin to grow in size and diversity. By noon, when the Eocene starts 56 million years ago, they have evolved into the first large herbivores and carnivores.

December 31: midday

~7 to 6 million years ago: The planet of the apes

The very first hominids, either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, appear by noon on December 31. These species represent some of the earliest common ancestors of humans and other great apes, such as gorillas, orangutans and chimpanzees.

December 31: 11:25pm

300,000 years ago: Modern humans finally arrive

The very first Homo sapiens emerge in Africa, marking the beginning of anatomically modern humans.

The final ten minutes

We’re almost at midnight, and nearly all of humanity’s history can be condensed into the last ten minutes of the year.

11:50pm

~86,377 years ago: Homo sapiens migrate out of Africa into Eurasia. Thus begins a significant global colonisation by early modern humans.

11:51pm

~77,740 years ago: The first symbolic art. Engraved ochre in South Africa’s Blombos Cave is considered one of the earliest symbolic artworks created by humans, indicating the development of cognitive and cultural sophistication.

11:52pm

~69,102 years ago: The Last Glacial Period. An ongoing global cooling event intensifies, forcing humans to adapt to harsher climates.

11:53pm

~60,464 years ago: Humans reach Australia. This marks the earliest known migration across sea, and settlement on a new isolated continent.

11:54pm

~51,826 years ago: Upper Paleolithic Revolution. Humans arrive at a capacity for well-developed language, more complex social structures, and highly specialised tools.

11:55pm

~43,119 years ago: The Neanderthals go extinct. Multiple factors cause their demise, including violence, diseases, natural catastrophes and being outcompeted by Homo sapiens, the only remaining hominid species on Earth.

11:56pm

~34,551 years ago: Symbolic art flourishes and culture emerges globally among modern humans. This time is characterised by significant advancements in creativity and social organisation.

11:57pm

~25,913 years ago: The Last Glacial Maximum. Ice sheets reach their greatest extent, covering large parts of North America, Europe and Asia. This is the peak of the most recent ice age, affecting both ecosystems and human migration.

11:58pm

~17,275 years ago: Warming begins after the Last Glacial Maximum. Ice sheets gradually retreat, leading towards the end of the last ice age.

11:59pm

~8,638 years ago: Significant events take place globally. The Agricultural Revolution has started, with humans cultivating crops and domesticating animals, leading to the first permanent settlements and village life.

Midnight

8,638 years ago to today: A great deal happens in the last few seconds of the year. From the Bronze and Iron Age, to the rise and fall of major empires, the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, world wars, space exploration, the internet and artificial intelligence.

Francisco Jose Testa 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. Interactive: What Earth’s 4.54 billion-year history would look like in a single year – https://theconversation.com/interactive-what-earths-4-54-billion-year-history-would-look-like-in-a-single-year-245373

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Scully, Professor in Modern History, University of New England

Michael Leunig – who died in the early hours of Thursday December 19, surrounded by “his children, loved ones, and sunflowers” – was the closest thing Australian cartooning had to a prophet. By turns over his long career, he was a poet, a prophet and a provocateur.

The challenge comes in attempting to understand Leunig’s significance: for Australian cartooning; for readers of The Age and other papers past; and for the nation’s idea of itself.

On this day, do you remember the gently philosophical Leunig, or the savagely satirical one? Do you remember a cartoon that you thought absolutely nailed the problems of the world, or one you thought was terribly wrong-headed?

Leunig’s greatness lay in how intensely he made his audiences think and feel.

There is no one straightforward story to tell here. With six decades of cartooning at least weekly in newspapers and 25 book-length collections of his work, how could there be?

The light and the dark

One thread is an abiding fondness for the whimsical Leunig. Mr Curly and Vasco Pyjama live on in the imaginations of so many readers.

Particularly in the 1980s and 90s, Leunig’s work seemed to hold up a moral and ethical mirror up to Australian society – sometimes gently, but not without controversy, such as his 1995 “Thoughts of a baby lying in a childcare centre”.

Another thread is the dark satirist.

In the 1960s and 70s, he broke onto the scene as a wild man in Oz and the Nation Review who deplored Vietnam and only escaped the draft owing to deafness in one ear.

Then he apparently mellowed to become the guru of the Age, still with a capacity to launch the occasional satirical thunderbolt. Decidedly countercultural, together with Patrick Cook and Peter Nicholson, Leunig brought what historian Tony Moore has called “existential and non-materialist themes to the Australian black-and-white tradition”.

By 1999, he was declared a “national living treasure” by the National Trust, and was being lauded by universities for his unique contributions to the national culture.

But to tell the story of Leunig’s significance from the mid 90s on is to go beyond the dreamer and the duck. In later decades you could see a clear distinction between some cartoons that continued to console in a bewildering world, and others that sparked controversy.

Politics and controversy

Leunig saw 9/11 and the ensuing “War on Terror” as the great turning point in his career. He fearlessly returned to the themes of the Vietnam years, only to receive caution, rebuke and rejection from editors and readers.

He stopped drawing Mr Curly and Vasco Pyjama. The world was no longer safe for the likes of them.

Then there was a cartoon refused by the Age in 2002, deemed by editor Michael Gawenda to be inappropriate: in the first frame, a Jew is confronted by the gates of the death camp: “Work Brings Freedom [Arbeit Macht Frei]”; in the second frame an Israeli viewing a similar slogan “War Brings Peace”.

Rejected, it was never meant to see the light of day, but ABC’s Media Watch and Crikey outed it because of the constraint its spiking represented to fair media comment on the Middle East.

That the cartoon was later entered, without Leunig’s knowledge, in the infamous Iranian “Holocaust Cartoon” competition of 2006, has only added to its infamy and presaged the internet’s era of the uncontrollable circulation of images.

A decade later, from 2012, he reworked Martin Niemöller’s poetic statement of guilt over the Holocaust. The result was outrage, but also acute division within the Australian Jewish community.

Dvir Abramovich (chairperson of the Anti-Defamation Commission) made a distinction between something challenging, and something racist, believing it was the latter.

Harold Zwier (of the Australian Jewish Democratic Society) welcomed the chance for his community to think critically about Israel’s policies in Gaza and the West Bank.

From 2019 – a mother, distracted, looking at her phone rather than her baby. Cries of “misogyny”, including from Leunig’s very talented cartoonist sister, Mary.

Then from 2021 – a COVID-19 vaccination needle atop an armoured tank, rolling towards a helpless citizen.

Leunig’s enforced retirement (it is still debated whether he walked or was pushed) was long and drawn-out. He filed his last cartoon for the Age this August. By then, he had alienated more than a few of his colleagues in the press and the cartooning profession.

Support of the downtrodden

Do we speak ill of the dead? We hope not. Instead, we hope we are paying respect to a great and often angry artist who wanted always to challenge the consumer society with its dark cultural and geopolitical secrets.

Leunig’s response was a single line of argument: he was “Just a cartoonist with a moral duty to speak”.

You don’t have to agree with every provocation, but his purpose is always to take up the cause of the weak, and deploy all the weaponry at his disposal to support the downtrodden in their fight.

“The role of the cartoonist is not to be balanced”, said Leunig, but rather to “give balance”.

