In the News
(for the period August 2008 to October 2008)
(compiled with the assistance of CSU Media. Latest CSU News.)
AGED CARE SERVICES
Prof Mark Morrison was interviewed by ABC 2CR re the formation of a regional ‘peak body' for aged care services on August 1.
CONGO NEWS
Dr Elaine Dietsch was interviewed by ABC National Radio News regarding her recent trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo on August 7; and again on ABC Riverina's morning show on August 15. There was also a story in the Daily Advertiser on September 2 and the Leeton Irrigator, October 21.
CHINA TRIP
A/Prof Robyn Watts trip to China in July resulted in her being interviewed by ABC Radio Goulburn Murray, August 5, and ABC Riverland August 21 for her views on river management in China, with a focus on what the Chinese have learned about our river system and vice versa.
BOOK LAUNCH
A story on David Gilbey's launch of his poetry book Death and the Motorway appeared in the Daily Advertiser on August 9.
VISITING SCIENTIST
Dr Bronwyn Lowe, a visiting scientist to ILWS and her research on New Zealand flaxes was featured in the Border Mail on August 9.
RECOGNITION
Dr Catherine Allan's win of an Australian Learning and Teaching Council award for environment teaching was recognised in a Border Mail article on August 9. An interview with A/Prof Manohar Pawar, who was similarly recognised, was on Prime TV Wagga on August 12.
WATER CRISIS
Prof Kath Bowmer and her views on water ownership and the environmental issues facing the Lower Lakes system went to air on Prime TV Albury & Wagga, on August 12.
SCIENCE ALERT
Institute members have continued to have their opinions published in Science Alert. They include:
• Institute adjunct research fellow Barney Foran's commentar y “Regional areas must seize control of greener future” was in response to the Government's new green paper on August 14
• Dr Paul Humphrey's piece “The drought we had to have?” put forward the view that perhaps the drought was a blessing in disguise as it has forced us to face up to the problems in our environment that have been developing for decades on August 14. This peiece was picked up by eco2oh.com the following day and also resulted in an interview with ABC radio's Bush Telegraph on September 22
• Prof Mark Morrisons' opinion piece Is it really worth cutting emissions? Was published on September 19
• Prof Max Finlayson's Second Chance for Wetlands was published on October 30
SEGRA
A story on the Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia conference which had several ILWS speakers appeared in the Border Mail on August 16. A/Prof Ian Gray, a keynote speaker at the conference was interviewed by Prime TV (Albury and Wagga) on August 18 re a discussion on the need for states in modern Australia . There was also a story on the same subject in the Border Mail ; and radio interviews with 2BS and ABC Riverina's morning show on August 19 and on ABC Goulburn Murray August 20.
FROG RESEARCH
Dr Skye Wassens on a recent field trip to visits sites along the Murray River (with research officer Sascha Healy) was interviewed by WIN TV Mildura and ABC Radio at Mildura on August 18. The ABC also did a web story. http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2008/08/20/2341571.htm
TRAVELLING STOCK RESERVES
Dr Peter Spooner's views on the importance of Travelling Stock Reserves were featured in a story in Dubbo's Daily Liberal on August 28 and heard on radio on ABC Riverina's rural report and Prime TV Albury August 29. There was a follow-up story in the Border Mail ‘Saving the Drover's Run' on October 18.
WOMBAT RESEARCH
PhD student Alison Matthews, who is studying wombats as part of her research on the effects of climate change in the Australian Alps did a ra dio interview on ABC Radio National's Bush Telegraph with Michael Mackenzie on August 26. The audio is on their website ttp://www.abc.net.au/rn/bushtelegraph/default.htm She also did a Radio interview on 2UE on August 22, and the story “Digging deep for the Alps : Alpine wombats and climate change in the High Country” appeared in the Oct/Nov issue of OUTBACK magazine. “Long Distance Runners: Wombats in Australia 's Alps ” appeared in the August issue of the Snowy Times and “Wombat Wanderings” in the winter issue of Resort RoundUp .
ECHOES OF THE PAST, VOICES OF THE FUTURE
The exhibition of a/Prof Dirk Spenneman's photographs attracted much media interest including a large feature article in the Border Mail, September 6; interview with Prime TV Albury on September 11; and radio interviews with ABC Bush Telegraph on September 11 http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegraph/content/2006/s2361851.htm and ABC Goulburn Murray, September 13 http://abc.net.au/local/videos/2008/09/18/2368386.htm?site=goulburnmurray
HUME DAM HISTORY
A/Prof Bruce Pennay was interviewed by Libby Price from the Victorian ABCs Country Hour on the history of the Hume Dam on September 10.
SO MUCH SKY
A/Prof Bruce Pennay, who launched his publication on the history of the Bonegilla Migrant Centre on September 12, was interviewed by WIN TV Albury on the day of the launch, ABC Goulburn-Murray on September 11, and a story appeared in the Border Mail on Saturday, September 13.
