In the News

(for the period November 2008 to January 2009)

(compiled with the assistance of CSU Media. Latest CSU News.)

Mine migration strain

Dr Juliane Allen's report on the implications for family, community and industry on Mining's Relocation Culture were heard on ABC Central West and ABC Western Plains news on Nov 4; and made stories in the Central Western Daily on Nov 6, The Land on Nov 20 and 23.

Dirt and science

A report on A/Prof Ben Wilson's ‘Life in a bucket of dirt' Science in the Bush workshop presentation was in the Border Mail , Nov 4.

Travelling stock routes

Dr Peter Spooner's comments on TSR appeared in the Daily Examiner on Nov 7.

Bird monitoring

A/Prof David Watson, who ran a workshop on bird monitoring for Select Harvests employees at Robinvale in October last year as part of an ARC Linkage Research project with Dr Peter Spooner and A/Prof Gary Luck, was interviewed on the subject by ABCs Bush Telegraph on Nov 6. A story also appeared in The Weekly Times ‘Feathers fly as bird watching takes off' on November 12.

Real dirt

Overseas Visitor to the Institute Dr Charlotte de Fraiture's Opinion piece in the November 2008 issue of Connections was picked up by environment writer James Woodford for his web site Real Dirt on November 12.

Rural maternity services

Dr Elaine Dietsch's work in this field was the focus of interviews for ABC Western Plains morning show, ABC Central West morning show, Nov 12; ABC New England North West News and ABC Riverina morning show, Nov 13 and 2BS morning show, Nov 19. A story appeared in the Daily Liberal on Nov 12.

Bail out package

Western Research Institute director Tom Murphy and his views on the Federal Government's bail out for the car industry were on ABC Perth on Nov 13; and on the fed. Government's spending on infrastructure projects on ABC Central West on Nov 3.

Changing Nature of Our Rural Neighborhoods

This Institute event generated a huge amount of media interest with Dr Angela Ragusa speaking about her research on tree-changers on:

A/Prof Gary Luck spoke on ABC Riverina's Morning Show on Nov 18, and ABC Dubbo Nov 19.

Emily Mendham spoke to ABC Local Radio Goulburn Murray and Bush Telegraph on Nov 26.

Queensland rainfall & WA Economic Performance

Director of the Western Research Tom Murphy comments on the Queensland agribusiness sector, WA economic performance, and the latest agribusiness index were picked up by more than 45 radio stations and newspapers across the country during November. In January the Central Western Daily and Western Advocate reported on his predictions of a recession for Bathurst .

LAKES, WETLANDS and VIEWS

The Institute director has had a lot of media coverage. Prof Max Finlayson and Prof David Mitchell were among a panel of experts for a public forum organised by Habitat Network East Gippsland to look at the problems facing the Gippsland Lakes on November 19 at Bairnsdale. The outcomes of this forum, which was attended by 230 people, are on the group's web page . An article “Treaty lax on Gipps Lakes ” with Max referring to the situation with the Gippsland Lakes and the Ramsar Treaty appeared in The Weekly Times on December 31. A further story , with Max's comments, appeared in the Sunday Age ‘Australia Fails to Act on Wetland Obligations' on Jan 4. His views on using salt water to mitigate the threat of acid sulphate soils in the Murray River 's Lower Lakes appeared in The Australian on Jan 9. He also spoke on Radio Port Phillip, Mornington Peninsula Community Radio on Jan 15 Port Phillip for about an hour during ‘driving home time' covering Australia's responsibilities under Ramsar, environmental attitudes and role of bureaucracy and community, education and information exchange, and lots more.

He spoke to Carol Duncan, ABC Newcastle, on Australia 's responsibilities under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands on Jan 29.

And his opinion piece "Second chance to save Australia 's wetlands" on ScienceAlert http://www.sciencealert.com.au/opinions/20083010-18377.html was picked up by University of New South Wales “Connected Waters” web site, http://www.connectedwaters.unsw.edu.au in January.

Appointment

A/Prof Robyn's Watts federal government appoint for advice on the Murray Darling Basin was in The Weekly Times on Nov 18.

Bush stone curlews

PhD student Elisa Tack was interviewed on ABC National TV on Nov 21 to talk about bush-stone curlew conservation. The article also appeared on Radio National on Nov 20

Irrigation water

Matt Herring went to air with ABC Radio Riverina's Anna Vidot who interviewed him about using water saved from irrigation efficiencies to bring wetlands back to life on Nov 28

Plains wanderers

A story on Kylie Eklom's research into the Plains-wanderer appeared in the December issue of Australian Landcare , and also in a feature story in the Border Mail on Nov 29.

  SURVEY and REAPPOINTMENT

A story on Jonathon Howard's research into ‘what farmers want to help conserve land and water' appeared in The Border Mail on Nov 29 and his reappointment to the board of the Murray Catchment Management Authority appeared in The Border Mail on January 8.

Wandering whistling duck

David Roshier's research into the wandering whistling duck in Papua New Guinea appeared online at ABC Science 'Invisible line protects Australia from bird flu' on Dec 2.

Climate change research

Rik Thwaites research on climate change and landholder perspectives was picked up by 2UE News on Dec 9; The Canberra Times, ScienceAlert.com, ABC Mildura Rural Report and Southern Cross Rural News on Dec 10.

Eucalypt adaptation

Geoff Burrows research into eucalypts and how they adapt to bushfires resulted in an interview with ABC Radio National's Bush Telegraph on Dec 15.

Forestry Follow-up

A follow-up story on the AFG Forestry Conference with Hugh Stewart appeared in the Daily Examiner (Grafton) on Dec 19.

Landscape logic

The December 2008 Landscape Logic Newsletter http://www.landscapelogic.org.au/newsletter.pdf featured stories on Prof Allan Curtis and Dr Digby Race who are involved in the project.

Restoring Woodlands

A/Prof Ian Lunt and Dr Suzanne Prober (CSIRO)'s research work on restoring grassy box woodlands featured in the December issue of the Biodiversity Network Newsletter.

FROG RESEARCH

A story appeared in the December edition of Australian Landcare magazine featuring Skye Wassen's work on the Southern Bell Frog and also in the Australian Government's annual publication , Issue No 17.

camera clicks

A story on A/Prof Dirk Spennemann and his internet photo collection of “the eyes and hands of people who shaped 2008” appeared in the Border Mail on Jan 1.

Aged care research

ERD researchers Dr Jennifer Sappey, Zelma Bone and Dr Rod Duncan report their pilot project, 'Mapping the Aged Care Industry and Ageing Issues in the Bathurst-Blayney-Wattle Flat Regional Community' was the focus of a story and editorial in the Western Advocate on January 8, and also mentioned in a WIN TV news program that evening.

Appointment

Prof Allan Curtis's appointment as Head of the Albury-Wodonga campus featured in the Border Mail on Jan 10 and again on Jan 13.

He also spoke to ABC Victoria Statewide Drive on the social impacts of water usage and conflicts that can arise between country and city residents on Jan 21.

Forecasts

Prof Kevin Parton's views on the value of long-range forecasting tools to farmers were in the Sydney Morning Herald on Jan 31.

Link to In the News August 2008 to October 2008