For Leunig, the weak were the Palestinian civilians, the babies of the post-iPhone generation, and those forced to be vaccinated by a powerful state; just as they were the Vietnamese civilians, the children forced to serve their rulers through state-sanctioned violence, the citizens whose democracy was undercut by stooges of the establishment.

That deserves to be his legacy, regardless of whether you agree or not about his stance.

The coming year will give a great many people pause to reflect on the life and work of Leunig. Indeed, he has provided us with a monthly schedule for doing just that: Leunig may be gone, but 2025 is already provided for, via his last calendar.

Richard Scully receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is affiliated with Australian Cartoonists’ Association.

Robert Phiddian receives funding from the Australian Research Council for the Cartoon Nation Discovery Project. He is affiliated with the Australian Cartoonists’ Association.

Stephanie Brookes receives funding from receives funding from the Australian Research Council. She is affiliated with Australian Cartoonists’ Association.

– ref. The closest thing Australian cartooning had to a prophet: the sometimes celebrated, sometimes controversial Michael Leunig – https://theconversation.com/the-closest-thing-australian-cartooning-had-to-a-prophet-the-sometimes-celebrated-sometimes-controversial-michael-leunig-246409

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

Australians are exposed to some of the highest levels of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world.

While we tend to focus on avoiding UV damage to our skin, it’s important to remember our eyes as well.

Last summer, only six in ten Australians who spent time outside during peak UV exposure times said they wore sunglasses.

But sunglasses are much more than a fashion statement. Here’s why they’re important for our eye health (and our skin) – and some tips on how to choose a pair that works.

What is UV radiation?

UV radiation is a type of energy produced by sources like the sun. There are three types: UVA, UVB, UVC. UVA and UVB are responsible for the sun-related damage to our skin and eyes.

UV can be direct, scattered or reflected, bouncing off surfaces such as water, sand and snow. But unlike the other types of energy the sun makes (visible light and infrared radiation), we can’t see or feel UV radiation.

This is why we can’t rely on clear skies or hot temperatures to work out if UV levels are high.

Instead, we use the UV Index, a scale from low (1–2) to extreme (11+).

Official guidelines recommend sun protection when the UV index is 3 or higher. This includes protecting our eyes.

How does UV light affect our eyes?

Excessive UV radiation can have both short and long-term effects on our eyes and surrounding skin.

In the short term, you might become sensitive to light or develop photokeratitis, sometimes known as “snow blindness”.

Photokeratitis is like a sunburn to the cornea (the clear, dome-shaped part at the front of the eye that lets light in) and makes the eyes sore, red and sensitive to light. Photokeratitis usually resolves with rest from light and eyedrops.

But the long-term effects of chronic UV exposure can be more severe.

It can lead to a fleshy growth on the eye called a pterygium, also known as “surfer’s eye”. This growth can obstruct vision if it grows over the cornea, requiring surgical removal.

Excessive UV exposure can also speed up the development of cataracts (where the lens inside the eye becomes cloudy and blurs the vision) or lead to skin cancers on the eye and eyelid.

Excessive UV exposure can be particularly harmful to children as the lens in their eyes aren’t able to filter UV light as well as adults – so it’s important for children to wear sunglasses too.

What about the skin?

UV radiation can also accelerate skin ageing.

It breaks down proteins in the skin which keep it elastic, such as elastin and collagen, and can trigger low-grade inflammation.

Without sunglasses, we also tend to squint more to try and reduce the amount of light entering our eyes. These repeated movements can contribute to the development of wrinkles and “crow’s feet” around the eyes.

What sunglasses should I choose?

In Australia and New Zealand, every pair of spectacles with tinted lenses must be be labelled to show the category of protection they offer. They are regulated by Australian/New Zealand Standards.

There are five categories for lenses:

• categories 0–1 are “fashion spectacles”. They look like sunglasses but in fact offer little or no UV protection

• category 2 provide a medium level of sun glare reduction and good UV protection

• category 3 provide a high level of sun glare reduction and good UV protection

• category 4 lenses are very dark and only recommended for use in extreme levels of glare, such as mountaineering, or at sea. These lenses are too dark to be used for driving.

What else should I know?

Good sunglasses don’t have to be expensive. The category of protection is more important than the price tag – so always check the label to see how well they block UV radiation.

Sunglasses that fit close to eyes, with good wrap around the face, provide the best protection in reducing both direct and reflected UV radiation.

Lenses can also be polarised, blocking any light waves coming from a horizontal direction. This reduces glare from reflective surfaces while increasing contrast – especially useful for water activities such as fishing.

Some sunglasses may also use the term “eye protection factor” (EPF). The EPF rating is based on how well a pair of sunglasses can protect your eyes from UVA and UVB based on the lenses and frame design. Look for an EPF of 9 or 10.

The label “UV400” is also useful, as it means the lenses block almost 100% of UV.

Protecting your eyes year round

Sunlight can also be beneficial to our eyes.

For example, morning sunlight can help us reset our body clocks and promote proper eye development in children to prevent shortsightedness. It is also important for the body’s production of vitamin D.

But moderation is key. The safest way to get the benefits of sunlight during summer is a few minutes of mid-morning or mid-afternoon sunlight. In late autumn and winter when the UV index is below 3, spending time outdoors during midday is beneficial.

As we’re exposed to UV radiation all year round, sunglasses are a good idea in any season. In summer, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen, and limiting outdoor time during peak UV exposure, will also help protect your eyes and skin.

Flora Hui 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. Sunglasses don’t just look good – they’re good for you too. Here’s how to choose the right pair – https://theconversation.com/sunglasses-dont-just-look-good-theyre-good-for-you-too-heres-how-to-choose-the-right-pair-245270

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Terry, Professor of Business Regulation, University of Sydney

Even if you’ve no idea how the business model underpinning franchises works, there’s a good chance you’ve spent money at one.

Franchising is essentially a strategy for cloning a branded business by replicating proven management and business systems.

McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Dominos, and Taco Bell are prominent multinational examples. But franchising isn’t limited to fast food, and not all franchise systems are American.

The model has transformed the business landscapes of most countries. Not least Australia, which has more franchising outlets per capita than any other country except New Zealand.

It can have some real benefits for both the franchisor – the entrepreneurial enterprise looking to expand, and the franchisee – the aspiring owner-operator seeking to enter an industry.

But it can also pose some unique challenges, including what might happen to you as a franchisee if the brand you’ve partnered with is sold.

What is franchising?

Franchising is essentially a strategy for marketing and distribution.

A small company with a successful business that is seeking to expand will face real financial and management challenges in scaling up organically. Franchising provides an increasingly popular alternative.

Under the franchising model, a company’s expansion is, in effect, outsourced to legally and financially independent operators called franchisees.

Franchisees are granted the right to develop and operate their own business using the brands, systems and know-how of the parent company, called the franchisor.

In return, franchisees pay franchisors a fee (usually a percentage of turnover) and enter an agreement for a fixed term.

The rights and obligations of the parties are recorded in a franchise agreement – a complex and lengthy document which addresses the intricate commercial relationship between both parties over the life of the agreement.

What are the benefits?

As noted by a 1990 US House of Representatives Committee, franchising provides a means for:

merging the seemingly conflicting interests of existing businesses with those of aspiring entrepreneurs in a single process that promotes business expansion, entrepreneurial opportunity and shared cost and risk.

The franchisor, looking to grow their business, benefits from more rapid market expansion than would be possible through organic growth.