ACCESS TO MIDWIFERY SERVICES
Dr Elaine Dietsch spoke about access to midwifery services in rural areas on ABC Riverina's morning show on September 17
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FORUM
ILWS members were involved in this forum which was previewed on the ABC Goulburn Murray rural report on September 18.
VIEWS ON DROUGHT
Dr Paul Humphries views on drought and the Murray River were on ABC radio‘s Bush Telegraph on September 22.
CAREER SUSTAINABILITY
Mark Frost featured in the Australian Financial Review in a story “Pollution fight shows career sustainability” on September 22. He was also on 2BS morning show to talk about what the global economic situation means for the average Australian on October 20.
GARNAUT REPORT RESPONSE
Prof Kevin Parton's response to this report were on 2BS, ABC Riverina news and the ABC Riverina Rural Report on October 1; the Western Advocate , October 2; Central Western Daily , October 3.
MURRAY CRAYS
PhD student Sylvia Zukowski and her work with Murray Crays featured in the Border Mail on September 30 and again on October 11 in Country Mail . She also did a radio interview with ABC Goulburn Murray and a TV interview with Prime TV Albury, both of which went to air Oct 3.
NUCLEAR POWER
Dr Rod Duncan view's on nuclear power were on ABC Gippsland's morning show on October 3.
FORESTRY CONFERENCE
The Institute received much publicity as a result of sponsoring the Australian Forest Growers national conference for which Dr Digby Race was the convenor. Media coverage included:
- For Digby Race, a story in The Australian, ‘Farm forestry anticipates findings', October 1; a story alongside feature articles on two of plantations chosen for the conference's field visits in The Border Mail on October 4; ABC South East NSW October 7; interview on ABC Goulburn Murray News, October 20; and on ABC NSW drive show October 22
- For Institute adjunct Barney Foran, a keynote speaker at the conference, there was very extensive publicity about his theory that farm forestry for biofuel. This story appeared in The Age , Business Day, on October 20 and was picked up by web news services Yahoo Asia News, Forest Protection Portal, Climate Ark portal. On the day he was interviewed by Prime TV Albury and Win TV Albury, with the story going to Wagga Wagga, Wollongong and throughout regional Victoria . A story appeared in the Border Mail , October 21. Radio interviews included ABC Goulburn Murray, October 21, ABC SE South Australia news and online, October 23. The Land published the story October 23 and it was then picked up by numerous other Rural Press publications including Farm Weekly SA, Stock & Land Vic , Queensland Country Life, Farmers Weekly WA, The Daily Examiner ( Tasmania )
GIPPSLAND LAKES HEALTH
Prof David Mitchell spoke about the health of the Gippsland Lakes on ABC Gippsland, October 9.
FINANCIAL TROUBLES
Director of the Western Research Institute Tom Murphy spoke about the effects of the world's financial troubles on employment in regional Australia on the ABC Country Hour in Warrnambool, Illawarra, North & West SA, Goulburn Murray and the Riverina on October 13; on the ABC NSW Rural Report on October 14. He spoke on the implications of the stock market crash on ABC Central West, October 7 and ABC Western Plains October 8. On October 15, he was on 2BS talking about the Rudd Government's bail out. He spoke about population projections for NSW on ABC Central West on October 20. The Central Western Daily mentioned his public lecture on October 21.
SUGAR TO CONTROL WEEDS
“A little sugar to restore natives” was published on Science Alert in its news section http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20081710-18303-3.html featuring A/Prof Ian Lunt and Ian Cole with Prime TV Albury and Wagga running a story on October 16.
CALL FOR BETTER MANAGEMENT OF WETLANDS
Prof Max Finlayson and his call for better management of our wetlands has also been in the news with an interview with Prime TV Albury October 14 which went to Prime News Wagga an d Orange/Dubbo October 15 and Prime News North Coast, October 17; radio interview 2BS October 14; a story in the Indian web news service MedIndia, October 28; in Science Alert, October 30.
BALANCING ACT
Dr Di Boxall was featured in a story in the Border Mail discussing the importance of balancing work with life outside business on October 14.
ECONOMIC CRISIS
A report by Prof Marg Alston and Kym Whitney-Soanes “Social Impacts of Drought and Declining Water Availability in the Murray Darling Basin has received lots of media including ABC Radio NSW State wide drive show, Prime TV News Albury & Wagga, October 22; Science Alert, ABC Riverina News and ABC Goulburn Murray news October 23; The Canberra Times, October 24 and the web news service Envirojean.com, October 25.
AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH COUNCIL GRANTS
Announcement of Dr Peter Spooner and A/Prof Gary Luck's new ARC grant in the Border Mail on October 23.
WILLINGNESS TO PAY
Prof Mark Morrison and his research on what people expect it will cost them to help to fight climate change appeared in The Australian on October 29.
FARMER DECISIONS
Dr Rik Thwaites and Prof Allan Curtis's research on how climate change is affecting farm management decisions featured in a story in the Spring issue of the Victorian Landcare & Catchment Management magazine.
Link to In the News May 2008 to July 2008