Audio
Inflexible intl aid organisations risk worsening African famine crisis: ODI chief Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Tens of millions of people are in urgent need of food as famine looms in Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia. But humanitarian aid experts are warning that the international aid system is ill-equipped to cope with the crisis, and part of the blame lies with international aid organisations, including the UN, who are unwilling to give up power and change the way they operate, says Sara Pantuliano, Managing Director of the Overseas Development Institute.
Topics: international-aid-and-trade, famine, relief-and-aid-organisations, nigeria, somalia, yemen, south-sudan
No more interest rate cuts, says Bendigo Adelaide Bank's Mike Hirst Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Greater competition and an uncertain economic outlook is making life more difficult for Australia's banks. This morning the second tier Bendigo and Adelaide Bank reported a 209-million dollar half year profit - but that was up by just a tenth of one per cent. Things are getting tighter for borrowers as well, with chief executive Mike Hirst predicting there will be no more interest rate cuts.
Topics: banking, business-economics-and-finance, australia
Experts suggest digital consent forms can improve teenage vaccination rates Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
As age increases, figures for immunisation fall. And with consent forms getting lost in school backpacks, Australian teenagers aren't getting immunised against cancer and other diseases. A paper published by the Immunisation Coalition suggests text message reminders and digital consent forms can improve vaccination rates.
Topics: vaccines-and-immunity, family-and-children, health, australia
Researchers working on roadside test to identify drowsy drivers Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
It's estimated that driver fatigue plays a role in up to a third of all fatal accidents on Australian roads. Now Victorian researchers are developing a roadside test to identify tired drivers and take them off the road.
Topics: road, science-and-technology, australia
Government cynical about Labor's proposal to clean up political donations Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
Labor has outlined a suite of measures to clean up the hazy world of political donations. The Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says his legislation, which includes banning foreign donations and reducing the disclosure limit to $1,000 dollars, will help fix the perception that politics is broken. But the Minister responsible for electoral reform Scott Ryan says the Opposition's proposal today is a stunt, claiming Labor didn't reform the system when they were in Government, and an expert on political donations says Labor should have proposed a cap on donations if it wants real reform.
Topics: alp, federal-elections, corruption, australia
WA Libs One Nation preference deal makes for awkward start in Parliament Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
The West Australian Liberal party's decision to strike a preference deal with One Nation has made for an uncomfortable start to the parliamentary week for the Federal Coalition. The Premier of WA Colin Barnett has described it as practical and pragmatic but the Federal Nationals Leader Barnaby Joyce warns it could have dangerous consequences.
Topics: one-nation, liberals, nationals, australia
Study shows humans accelerating climate change Audio
Posted
A new mathematical formula shows that humans are driving the warming of the earth 170 times faster than natural forces. Scientists in Australia and Sweden developed the equation which assesses the impact of human activity on the climate and compares it to events such as volcanic eruptions and changes to the planet's orbit. They've found that the biggest change in the climate has come since 1970.
Topics: climate-change, environment, science-and-technology, australia, sweden
Liberal Opposition parties to scrap state renewable targets Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
The Liberal opposition parties in South Australia, Victoria and Queensland have pledged to scrap state based renewable energy targets, arguing they've failed to deliver affordable and reliable power. But the South Australian government has hit back, saying abolishing state targets is dangerous for investment and electricity stability.
Topics: alternative-energy, electricity-energy-and-utilities, government-and-politics, liberals, australia
Energy policy standoff continues as broad coalition calls for bipartisanship Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
A broad coalition of industry, environmental and community groups is calling on all sides of politics to work together to develop long-term and sustainable energy policy, but it appears to have fallen on deaf ears for now. The Opposition says the Government doesn't have a policy for renewable energy beyond 2020, but the Prime Minister has again targeted the state Labor governments who have put ambitious renewable energy targets in place.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, climate-change, federal-government, australia
Fires destroy property and livestock across NSW in record weather conditions Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
Authorities in NSW say they're relieved no human lives have been lost in blazes over the weekend. Fire has gripped large parts of the state, and have so far claimed houses and livestock. Fire conditions have been described as the worst many areas have ever seen, with weather records broken across the state.
Pharmaceutical companies may be able to hide extent of 'doctor education' under new reporting rules Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
Changes to public reporting rules may allow pharmaceutical companies to more easily conceal how much they're wining and dining doctors. Starting this year, pharmaceutical companies will no longer have publish how much they spend on 'educational events' for health professionals. The change comes after the ABC revealed the correlation between these events and a massive explosion in the prescription of new generation blood-thinners.
Topics: chemicals-and-pharmaceuticals, doctors-and-medical-professionals, corruption, australia
Banks tempting businesses to lure default super funds, Industry Super warns Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Australia's major banks are luring businesses with bundled incentives to hand over default superannuation funds, according to research out today. Industry Super Australia claims the incentives to switch funds include free financial advice, corporate hospitality and discounts on insurance and loans. The incentives are being offered despite consumer protections which broadly prohibit their use to encourage the switching of default funds. Industry Super Australia's chief executive David Whiteley speaks with the ABC's Peter Ryan.
Topics: superannuation, australia
Joyce warns the Liberals will lose if they preference One Nation in WA Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
The Deputy Prime Minister, and Federal Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has reacted angrily to a preference deal between the WA Liberal Government and One Nation. The Liberal Party will put Pauline Hanson's party ahead of the Nationals in regional upper house seats, while One Nation will put the Liberals ahead of Labor and the Greens in lower house seats. Barnaby Joyce says that will lead to Opposition for the Liberals, but other senior Ministers say the deal is nothing unusual.