Outlets are financed and managed by the franchisees, who provide them with a regular source of income. Most commonly, through the payment of fees based on a percentage of turnover.

The franchisee benefits from participating in a proven brand with established recognition, reputation and goodwill. They also receive training and ongoing support.

Beyond fast food

Australia’s franchise systems operate across virtually all consumer goods and services. Many business-to-business services are also offered through franchised systems.

An independent review of the Franchising Code of Conduct in 2023 recorded that Australia’s franchise sector comprised 1,144 franchise systems and more than 70,000 franchisees.

Collectively, the entire sector employed more than half a million people and generated about A$135 billion in annual revenue.

The expansion of the US fast food giants to Australia – McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut – in the early 1970s undoubtedly introduced Australian consumers to distinctive fast food concepts.

But it also introduced the franchising concept to local entrepreneurs who were quick to adopt and adapt it.

Today, according to the US Trade Commission, close to 90% of franchises operating in Australia are Australian-developed. US brands (not individual units) account for 3-5% of the market here.

Still relatively young

The remarkable success of franchising perhaps disguises its relative infancy as a method of business operation. Franchising in its contemporary business format only developed in the 1950s.

The expanding US Interstate Highway system, implemented by President Dwight Eisenhower in the mid-1950s, led to a demand for convenient and cheap food and accommodation offerings.

Franchise systems developed at that time took advantage of this opportunity. Harland Sanders adopted franchising in 1952 to expand his roadside fried chicken restaurant today known as KFC. Kemmons Wilson’s first Holiday Inn was franchised in 1954.

And in 1955 Ray Kroc developed a franchising strategy to exploit the massively successful hamburger stand developed by Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California.

Bigger and bolder

Franchising may have started as an expansion strategy for small businesses with a proven concept and the ambition to grow. But somewhere along the way, it got big.

The model has now evolved from its original form, where a national franchisor makes agreements with single unit franchisees, to increasingly innovative strategies.

Multi-unit franchising is where franchisees own and operate multiple units of the franchise system – for example, multiple stores.

Multi-brand franchising is where a company owns multiple franchise brands.

There’s even master franchising, where a franchisor grants an entrepreneur the rights to franchise the system in an entire country or territory.

However, these increasing complexities only deepen when companies list on the stock exchange – or when a franchise brand is sold.

Changing ownership

Changing ownership of a franchise brand will always present challenges.

When a franchisee running an individual store wants to transfer ownership of their business, they require their franchisor’s consent (although the mandatory Franchising Code of Conduct states this consent cannot be unreasonably withheld).

On the other hand, if a franchisor wants to sell the overarching brand, they aren’t required to get the consent of their franchisees, unless required under the franchise agreement (which would be highly unusual).

An announcement last month, that Queensland-based Retail Food Group would acquire boutique South Australian coffee franchise Cibo Espresso from its parent company, Retail Zoo, caused some controversy.

Cibo stores are set to be rebranded as Gloria Jean’s stores, one of Retail Food Group’s 11 franchise brands.

Retail Food Group expects to invest about $1.3 million into the Cibo network to help existing franchisees “accelerate their transition to Gloria Jean’s”.

Perhaps predictably, though, the announcement was not universally welcomed by all Cibo franchisees. Some expressed regret at the loss of a local South Australian brand.

Existing franchisees would face substantial financial hurdles in challenging the transition. In these and similar cases, experience suggests abundant goodwill is required on both sides for a workable commercial outcome.

This article is part of The Conversation’s “Business Basics” series where we ask experts to discuss key concepts in business, economics and finance.

Andrew Terry has previously served in unpaid roles as director of the Franchising Council of Australia, and as a member of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Small Business and Franchising Consultative Committee. In 2016, he was inducted into the Franchise Council of Australia’s Franchising Hall of Fame for his contributions to franchise sector education.

– ref. How does franchising work? – https://theconversation.com/how-does-franchising-work-243585

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William A. Stoltz, Lecturer and expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University

US President-elect Donald Trump has named most of the members of his proposed cabinet. However, he’s yet to reveal key appointees to America’s powerful cyber warfare and intelligence institutions.

These include positions like national cyber director, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and National Security Council cyber lead. These figures will be vital in securing America’s cyber security at a crucial time.

We believe there are three flashpoints that could be particularly troublesome for the incoming administration:

• how Trump will balance his economic and security priorities
• how his administration can effectively deter Chinese digital disruption
• how it will address the suspicions among some MAGA supporters of the powers of the intelligence “deep state”.

Intensifying Chinese cyber espionage

Chinese electronic surveillance and espionage activities against the US have reached an all-time high in terms of level of effort and, most importantly, effectiveness.

These espionage activities have been successfully targeting:

• the key intellectual property that provides the US with an economic and national security advantage
• the personal communications of senior US government and military officials, and
• the personal data of tens of millions of Americans.

As has recently been reported, the Chinese government has exploited vulnerabilities in America’s ageing telecommunications infrastructure to target secret government systems.

Hackers from the group “Salt Typhoon” were able to access the personal communications of high-ranking officials (including Trump) and expose the identities of US intelligence targets and sources in the US and overseas.

Salt Typhoon also appears to have extracted US telecommunications companies’ call data records. These detail the call history and associated phone numbers of all users of the network.

These sophisticated breaches follow years of brazen cyber operations to steal US intellectual property and state secrets concerning strategically significant technologies. These include artificial intelligence, next-generation aircraft, biotechnology and energy systems.

Indeed, researchers have found the majority of Chinese espionage activities against the US since 2000 have focused on stealing commercial technologies and information.

Alongside this, the US government believes Beijing is seeking to expand its ability to capture digital information on Americans.

The Biden administration responded to this threat with a number of measures to harden America’s technology ecosystem against Chinese-made devices and software that may contain backdoors or hidden surveillance features. The response included bans and restrictions on products made by Hikvision, Dahua and Hytera, as well as the social media platform Tiktok.

This all sets the scene for showdowns between Trump and China, as well as between Trump and America’s tech sector.

For example, the Trump administration will almost certainly have to compel telecommunications giants AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and others to address longtime deficiencies in their infrastructure. This includes the persistent use of unshielded components dating back to the 1970–80s.

Simultaneously, the personal targeting of Trump, his Cabinet, and senior government officials and their sources will require a forceful response to deter future operations.

But how much will the Trump administration be prepared to do in response to Chinese aggression?

President Joe Biden has hit back against China by targeting its semiconductor industry and curtailing its access to other strategic technologies. In any negotiations between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping over trade and tariffs, Beijing is likely to seek to have these measures removed.

If it does, Trump’s desire for a better economic “deal” with China may come into conflict with national security concerns.

Cyber sabotage on critical infrastructure

Chinese agencies have also been infiltrating American and allied critical infrastructure (including the cyber security centres in the “Five Eyes” partners) for the purposes of sabotage.

The aim is to pre-position themselves in target networks, installing sophisticated malware that can be activated to disrupt and degrade essential systems. This includes in a time of war.

The most noteworthy of these efforts has come from Volt Typhoon, a Chinese state-sponsored hacker group.

These efforts to infiltrate and cripple vital infrastructure are consistent with China’s long-standing doctrine of covert action intended to “win without fighting”.

