Audio
'I'm not a neo-Nazi': alt-right activist Richard Spencer Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
It's just over a week since Donald Trump became President of the United States. His inauguration was followed by protests across the globe and in cities across America, including Washington DC. It was there that our North America correspondent, Zoe Daniel, was interviewing far-right activist Richard Spencer when he was punched in the head on camera by a protester - an incident that's provoked viral debate.
Topics: united-states
'No government can expect to be unanswerable': UK Supreme Court rules on Brexit process Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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British Prime Minister Theresa May suffered a blow to her Brexit plans this week, when the Supreme Court ruled that the UK Parliament, not the Government, had the power to decide on when to begin the process of leaving the EU. The Government had hoped it could use what's called the 'Royal prerogative' to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to kick-start negotiations over Brexit. Instead, a bill approving the process will have to make its way now through the House of Commons and then the House of Lords. The bill won't stop Brexit, but it could delay it. The Scottish National Party is planning to make around 50 amendments, with Labour stating that it wants to insert its own clauses.
Topics: world-politics, courts-and-trials, united-kingdom, european-union
It feels like the end of the world: air pollution in Beijing Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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ABC correspondents face all types of challenges and difficulties in the course of their work: conflict, disease and unfriendly governments, to name a few. In China, one of the biggest hazards is air pollution. Correspondent Matthew Carney and his young family have just lived through one of worst episodes of toxic smog the country has ever seen, with pollution levels around 25 times over the World Health Organisation's safety limit. According to a recent study from Nanjing University, a third of all deaths in China are linked to smog.
Topics: air-pollution, china
Indonesia's rules Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The ABC's Indonesia correspondent, Adam Harvey, ponders on rules. Apparently there are many in Jakarta, some of which make very little sense to foreigners. As Adam observes, however, the most important rules in Indonesia seem to be the ones that are unwritten.
Topics: community-and-society, laws, indonesia
'Quiet hour' a permanent feature following success Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Two Adelaide supermarkets are leading the way in creating a low sensory environment for their customers, particularly those on the autism spectrum. A trial of 'Quiet Hour' at one store last year has been so successful that it's now become a permanent feature at two. The initiative is something disability advocates hope will be taken up by other stores in the future.
Topics: autism-spectrum-disorder, retail, adelaide-5000
Documentary uncovers Australia's role in one of history's scandals: the 'human zoo' Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Indigenous community on Palm Island in far north Queensland will feature in an historical documentary about a relatively unknown aspect of colonialisation. Up to 20 Aboriginal people were taken from northern Australia in the 19th and 20th centuries to be exhibited alongside animals in what was called 'the Human Zoo'. Along with tens of thousands of other people, they were put on display across Europe and North America until at least 1940. The Palm Island community has been reunited with the remains of one of their ancestors involved in the trade.
Topics: indigenous-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander, documentary, palm-island-4815, australia
Flinders Street Station homeless told to move on to make way for big redevelopment Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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People sleeping rough at Melbourne's Flinders Street Station have been told they have a week to move on to make way for the historic building's multi-million-dollar redevelopment. Numbers of rough sleepers at the station have increased dramatically over recent months, fuelling the wider debate about homelessness in the city and how to deal with it. The State Government yesterday announced further funding and initiatives to tackle the issue, but the homeless community is sceptical.
Topics: homelessness, melbourne-3000
Calls for real estate industry crackdown as experts claim too many agents aren't qualified Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Real estate agents have been in the spotlight this week, with allegations of the misappropriation of funds and widespread underquoting of property values. Two independent experts have told Saturday AM they believe it's because many agents simply aren't qualified to be facilitating large property deals. Experts are also warnings buyers to be aware of so-called 'low-cost' or 'discount' agents.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, australia
Mexico, call Trump's bluff on trade: international relations expert Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Genaro Lozano is a professor of international relations and US government at the Ibero-American University in Mexico. He says that Mexico is in a 'low-intensity' commercial and migratory war with the United States and that many Mexicans feel humiliated by Donald Trump's insistence that he'll build a wall and make Mexico pay for it. He says that Mexico is one of the most globalized economies in the world, with more than 20 bilateral trade treaties, and could survive without the North American Trade deal (NAFTA).
Topics: world-politics, agreements-and-treaties, mexico, united-states
Morrison rejects backbench calls to reconsider negative gearing Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Federal Treasurer, Scott Morrison, says the experience in the United Kingdom shows that changes to negative gearing won't necessarily improve housing affordability. The Opposition has been urging the Treasurer to use his visit to the UK to adopt similar policies to that country's Conservative Government, which has curbed tax concessions on investment properties. Some backbenchers are also continuing to call for all options to be on the table. But Mr Morrison told reporters in London that the best way to improve affordability was to increase housing supply.
Topics: housing, federal-government, canberra-2600, australia
May and Trump affirm UK-US relationship Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Theresa May have held a meeting and joint press conference, declaring they both represent forgotten working-class people. President Trump smoothed over some contentious parts of the relationship, backing away from a plan to reintroduce torture and playing down suggestions he'd relax sanctions on Russia. The Prime Minister stated that the President confirmed his nation's commitment to NATO.