Topics: one-nation, government-and-politics, elections, joyce-barnaby, wa
Bipartisan energy policy essential for economy, security and Paris targets: BCA chief Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
The signatories of a letter calling for an end to the partisan games surrounding energy policy may seem strange bedfellows. One of them is the Business Council of Australia, whose membership is made up of the CEOs of Australia's top companies - including mining and energy groups. The Council's chief executive Jennifer Westacott told AM that as well as reduced taxes, a bipartisan approach to energy is vital to transitioning to a lower emissions model while ensuring security and economic growth - and the investment that will be vital for the process.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, business-economics-and-finance, environment, climate-change, government-and-politics, australia
Fires destroy nine out of 12 houses in NSW town Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
A major fire near Dunedoo in the state's central west has threatened homes and properties, burning tens of thousands of hectares of land, and forcing people to flee to nearby towns. Residents of the small township of Uarbry say nine out of 12 houses there have been destroyed.
Topics: bushfire, fires, uarbry-2329, dunedoo-2844
Problems with incorporating renewables puts power system at risk: Frydenberg Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
With a high powered alliance calling for an end to finger pointing politics around energy and climate change, the Government is under pressure to work towards a stable, bipartisan policy. Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg told AM that there was bipartisanship over on 23.5 per cent RET less than 18 months ago, and blamed Bill Shorten for becoming 'hairy chested' and demanding the target rise to 50 per cent. He denied States were doing the heavy lifting for the Paris agreement with their stronger targets.
Topics: alternative-energy, climate-change, liberals, australia
Industry, green and community groups want bipartisan energy policy Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
As Federal Parliament sits again in Canberra today, a broad and diverse alliance of industry, community and environmental groups is calling for a new bi-partisan approach to energy policy. The Business Council, the peak union group the ACTU, the Australian Council of Social Service, and the Clean Energy Council are among those to sign on to a joint statement. It demands an end to the political antics - and says policy uncertainty is leading to a lack of investment in the electricity supply industry, which is in turn, driving up the price of power.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, environment, alternative-energy, climate-change, coal, australia
WA company hopes lupin flakes will be the next big superfood Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
Lupin flakes could join quinoa, kale and chia as the next super food embraced by health conscious consumers. High in protein and fibre, they're mostly used as animal food at the moment but a company in Western Australia wants to bring them to market for human consumption.
Topics: agribusiness, food-and-cooking, food-processing, coorow-6515
Fire emergency in NSW as bushfires flare up Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
Several fires are still out of control in New South Wales, as authorities spent the night battling emergencies. A major fire near Dunedoo threatened home and properties, burning tens of thousands of hectares of land and forced people to flee to nearby towns.
Topics: bushfire, climate-change, merriwa-2329, dunedoo-2844
An anthem of love: Saroo Brierley on the true story of 'Lion' Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
The extraordinary story of Saroo Brierley, the Indian-born Australian businessman who was separated from his family as a five-year-old and adopted by a Hobart couple, has come to the screen with the Oscar-nominated 'Lion', adapted from Brierley's memoir, 'A Long Way Home'. Brierley speaks with the ABC's South Asia correspondent, James Bennett, about his story and how audiences in India and Australia have reacted to the film.
Topics: biography-film, autobiography, adoption, children, india, tas
National pride or indoctrination? Air show fatality mars Thai Children's Day Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
At the start of each year Thailand celebrates Children's Day, a chance to give thanks for the precious lives of Thailand's children - and to let them play with guns and tanks. While zoos and museums are open for free and kids can visit the Prime Minister's office, the main attraction for many Thai children is to climb on a tank or to hold an M16 assault rifle. This year the military free-for-all took a dark and tragic turn at an air show put on especially for Children's Day.
Topics: children, defence-forces, world-politics, thailand
Dizzying news, widening divides: Trump's America Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
The ABC's new North America correspondent, Conor Duffy, arrived in Washington DC just after last year's election. In the 10 weeks since it's been non-stop news, as President Trump implements an ambitious and divisive agenda. Conor speaks with protesters against the administration and reflects on adjusting to a new hyper-partisan world mired in insults, 'fake news' and 'alternative facts'.
Topics: world-politics, united-states
After Islamic State, the Iraqi Government must show authority, not just control Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
Over the last month, Iraqi Government forces have focussed their attack on Islamic State and seized control over all of the eastern half of Mosul. The victory is a demonstration of a stronger Iraqi military, after its rebuilding and retraining. But reports of human rights violations on both sides of the conflict highlight both the lack of justice and accountability plaguing Iraq and the fragile hold on legitimacy that the Government has. Middle East correspondent Matt Brown has just returned from the front lines of the battle where he saw reason for hope - and for fear.
Topics: unrest-conflict-and-war, islam, iraq
A million animals at risk as Mongolia's brutal winter hits herders Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Aid workers in Mongolia say an unusually harsh winter is killing millions of livestock and putting an enormous strain on the nation's herders. Mongolians are used to bitterly cold weather, but this year is being described as a rare weather event that has plunged some parts of the country to below minus 50 degrees.
First emojis are now officially museum pieces Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted | Updated
Emoticons - pictographs attached to mobile phone text messages - have become such a staple of global communication that they are almost a language unto themselves. The first set of these pictures, created back in 1997, have recently been acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. AM's Rachel Mealey spoke with their creator in Tokyo, who is surprised by the worldwide popularity of the ideograms.
Topics: information-and-communication, internet-culture, mobile-phones, united-states, japan