These sabotage efforts are widely expected to intensify as we approach 2027. This is the crucial window when China’s People’s Liberation Army is expected to reach military readiness to attempt an invasion of Taiwan.

The greatest risk of this digital sabotage campaign is a possible escalation into a military conflict between the US and China.

If Chinese malware is used to target the celebrations for America’s 250th birthday in 2026 or the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, for example, how much restraint would Trump have?

Renewing America’s cyber espionage law

The final flashpoint will be a legislative one.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) has long been the subject of passionate debate in the US. Most of this centres on Section 702, the basis for much of America’s cyber intelligence collection efforts on foreign targets.

This section allows US intelligence agencies to intercept phone calls, emails and other digital communications on non-Americans outside the US.

Congress has mandated these agencies to “minimise” the collateral collection of data on Americans. In practice, however, this has been difficult to achieve in the age of digital anonymity and transnational threats.

Bipartisan supporters of FISA consider it essential to national security agencies that are fighting to keep America and its allies safe. The MAGA-aligned House Freedom Caucus, however, has cast the act in a different light. They believe it empowers an unaccountable deep state intent on surveilling ordinary citizens.

Trump has at times aligned himself with this view. In April of this year, he posted that Congress should “kill FISA” due to allegations it enabled spying of his 2020 presidential campaign.

Section 702 will lapse in April 2026 unless Congress votes to authorise it again. While both houses of Congress will have Republican majorities, the disparate views within the party do not guarantee passage.

Raising the stakes further are the intensifying national security threats a second Trump administration will face.

Intelligence officials will argue the demand for FISA-sourced intelligence has never been higher. However, outsiders like Tulsi Gabbard (presumptive director of national intelligence), Kash Patel (presumptive FBI director), Pam Bondi (presumptive attorney-general) and Kristi Noem (presumptive secretary of homeland security) may oppose re-authorising the legislation.

Furthermore, America’s allies rely heavily on intelligence shared by US agencies using FISA warrants. Just as Trump looks set to demand NATO and other allies pay more for their own defence, he may well insist that Five Eyes and other intelligence partners do more of their own surveillance operations, too.

William A. Stoltz is a senior manager in strategy and consulting at CyberCX. He has received Australian government funding via projects conducted at the ANU National Security College, where he is currently an expert associate. He is an advisory board member of the Asia-Pacific Defence, Diplomacy, and Development Dialogue (AP4D), a council member of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (Vic), and a visiting fellow at the Robert Menzies Institute at the University of Melbourne. He has previously been employed by Australia’s Department of Defence.

Admiral Mike Rogers (retired) is a member of the Global Advisory Board for CyberCX, Australia’s leading cyber security firm. Rogers served as the director of the National Security Agency and as commander U.S. Cyber Command between 2014 and 2018 for US presidents Obama and Trump. He is also a senior advisor at both the Brunswick Group and Bondi Partners.

– ref. As China expands its cyber espionage and sabotage operations, how will the Trump administration respond? – https://theconversation.com/as-china-expands-its-cyber-espionage-and-sabotage-operations-how-will-the-trump-administration-respond-244738

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Whittle, Director, Data61

I’m a computer scientist and a bad Christmas shopper. Over the weekend, I wondered whether AI systems might be able to help me out.

Could I just prompt ChatGPT to pick a personalised gift for my cousin Johnny and have it shipped in time to reach him? Alas, the cheerful chatbot couldn’t help, telling me it “can’t make purchases or handle shipping directly”.

In the two years since ChatGPT launched, we have seen wave after wave of AI products and features promising to save us from mundane tasks. Yet so far, gift shopping is beyond them – apart from the odd built-in chatbot on a shopping site or app.

However, things may be different by next Christmas. One thing many experts expect in 2025 is the rise of AI agents: bots that can take actions on your behalf in the real world.

Agents are already here

An AI agent can do more than just suggest where you can get a Santa suit. It can buy it for you and have it delivered to your door.

And the vision for “agentic AI” is that teams of AI agents will work together. You would give your team of agents a prompt:

I’m cooking Christmas dinner this year. Find my closest Facebook friends, send them invites, make sure one of them is a chef and tell them to bring the turkey.

The agents would sort it all, without you ever having to lift a finger. Crucially, AI agents should have the ability to coordinate across multiple websites.

In fact, limited AI agents are already here. A report by AI developer Langchain claims 51% of respondents to its survey already use AI agents in production.

In 2024, venture funds invested an estimated US$1.8 billion in AI agent projects. Deloitte’s latest Global Predictions Report argues 25% of companies that use generative AI will launch agentic AI projects in 2025.

Research firm Gartner predicts that by 2028, 15% of day-to-day work decisions will be made by AI agents.

Agents for everybody?

We are also seeing agents for consumers beginning to emerge. These are systems that could potentially automate many browser-based tasks (including shopping).

In October, Anthropic – the company behind the popular Claude generative AI bot – released a “computer use” feature that allows the AI to take over a user’s mouse and keyboard to browse and take actions on any website.

Education expert Leon Furze created a demo using computer use to automatically browse to a learning management system, open the page for an assignment, create text for the assignment, and click the submit button. All done automatically from a single text prompt.

More recently, Google Deepmind released its own version, Project Mariner, which similarly allows an AI to autonomously navigate and carry out actions in the Chrome browser.

Both these systems are still early versions, with Project Mariner only available to a trusted set of testers. But they hint at what’s to come.

You can’t use either of these tools today to automate your Christmas shopping – at least, not easily. So what would be needed to make a truly useful Christmas shopping AI agent?

The technology exists

The technology side of a shopping agent is relatively straightforward. As a user, I might want to give a prompt such as

Send photo gifts to my family in England. Select some fun family photos from my phone, search for a website that does photo gifts, order appropriate gifts for each family member, and send using my address book.

Executing this would require multiple AI agents: one to find the photos, one to find the shopping sites, one to personalise the gifts, a credit card agent to buy them, and an address-finding agent.

Whether through computer use, Project Mariner, or some other AI agent platform, there is no technological reason why this can’t be done today.

The trust problem

However, there are two significant barriers to making AI agents useful.

First, and most obvious, is trust. Would you trust an AI agent with your credit card details?

Despite two years of advances in AI since ChatGPT, hallucinations – where the AI doesn’t know an answer and so simply makes something up – are still a problem.

A recent study showed that even in AI programming – one of the most popular and valuable uses of AI – 52% of AI-generated answers to coding questions contained errors.

It only takes one error from the AI to send Aunty Molly’s gift to Uncle Joe. And let’s just hope it’s a harmless error such as poor gift matching, not leaking your bank account details.

What agents need to know

The second and less obvious barrier is that for AI agents to be useful, they need to understand context. Even with something relatively simple like buying gifts, context is everything.

I have years of knowledge about what my mother likes. I won’t always get it right, but I’ll do a lot better than a generic AI response. This knowledge is usually tacit and there’s simply no way ChatGPT can have access to the rich history of human interactions that lead to that perfect gift.

Having said that, AI bots are already recording information about their users. To prove this, just ask ChatGPT, “What do you know about me?” Depending on your settings, you might be surprised by the answer.

Perhaps at some point the AI systems we use regularly will know enough about us and our family that Christmas shopping can be fully automated.

But this year, I will still have to attend to it myself. Bah humbug!

Jon Whittle works at CSIRO which receives R&D funding from a wide range of government and industry clients.