Topics: world-politics, agreements-and-treaties, united-states, united-kingdom
Australia leads push to save critically endangered shore bird Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Topics: conservation, environment, human-interest, animals, birds, australia, darwin-0800, singapore
Zoo grieves over death of endangered Sumatran orangutan Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Adelaide Zoo is in mourning, after the death of its critically endangered Sumatran orangutan, and her baby. Karta died just hours after delivering the infant, which is believed to have been stillborn. It follows a troubled past with births for the animal, who has lost six other infants in the past 15 years.
Topics: animals, human-interest, animal-welfare, adelaide-5000, australia, sa
Enforcement of wildlife protection laws in India bringing snake charming to an end Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Think India, and chances are snake charmers will probably spring to mind. Officially banned 40 years ago, the practice has lived on in some parts. But under continued pressure from animal rights activists and the law, even the die-hards say they now see the writing on the wall.
Topics: animal-welfare, human-interest, animals, laws, india
Costly computer program 'Ultranet' failure reveals widespread corruption Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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A report into the handling of a failed computer program for Victorian Government schools has detailed widespread corruption within the senior ranks of the Education Department. The 'Ultranet' was supposed to connect students, parents and teachers. But the state's corruption watchdog has found that officials wasted up to $240 million of taxpayers' money. Victoria's 'Ultranet' was launched at a lavish event in August 2010 at a cost of $1.4 million. Three years later it was dumped. A report into the failed computer scheme from the state's Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission was tabled in Parliament today.
Topics: corruption, law-crime-and-justice, science-and-technology, computers-and-technology, programs-and-initiatives, vic, australia, melbourne-3000
Indonesian man educated in Australia attempts to join ISIS with family Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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A family with links to Australia is being questioned in Jakarta, after allegedly attempting to join ISIS in the Middle East. They were deported back to Indonesia earlier this week. But the 40-year-old father isn't your average ISIS recruit, he was awarded a Masters degree from Adelaide's Flinders University.
Topics: terrorism, education, government-and-politics, world-politics, unrest-conflict-and-war, indonesia, australia, sa, adelaide-5000
QLD farmers rally against Govt plans to acquire their land for military base Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Defence Department is planning to take over a number of prime cattle properties around Shoalwater Bay, near Rockhampton for the expansion of a military base in the region, but the Queensland Government's calling for the Commonwealth to find alternatives to the proposal. The National Farmers Federation also strongly opposes the move, stating that forcing farmers off productive land is unfair.
Topics: defence-forces, defence-and-national-security, rural, agribusiness, qld, australia
US and Mexican farmers concerned about plans to construct a border wall Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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A Mexican farming association says its roughly 60,000 members are growing increasingly angry at debate over US President Donald Trump's border wall between Mexico and the USA.
Topics: world-politics, government-and-politics, mexico, united-states
Concerns raised about press freedom during Trump presidency Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Almost a week into Donald Trump's presidency, fresh concerns are being raised about the freedom of the press in the United States and beyond. Mr Trump's Chief of Staff has accused the press of trying to delegitimise America's new leader, but the Committee to Protect Journalists says attacks on the press set a dangerous precedent.
Topics: journalism, media, government-and-politics, information-and-communication, australia
Trump to adopt 'muscular' US foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Federal Government has been lobbying the new Trump administration to maintain a strong presence in Asia. Ashley Townshend from University of Sydney's United States Studies Centre has been researching President Trump's evolving Asia team.
Topics: foreign-affairs, government-and-politics, world-politics, united-states, australia, china, korea-democratic-people-s-republic-of
PM Turnbull unmoved by calls to consider negative gearing changes Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Prime Minister says the Government will focus on improving housing supply, rather than changing tax rules like negative gearing, to try to improve housing affordability. Two Government MPs have again called for all options to be examined, as house prices continue to rise in Sydney and Melbourne. The Opposition says building more houses is important, but not the only solution, and the Government should adopt the policies Labor took to the election last year.
PM: Full Program Audio
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On Friday's program: A report into the handling of a failed computer program for Victorian Government schools has detailed widespread corruption within the senior ranks of the Education Department. A family with links to Australia is being questioned in Jakarta, after allegedly attempting to join ISIS in the Middle East. Queensland farmers rally against Government plans to acquire their land for military base.
Topics: australia
Scientists advance Doomsday Clock due to nuclear weapons, climate and Trump Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Scientists say the world is closer to catastrophe than at any time since the height of the Cold War. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has moved the hands of its symbolic Doomsday Clock forward by thirty seconds overnight, citing nuclear weapons, climate change and the election of US president Donald Trump as reasons for the move. It's the closest the clock has come to midnight in 64 years.
Topics: nuclear-issues, unrest-conflict-and-war, united-states
The Redback spider's deadly mating ritual like never before Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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It's inspired by the mating rituals of the Australian Red Back Spider. In her first live action short film, Archibald Prize winner Del Kathryn Barton, celebrates female power like never before.
Topics: film-movies, adelaide-5000
Former SA uni student questioned by Indonesian police over ISIS links Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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An Indonesian couple who lived in Australia for several years will today undergo another day of questioning about their links to the terrorist group, Islamic State. The couple were deported from Turkey this week to Bali. Their three children include an eight-year-old boy who was born in South Australia.
Topics: immigration, terrorism, indonesia, australia, turkey
