In the News
Members of the Institute engage with the media considerably and are often called upon to provide expert advice and commentary on important issues affecting rural and regional Australia.
Engaging with the media also provides the opportunity for our researchers to engage with the wider community and to promote and publicise their research and findings.
All media releases involving ILWS researchers are issued as CSU Media Releases. Our researchers engage with both traditional media (print, radio and TV) as well as social and on-line media.
In the News 2021 is a compilation of media coverage received by ILWS members from information provided by CSU Media and the news monitoring services it uses.
Our researchers also regularly write Opinion Pieces and Articles for on-line news services such as The Conversation. See Commentary for more details
2021
COVID-19: Mental health crisis needs more than assistance programs
Reasonable workloads and a safe work environment are the most important mental health interventions for staff - not additional support programs says Professor Russell Roberts in an opinion piece in The Canberra Times, November 20. It also appeared in The Jimboomba Times, November 20.
Closing the indigenous life expectancy differential by closing the gap in political power
Professor Dominic O'Sullivan says responding to life expectancy differentials between indigenous and non-indigenous populations in Australia, Canada and New Zealand is not simply a matter of clinical interventions but also a matter of ‘political will’ in Charles Sturt University News Opinion, November 8.
More than 144 million jobs lost, COVID caused a global employment shift
Following the societal disruptions caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, Professor Manohar Pawar reveals the enormous impact the health crisis has had on international employment. He calls for immediate policy reforms and innovative programs to salvage and prevent millions of people from further plunging into poverty. Charles Sturt University News Opinion, November 2.
Feral horses will rule one third of the fragile Kosciuszko National Park under a proposed NSW government plan
The New South Wales government has released a draft plan to deal with feral horses roaming the fragile Kosciuszko National Park. While the plan offers some improvements, it remains seriously inadequate say ILWS researchers Professor Dave Watson and Dr Maggie Watson and co-authors Professor Don Driscoll and Senior Lecturer Desley Whisson from Deakin University in The Conversation October 8. Also published on Charles Sturt University News Opinion October 8. https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/parks-reserves-and-protected-areas/park-management/community-engagement/kosciuszko-national-park/draft-kosciuszko-national-park-wild-horse-heritage-management-plan
Loved to death: Australian sandalwood is facing extinction in the wild
Research by Richard McLellan ILWS PhD student, Professor Dave Watson and Professor Kingsley Dixson, published today, reveals the WA government has known for more than a century that sandalwood is over-harvested and is declining in numbers, with no new trees regenerating. They estimate 175 years of commercial harvesting may have decreased the population of wild sandalwood by as much as 90% in their article in The Conversation October 7. Also published on Charles Sturt University News Opinion on October 7.
The sun’s shining and snakes are emerging, but they’re not out to get you. Here’s what they’re really up to
... What exactly influences human–snake interactions? Whether you’re hoping to maximise your chances of seeing one of these shy, fascinating critters or wanting to avoid them at all costs, this article is for you. Dr Chris Jolly is a coauthor of this article in The Conversation, September 24.
Considerate of our participants: The LGBTQIA+ perspective
Failure to consider the varied experiences and identities of respondents can result in skewed findings. Dr Clifford Lewis and Prof Nina Reynolds (Uni Wollongong) outline tips for conducting research with LGBTQIA+ participants. ReseachLive September 22.
People want certainty; how to increase COVID-19 vaccination numbers
Professor Manohar Pawar argues that governments can increase COVID-19 vaccination numbers by devising a policy that offers the certainty of compensation to people and their dependents if anything goes wrong. Charles Sturt University News Opinion, September 20.
September 11 2001: 20th anniversary reflections on freedom, democracy and Australia’s place in the world
On the twentieth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States Professor Dominic O'Sullivan notes that it coincides with the fall of Kabul; raising both moral and security considerations for Australia in the Open Forum, September 11.Counselling almost always happens in a room - what if more people had the option of going outside?
For some people, traditional talk therapy does not suit. For example, we know that for many young people, therapy attempts fail. Dr Will Dobud argues that taking therapy outdoors has demonstrated outcomes on par with tightly-controlled clinical trials, with regards to improved well-being and symptom reduction in The Conversation, September 9.
Some animals have excellent tricks to evade bushfire. But flames might be reaching more animals naive to the dangers
What does a firey future mean for the planet's wildlife? Associate Professor Dale Nimm and Dr Chris Jolly are co-authors in a paper published in Global Change Biology that argues a lot can be learned from looking at how wildlife responds to a very different threat: predators. The Conversation, August 19.
Action needed on UN World Humanitarian Day
On World Humanitarian Day (Thursday 19 August) Professor Manohar Pawar says humanitarian crises are increasing significantly and calls for immediate action more than words. According to the United Nations (UN), the number of people in need of humanitarian aid has increased from one in 45 a year ago to one in 33 in 2021. Charles Sturt University News Opinion, August 19.
Some key questions on climate change policy in Australia
With the release of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report, ILWS climate change expert Professor Kevin Parton asks the central question for every nation; ‘how can net-zero greenhouse gas emissions be achieved?’. Charles Sturt University News Opinion, August 13.
Fiji’s other crisis: away from the COVID emergency, political dissent can still get you arrested
In his 100th published Opinion Piece, Professor Dominic O'Sullivan explains that Fiji’s fragile political environment is being overshadowed by the country’s COVID-19 crisis, ironically it is their damaged democratic process which provides the only pathway out of the health emergency. The Conversation, July, 29.
Artificial refuges are a popular stopgap for habitat destruction, but the science isn’t up to scratch
ILWS researchers Mitchell Cowan (PhD candidate) and Associate Professor Dale Nimmo, are co-authors of a new article highlighting their recently published review, suggesting the science underpinning them is often not up to scratch.. The Conversation, July, 28.
New Zealand’s He Puapua report and its significance for Māori
Professor Dominic O'Sullivan argues that contrary to recent claims, He Puapua is not a 'plan' that advocates for 'separatism', but rather a collection of ideas that invites society to imagine more inclusive political and constitutional arrangements. Charles Sturt University News Opinion, July 7.
Why can’t the NSW Government lead the way with aged care reform?
Associate Professor Maree Bernoth has written an Opinion Piece regarding the Government's response to Aged Care Royal Commission, published in SeniorAu, June 12.
Mouse plague: bromadiolone will obliterate mice, but it’ll poison eagles, snakes and owls, too
Dr Maggie Watson is one of the co-authors of an article warning of the risk to predators who eat mice, and to other species, from poisoning mice with bromadiolone in The Conversation, May 21.
New authority could transform Māori health, but only if it’s a leader, not a partner
Professor Dominic O'Sullivan says "The potential is for a Māori primary health system explicitly focused on Māori needs. Māori decision makers would decide what needs to be done, how and by whom. The success of the authority hinges on how independent it will be, and its accountability to Māori people," in The Conversation, April 22.
COVID-19, future pandemics, and rethinking residential housing design
Because COVID-19 will not be the last coronavirus pandemic, Associate Professor Dirk Spennemann argues future-proofing new buildings in the post-COVID environment must embrace the principles of universal design and lessons from the current pandemic in the Charles Sturt University News Opinion, March 11.
'Trust the science' is not enough to shift the anti-vax dial
Research by recent ILWS PhD graduate Dr Daniel Lander and Dr Angela Ragusa suggests a conceptual shift in communication strategies holds potential to improve public health through more directly and accurately addressing anti-vaccination concerns in the Charles Sturt University News Opinion, March 2.