– ref. AI can’t do your Christmas shopping just yet – but next year might be different – https://theconversation.com/ai-cant-do-your-christmas-shopping-just-yet-but-next-year-might-be-different-246132

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Crosby, Professor of Economics, Monash University

This week, the value of the Australian dollar fell to 62 US cents, its lowest level since October 2022.

The acute cause? A revelation by the United States Federal Reserve that it expected interest rates to bottom out at higher-than-expected levels in two years time, due to fewer rate cuts in 2025.

Typically, higher interest rates in the US mean a stronger US dollar. The Australian dollar plummeted despite the fact that the Federal Reserve has recently cut rates three times.

Many – not least those Australians about to travel overseas – will be asking an obvious question: where will the dollar go next?

Unfortunately, short run movements in the exchange rate are nearly impossible to predict. For Australia, however, the bigger picture is what’s happening in China’s economy.

Ongoing economic weakness there has weighed on the Australian dollar, as has speculation about a new trade war, with the looming return of US President Donald Trump. All eyes are on what might happen next.

A proxy for the rest of the world

While the current level of the Australian dollar is a little low, historically, it isn’t highly unusual.

It has visited the 60 US cent range several times over the past couple of decades. In the early 2000s, it even dipped below 50 US cents.

In the short term, movements in the Australian dollar tend to be driven by market expectations of how well the global economy – and in particular China’s economy – is travelling.

This is because our economy is heavily dependent on commodity exports, such as iron ore. Road, rail and buildings are all very iron ore intensive.

When there’s strong growth in China or the rest of the world, commodities prices also go up, pushing up the value of the Australian dollar.

Why? because it creates greater demand for our currency. To buy Australian commodities, you typically first have to convert your own currency into Australian dollars.

On the flip side, pessimism about global – and in particular Chinese – economic growth prospects are likely to see commodity prices fall and weaken the Australian dollar.

This link between the Australian dollar and China’s economy was very evident shortly after the global financial crisis in 2008.

A Chinese infrastructure-led stimulus package led to a booming Chinese economy and demand for commodities, which over following years pushed the Aussie dollar up from the 60 US cents range to the US$1 mark.

China remains unsteady

Knowing this relationship between Chinese growth and the exchange rates helps us to unpack the Australian dollar’s recent weakness.

There’s been serious uncertainty surrounding China’s economy and the extent to which it can continue to grow strongly.

The Chinese government’s plans to stimulate its economy remain tentative. There also seems to be a willingness to allow the commodity-intensive construction sector to remain weak.

The broader outlook for global commodities remains cloudy, and the Australian economy does not have other drivers to support stronger economic growth. Hence, our weak dollar.

What about interest rates?

The other key factor impacting foreign exchange rates is interest rates. Normally, higher interest rates will cause money to flow to an economy and strengthen its exchange rate.

On this basis, the current movements might seem unusual at first glance. The US is already cutting rates, but our own Reserve Bank of Australia is holding steady and not expected to move them for a while yet.

So why did the Australian dollar fall against the US dollar? It’s all about changing expectations.

Markets had already priced in expectations about the pace of US rate cuts over the coming year, which is now expected to be slower.

How markets think interest rates will change in the future matters just as much for cross-border money flows as what they are right now.

However, China’s economic weakness over the past few years has overwhelmed interest rate impacts as far as the Australian dollar is concerned.

Winners and losers

A weaker exchange rate might seem like a bad thing. Australians about to head overseas will be bracing to spend more. On top of this, many of the products we import – such as cars, electronics and fuels – will become more expensive for Australians.

But a weak Australian dollar isn’t a problem for everyone. For some groups, it’s highly beneficial.

Australian exporters may benefit from becoming more internationally competitive because their goods become relatively cheaper. It can also make it cheaper both to visit Australia as a tourist, or pay international student fees to study here.

Overall, the long-term effect of a weak dollar on the Australian economy is often positive, with more jobs and spending in export sectors giving the economy a major boost.

Mark Crosby 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. Heading on an overseas holiday? The Australian dollar tumbled this week – but that’s not bad news for everyone – https://theconversation.com/heading-on-an-overseas-holiday-the-australian-dollar-tumbled-this-week-but-thats-not-bad-news-for-everyone-246321

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anne Quain, Senior Lecturer, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney

Around one third of Australian households live with at least one cat, yet surveys tell us the cats’ needs are not being met.

Cats may rule the internet, but humans often misconstrue feline behaviour. Earlier this year, the Washington Post boldly declared cat’s arent jerks – they’re just misunderstood. This was prompted by research showing that, contrary to unhelpful stereotypes, cats are not antisocial. They can and do bond closely with humans.

The more we learn about cats, the more we realise they are complex individuals with unique personalities and preferences, capable of learning.

From understanding your cat’s language to keeping them safe and healthy – here are science-backed tips to improve the lives of your feline flatmates.

1. Pay attention to body language

Cats communicate with humans using body language and vocalisation. However, while cats direct meows at humans, and the meows vary depending on the context, humans are not great at decoding them. But we can read cat body language.

For example, slow blinking is likely to indicate a positive emotional state. Cats who are not happy (for example, don’t want to be touched) will freeze, move away, flatten their ears, hiss, or – if they feel they have no other option – scratch or bite.

It is better to allow cats to approach you on their terms, rather than pushing for social interaction. A cat approaching you with their tail up is giving a friendly signal, while a tail swishing from side to side signals annoyance.

Cats should always have the option to opt out of any interaction, like being touched. If you aren’t sure, just “ask”: stop patting them. If they walk away, they’re not keen. If they rub their head against you, they want to continue the interaction.

2. Provide a healthy environment

The American Association of Feline Practitioners and the International Society of Feline Medicine have agreed upon five pillars of a healthy feline environment:

1. A safe space so that cats can retreat if frightened.

2. Multiple, separated key resources (food, water, toileting areas, scratching areas, play areas and resting or sleeping areas) so that cats can comfortably conduct their daily activities.

3. Opportunity for play and predatory behaviour, such as games with wand toys that simulate hunting.

4. Positive, consistent and predictable human-cat interactions, respecting a cat’s choice about whether and how they interact.

5. Respecting the importance of a cat’s senses by avoiding undesirable stimuli (strong smells and loud noises), and providing desirable sensory stimulation (for example, use of catnip or silver vine).

These pillars provide a useful checklist. If you read this and realise your cat’s food and water are right next to the litter tray, you can improve your cat’s environment (and their experiences of eating and toileting) by separating these resources right now.

3. Clean the litter tray!

A litter tray may represent an unpleasant chore to you, but the importance of a spacious litter tray to your cat cannot be overstated. Cats prefer using a clean litter tray, even if they are the only cat in the household.

Cats like to spend time in the tray before, during and after toileting, and they generally prefer a large tray.

Poor litter hygiene is associated with a risk of urinary problems, which can be life-threatening.
A survey of over 12,000 Australian cat owners found that urinary problems were more common in households with a low number of litter trays per cat, less frequent removal of faeces from the trays, and the use of crystal-type cat litter.

If you switch the type of litter you provide, a slow transition is recommended to allow cats to get used to the change.

4. Read the room

Do you have more than one cat? Tension between household cats is common but often overlooked, as it’s not always physical fighting. Signs of inter-cat tension can include prolonged staring, or even blocking the use of resources such as the litter tray or cat door, to prevent other cats from using them.

In their 2024 intercat-tension guidelines, the American Association of Feline Practitioners note this can case chronic fear, anxiety and stress-related illnesses in cats.

Learning to recognise and manage tension between household cats can improve the welfare of all parties.

When you love your cat, it is tempting to seek to amplify the joy by adopting another. But many cats prefer to be the only cat in the household, and don’t cope well with a feline flatmate. If they have positive interactions with familiar, trusted humans, they’re unlikely to be lonely.

5. Keep cats and other animals safe

Historically, domesticated cats earned their keep protecting grain stores from rodents. But what constitutes responsible cat ownership has changed. Around 65% of Australia’s cat owners confine their cats indoors always, while 24% keep their cats confined at night.

A major driver for indoor-only housing of cats is their predation of wildlife. Another is concerns about roaming-associated risks to cats, including cat fights, infectious diseases (such as feline immunodeficiency virus or FIV), misadventure and motor vehicle trauma. But owners of cats kept entirely indoors were more likely to report “problem” behaviours.

Ideally, cats shouldn’t be allowed to free-roam unsupervised where they can harm wildlife, even within the bounds of the property where you live. More than a third of local councils in Australia now require cats to be contained overnight or 24 hours a day.

Outdoor access provides sensory stimulation, with different sights, sounds and smells. Alternatives to free roaming include providing access to a well-designed cat run, harness-training your cat, or supervising your cat.

Cats who don’t leave home unless they’re moving house or being taken to the vet, quickly learn to associate the cat carrier with a trip to an unfamiliar environment. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that a vet visit is imminent when the carrier comes out.

But that negative association can be changed. Cats who were rewarded with treats when they approached, stepped inside or rested in the carrier for six weeks were much less stressed during veterinary visits.

Cats are intelligent, and contrary to popular opinion, can be trained. The process can be enriching for cats and humans alike. With patience and commitment, you can train your cat – from a simple “sit” to voluntarily stepping into the cat carrier.

In short, give cats choice, respect their “cat-ness”, pay attention to their needs and try to see our world from their point of view. Your cat will be happier for it.

Anne Quian has previously consulted to iCatCare, and works at Potts Point Veterinary Hospital. She has donated to several charities including the Cat Protection Society of NSW and the RSPCA NSW.

– ref. How can I keep my cat happy? 5 tips from a vet to help your feline friend live their best life – https://theconversation.com/how-can-i-keep-my-cat-happy-5-tips-from-a-vet-to-help-your-feline-friend-live-their-best-life-242774

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Associate Professor, New Testament & Director of the Wesley Centre, University of Divinity

Those beautiful white and gold angels you see on Christmas trees were originally monsters. At least, that is the claim made by scholar Esther Hamori in her book God’s Monsters. Hamori writes that angels “have acquired the soft-edged glow of a Hallmark card, but are some of the deadliest shapeshifters in a universe teeming with bizarre figures”.

Hamori, a scholar of the Jewish and Christian scriptures, demonstrates how angels in the biblical tradition destroy entire towns, unleash plagues, lead armies, and sometimes wield swords.

Biblical angels can be terrifying and monstrous. They appear covered in fire and can also cause fire. Their appearance is sometimes closer to that of a giant fiery, multi-winged serpent than anything human or cherubic. Even when they are more anthropomorphic in form, their faces might be bronzed or shining and their skin like gemstones, clues they transcend the normal created order.

The word angel (Greek: angelos; Hebrew: malach) simply means “messenger”. A messenger can be human, but angelos in the Bible usually refers to a messenger from another realm.

Other types of creatures grouped in the angel category include seraphs and cherubs. Seraphim are essentially burning creatures, probably serpents or dragons, that appear in Isaiah as six-winged heavenly creatures. Even cherubs – usually depicted today as chubby angel babies – did not start out that way.

In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, cherubs (cherubim) are warrior sentinels with fiery swords who guard the gate to the Garden of Eden and, later, the Ark of the Covenant.

There is not much physical description of them in the Bible, but we should not assume they are human-like or small. In one passage their wings span something like four metres (1 Kings 6); in another they are multi-faced creatures with wheels that move in all directions (Ezekiel).

These biblical angels are so different from contemporary angel Christmas decorations, that numerous amusing memes have been spawned using anatomically “correct” biblical angels.

Conversely, angels in the Bible can also be bringers of life. They save life by leading people to food or water and protecting them from wild beasts or enemies. They issue messages from God, including declarations to women who have previously been unable to have children that they will now have a child. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is not the only woman in the Bible to have an encounter with an angel that leaves her pregnant.

As mediators and representatives of God, angelic creatures are capable of giving life or taking it. Perhaps this is why angels in the Bible spend a lot of time saying “do not fear” to terrified humans who are unsure whether angelic presence is going to bring life or death.

As beings who change shape, transverse realms, and exert incredible power, angels in the Bible function in a similar way to monsters in mythical stories and science fiction.

Why would we put such a creature on our Christmas tree? As usual, the answer is not always straightforward. For many, the angel at Christmas is a reminder of Gabriel, who visited Mary to announce she would bear a child called Jesus.

You do not need to be a regular church goer to have seen a nativity play with the angel Gabriel appearing to a young Mary telling her “you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus”. The promise to Mary is that her son will “be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High”. Gabriel in these plays is usually dressed in a long white robe, perhaps with some white feather wings and a gold tinsel halo and accompanied by similarly clad little angel children – a thoroughly domesticated angelic throng compared with the biblical version.

In the Christian tradition, angels usher in the birth of Jesus, the one Christians believe to be saviour of the world. An angel on the tree serves as a reminder that God reaches out to God’s people and promises them good things, much as was promised to Mary.

For others, the angel might represent something a little more mystic, such as the presence of divine creatures who bring messages of hope and peace; things desperately needed in our world.

And while it might be tempting to dismiss the whole thing as pre-scientific nonsense, many religions have similar non-human divine messengers who play important roles in mediating the space between the divine and human world in antiquity.

Even monstrous beings function to help explain the chaos of the world or the presence of death and disease. In Monster Theory, monsters assume a cultural role in embodying our fears and desires, challenging our categories, and helping us make meaning in unimaginable situations.

At one point in her book, Hamori quotes the 5th-century theologian and philosopher Augustine, who called creatures contrary to nature “monsters” (Latin monstra) because they demonstrate something wondrous. For Augustine, the monstrous reflects the diversity of creation and therefore its “whole beauty”.

In her book Phosphorescence, Julia Baird explores the wondrous in every day life. For her, attentiveness to the moments of awe and beauty all around us sustain and bring happiness precisely when darkness threatens to overtake. Words like “unearthly” and “startling” feature in her stories, reminding us that awe can be disruptive. Awe and wonder refuse to be contained by our categories and transcend our logic. In this, they are a bit like angels.

Placing angels on our tree might seem an odd tradition given this complex history. Yet perhaps that complexity is itself the point. Angels embody both threat and promise: they remind us that the monstrous and the beautiful might not be so different, and that while real monsters roam our world, the possibility of wonder in everyday life remains.

Robyn J. Whitaker 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 the Bible, angels can be deadly. So why do we place them at the top of our Christmas trees? – https://theconversation.com/in-the-bible-angels-can-be-deadly-so-why-do-we-place-them-at-the-top-of-our-christmas-trees-241913

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Power, Associate Professor and Principal Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University

New data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) this week shows one in 20 (4.5%) Australians over 16 are LGBTQIA+.

For perspective: at around 900,000 people, that’s similar to the population of Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory combined.

Yet in health and wellbeing outcomes – particularly mental health – this population drags far behind the rest of the country.

Last week the government released a landmark ten-year national action plan to address these health disparities for LGBTQIA+ people. Here’s why it’s needed – and what it hopes to achieve.

How many Australians are LGBTQIA+?

An accurate assessment of the number of LGBTQIA+ people in Australia has long been a critical gap in research due to limited reliable, population-level data.

This has meant LGBTQIA+ people, and their health needs, have often not been visible, particularly in outer suburbs and regional or rural areas. Services and supports can be inadequate as a result.

We don’t yet have census data about the LGBTQIA+ population. After years of community advocacy (and controversy over the government’s reversal and reinstatement of the questions) the 2026 census will be the first to ask Australians about their sexual orientation.

But this week the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its first report on estimates and characteristics of LGBTQIA+ populations in Australia. These data were combined from four recent ABS health surveys.

The new data show 4.5% of Australians are LGBTQIA+. The percentage was higher among younger people – almost one in ten (9.5%) 16- to 24-year-olds, who are also at higher risk of poor mental health outcomes.

Why do we need a dedicated action plan?

While LGBTQIA+ people have been included as a priority population in other Australian health strategies, the new action plan is the first focused specifically on them.

The report highlights poorer self-rated health for LGBTQIA+ people as a key concern, as well as mental health and suicide outcomes, when compared to the population as a whole.

One in three (31%) LGBTQIA+ people self-rate their health as only “fair” or “poor” – double the general population (15%). This subjective assessment of health is recognised as a reliable predictor of future health.

Recent Australian data shows LGBTQIA+ people are more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. They have higher rates of self-harm and homelessness and are more likely to experience suicidal thoughts and behaviours.

For example, LGBTQIA+ adults have attempted suicide at over 17 times the rate of the general population (5.2% compared to 0.3% over a 12-month period).

A smaller body of data shows these mental health impacts are heightened for some sections of the LGBTQIA+ community. These include people with intersex variations, trans and gender diverse people, people living with disability, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Why do LBTQIA+ people have poorer health?

These health disparities are not inherent to being LGBTQIA+. The evidence shows they are instead driven by social factors, such as rejection from families, experiences of harassment and discrimination, and lack of support within schools and communities.

When accessing health care and other support services, LGBTQIA+ people face multiple barriers which may further exacerbate gaps in health and wellbeing.

This may include a lack of LGBTQIA+ affirming care options. For example, health services may not ask about sexuality or gender identity on intake forms. This places the onus on LGBTQIA+ people to “out” themselves, which can be stressful and lead people to avoid health care.

Or it might involve accidental or overt discrimination, such as deliberate misgendering (referring to someone in a way that doesn’t reflect their gender identity) or outright refusal of service.

In some cases, health-care providers may draw on harmful stereotypes, such as negative ideas about LGBTQIA+ people and promiscuity, rather than focusing on the presenting needs of individual patients.

What will the action plan do?

Reducing stigma and discrimination requires changes in organisational culture and processes in health systems.

The National Action Plan acknowledges this requires considered action and investment to improve outcomes over the longer term. It aims to enhance access to inclusive health care and improve health literacy for LGBTQIA+ people.

For example, this will include ensuring LGBTQIA+ people are included in policy development and service planning across a range of health areas. It will also involve health education campaigns for LGBTQIA+ communities to encourage engagement in preventative health care.

The strategy prioritises workforce training and expanding research to address gaps in knowledge about this population.

Has LGBTQIA+ health improved with law reform?

LGBTQIA+ people report better health in jurisdictions where they receive greater legal protections and stigma is lower.

In recent decades, Australia has seen significant legal and cultural reforms to ensure recognition and equal rights are afforded to LGBTQIA+ people.

However, discrimination and stigma against sexual and gender minorities is far from eradicated. We are currently witnessing a global backlash against LGBTQIA+ rights.

In the United States in 2023, there were 75 instances of law change enacted to redact or remove LGBTQIA+ rights or visibility. This included banning classroom teaching on gender and sexual diversity and restricting access to public bathrooms for trans people.

Australia has also felt the impact of this backlash.

In 2023, “drag story time” events encountered threats of violence. In this same year a formal ball for young LGBTQIA+ people in Wangaratta was cancelled due to fears for participants’ safety.

Gains made toward greater equity in health outcomes for LGBTQIA+ people can be undermined or reversed with shifts in political culture or pressure from conservative forces.

Australia’s national action plan goes a long way toward protecting and advancing LGBTQIA+ people’s health in a way that is sustainable. However, there is still a long way to go and ongoing political support for the plan will be fundamental to its success.

If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

13YARN is a free and confidential 24/7 national crisis support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. Call 13 92 76.

Jennifer Power receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Australian Department of Health and Aged care.

Joel Anderson receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Medical Research Futures Fund.

Natalie Amos receives funding from the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care, the Medical Research Future Fund and Thorne Harbour Health.

Ruby Grant has previously received funding from Thorne Harbour Health and the Tasmanian Government.

– ref. Almost 1 million Australians are LGBTQIA+ – and for the first time, there’s a new national health plan for them – https://theconversation.com/almost-1-million-australians-are-lgbtqia-and-for-the-first-time-theres-a-new-national-health-plan-for-them-246143

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Kingham, Professor of Human Geography, University of Canterbury

Around the world, people are being encouraged to travel by foot, bike or public transport rather than by car. The reasons are many and varied: to mitigate climate change, pollution, traffic congestion and infrastructure costs, and to improve health and wellbeing.

But in New Zealand, despite efforts by governments, councils and individuals, sustained increases in the use of alternative modes of transport remain elusive.

Often this is a result of policies being implemented in isolation. The challenge, therefore, is to develop a more cohesive approach to transport planning, based on research, and applied appropriately depending on the context.

One recent example of how this can succeed is documented in a four-yearly survey conducted by the University of Canterbury to identify travel trends among staff and students.

The survey also asks about the main barriers to switching from driving, which helps inform policies to encourage more sustainable travel options. This year’s results show particular promise.

Driving in decline

The university is located four kilometres to the west of the centre of Christchurch, a city of 400,000 people in New Zealand’s South Island.

There are currently just over 24,000 students (up from around 12,000 20 years ago) and 6,000 full-time and part-time staff. An estimated 15,000 people travel to the university on a typical day.

Like many workplaces in low-density, car-dominated cities, the university saw a gradual increase in people driving to work in the 1980s and 1990s. The university has since tried to encourage staff and students to use public transport, or to walk, cycle and car-share.

The 2024 travel survey found the number of people driving to university has declined since 2020: 38% of those surveyed drove to campus, 21% cycled, 20% walked and 15% came by bus.

Staff are cycling more, mainly due to an increase in e-bike use. Electric vehicle use has also increased substantially. There was a big drop in students using cars, and a correspondingly large increase in bus travel.

The reasons for this decline in car travel, and what we can learn from it, demonstrate the interconnected nature of effective transport policy.

Cycling and buses

Christchurch City Council is responsible for roads and cycle infrastructure. Over the years, it has invested significant effort and resources in creating cycle infrastructure, mainly based around a series of major cycleways.

This includes the Uni-Cycle cycleway which links the university to the central city, and the Nor’West Arc cycleway which also goes through the university. The investment in these routes has seen a substantial growth in cycling in general, including to the university.

The regional council, Environment Canterbury, is responsible for public transport. The recent adoption of a low-cost, flat-fare scheme (NZ$2 adult fares and $1 concession fares) saw an increase in bus patronage.

Local research showed these lower-cost fares were especially important for people on low incomes, so the previous government’s inclusion of concessions for people under 25 was important in encouraging student bus use to university.

The travel survey showed cost as a barrier to students using the bus dropped from 30% in 2020 to 10% in 2024, suggesting the cheap bus fares were working. Sadly, the under-25 concession has been reversed by the current government.

To pay the cheaper fares, students will now have to be eligible (and apply) for a Community Services Card. Under another central government policy, bus fares will increase in mid-2025.

Incentives and disincentives

At the campus level, the university has implemented a number of policies to encourage active and public transport use:

• paid parking was introduced in 2023, initially costing $40 per year but now $1,000 for staff and $500 for students, and there is no free parking (even the vice chancellor pays)

• secure bike parking is provided, as well as bike repair stations and air pumps, and free shower and changing facilities

• on-campus bike repair is available, with an expanded repair and recycle scheme being investigated in response to 16% of students telling the travel survey that bike availability and cost were barriers

• free cycle skills workshops have been established, with a cycle safety workshop scheduled for March 2025.

The university also works closely with both councils, and collaborated on the development of bus routes, the Uni-Cycle cycleway, and has negotiated over parking requirements.

Lessons from the survey

The success in reducing car use for university travel lies in three main areas:

1. Good local transport policy and planning: local government has been committed to making it easier for people to choose not to drive by providing good cycle infrastructure and cheap bus travel. Until recently, this was supported and funded by central government.

2. Employer action and commitment: the university has passed on the cost of parking to those who drive, and invests in initiatives to encourage walking, cycling and bus travel to campus.

3. Close collaboration: the university and local councils have worked closely to make walking, cycling and taking public transport as easy and attractive as possible.

Overall, cohesive policies and planning – informed by research, appropriate to the context, and developed collaboratively – can encourage people out of their cars.

Simon Kingham is Chair of the University of Canterbury Sustainable Transport Reference Group.

Matt Morris 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. Getting people out of their cars is possible with the right plans and policies – case study – https://theconversation.com/getting-people-out-of-their-cars-is-possible-with-the-right-plans-and-policies-case-study-246023

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shukla Poddar, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Photovoltaics and Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW Sydney

The Australian summer has started to unleash its power. On Monday, the Victorian town of Walpeup reached 47.1°C, and towns in Queensland, western New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory all hit temperatures above 45°C.

More sweltering days and nights are expected. The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts above-average temperatures for most of Australia this summer.

What’s more, bushfire experts predict an increased fire risk across vast regions of the continent. Already this season, an out-of-control bushfire struck Creswick in central Victoria after Monday’s extreme heat.

All this is a dangerous cocktail for the electricity grid. Increasing temperatures puts a strain on supplies, while bushfire smoke can limit the electricity produced by solar panels. And troublingly, heatwaves and bushfires are set to worsen as climate change continues.

Here, we explain the challenges ahead this summer, and outline simple household measures to help keep your electricity supplies flowing.

The problem of heatwaves

Sometimes demand for electricity is greater than supply. This is most common in hot weather during the evening peak when, for example, many people return home and turn on their energy-hungry air-conditioning units at the same time.

Energy networks say the strain is greatest on the third and fourth consecutive hot days, when air-conditioners are turned up to combat heat that has accumulated in buildings. Electricity demand is also typically higher on weekends, and from mid-January as schools and businesses resume.

In some extreme cases, the immense demand means the entire electricity grid is at risk of becoming dangerously unstable. That’s when “load shedding” occurs. It involves the Australian Energy Market Operator intentionally cutting power to parts of the grid to reduce electricity demand and prevent the entire system from becoming dangerously unstable.

In January 2019, for example, supplies were temporarily cut to 200,000 electricity customers in Victoria. It followed a day of high temperatures and humidity, as well as outages at coal-fired power plants, and reduced output at others due to the heat.

As recently as last month, the market operator warned of potential blackouts in NSW amid a severe heatwave.

Heatwaves can also impede infrastructure such as generators and transmission lines. Power lines can droop and short-circuit. Transformers may overheat and fuses can fail.

Add bushfires to the mix, and the electricity grid can face even more challenges.

The bushfire threat

Solar electricity – both from solar farms and rooftop panels – is an important part of the electricity mix. It comprised 16% of total electricity generation last year, and this share is growing.

But bushfires can significantly reduce solar output. They release atmospheric aerosols in the form of smoke particles, which scatter and absorb the Sun’s rays. This reduces the radiation that reaches solar panels, reducing the amount of electricity they produce.

This is true for large-scale solar plants, as well as household rooftop solar systems.

For example, during the 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires, rooftop electricity generation from solar panels fell by up to 65% in affected areas.

Across the bushfire season, energy loss from residential and large-scale solar plants in NSW fell by 175 gigawatt hours, representing a 4.2% loss in total energy generation.

Particles released by fires can also settle on solar panels, again reducing their electricity output.

More broadly, fires can damage infrastructure such as transmission lines and towers, causing power disruptions and making it harder to keep the grid running smoothly.

The National Council for Fire & Emergency Services predicts an increased fire risk across large parts of Australia this summer. They include southeastern South Australia, western Victoria, around Alice Springs in central Australia, and the southern parts of Western Australia.

How you can prepare

So what can households do to keep electricity supplies stable this summer, amid the twin threat of bushfires and heatwaves?

If you live in one of the four million Australian households with rooftop solar panels installed, there are several steps you can take.

Consider installing a battery to soak up any solar electricity you don’t use. It will provide you with a backup source of power in case of grid outages. Also make sure you keep your solar panels clean – especially if there is bushfire smoke around – to make sure they are operating as efficiently as possible.

If you live in a bushfire-prone area, with a high risk of damage to transmission lines, consider talking to your neighbours about installing a community-scale battery. These are neighbourhood-scale facilities that enable people to store solar power and share it when needed.

Regardless of whether your home has solar panels, you can cool your house earlier in the day to reduce stress on the grid in the peak hours. The cool energy is stored in the building’s walls and floors, helping keep it comfortable later.

And ahead of next summer, consider other ways you can heat-proof your home. This might include window treatments such as double-glazed glass, awnings and external blinds, or installing better insulation.

If you are building a new home in coming years, its energy performance should be a key consideration. Think about factors such as window placement, building materials and orientation.

Australia has a hot climate with high risk of bushfire, and this problem will only get worse under global warming. While energy companies and authorities have much work ahead to insure the electricity grid against these challenges, every electricity user has a role to play.

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. Heatwaves and bushfires can be a dangerous mix for the electricity grid. Here’s how to shore up your supplies this summer – https://theconversation.com/heatwaves-and-bushfires-can-be-a-dangerous-mix-for-the-electricity-grid-heres-how-to-shore-up-your-supplies-this-summer-246041