Audio
Could 'bee robots' be the future of crop pollination? Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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We've heard about the potential for drones to be used as delivery vehicles for everything from letters to vaccines and medical supplies, but researchers from Japan are investigating whether drones can deliver pollen to flowers, mimicking the role of bees. It comes as bee colonies around the world are increasingly threatened by viruses and pesticides.
Topics: robots-and-artificial-intelligence, chemicals-and-pharmaceuticals, endangered-and-protected-species, beekeeping, japan
South African Parliament descends into violence as President begins annual speech Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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South Africa's Parliament has descended into chaos, with punches thrown as opposition MPs tried to disrupt the annual State of the Nation address by President Jacob Zuma. Mr Zuma twice got to his feet to speak, but was shouted down by a left-wing opposition group. The President has been dogged by allegations of corruption and cronyism and widely criticised for his handling of the economy.
Topics: world-politics, south-africa
Russian accidental airstrike kills Turkish soldiers during offensive in outskirts of al-Bab Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
A Russian warplane has accidentally killed three Turkish soldiers and wounded 11 others in an operation against Islamic State in Northern Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologised and expressed his condolences for the misdirected strikes. The attack comes at a time when Turkish troops are attempting to take back the town of Al-Bab, north-east of Aleppo.
Topics: unrest-conflict-and-war, syrian-arab-republic, russian-federation
Donald Trump slams nuclear deal he doesn't know about: report Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Details of US President Donald Trump's first phone call with Vladimir Putin have been leaked to the media. Mr Trump is alleged to have told the Russian president that the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty, which the two countries signed in 2010, was a 'bad deal' for the United States. But he also had to reportedly pause the call and ask his advisers what the treaty was.
Topics: treaties-and-alliances, nuclear-issues, united-states, russian-federation
News Corp in second quarter loss on The Australian's print woes Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has posted a second quarter loss, citing impairments in its Australian newspaper business as a key factor. The struggling empire reported a loss from continuing operations of US$219 million compared to a profit of US$106 in the prior year. News Corporation chief executive Robert Thomson said the results were hurt by a continuing decline in advertising income and 'an impairment of the print-related fixed assets of our Australian newspaper business.'
Topics: media, print-media, australia
Reserve Bank's forecasts rule out Australia going through a technical recession Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Reserve Bank says Australia will once again avoid a recession. The bank has just released its quarterly statement on monetary policy. The RBA is forecasting economic growth of between 1.5 and 2.5 per cent for the current financial year. There's little hope in the bank's forecasts, though, for workers looking for a pay rise, with wages growth expected to remain subdued.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, australia
Consumers urged not to 'set and forget' private health insurance Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Private health insurance premiums have gone up again, with the price hike more than three times the rate of inflation. The Federal Government has approved the 4.8 per cent rise, saying it's the lowest in a decade. The Health Minister does, however, seem to be gearing up for a battle with state governments about whether they're contributing to the rising premiums. In the meantime, the Consumer Health Forum of Australia says that private health insurance customers should consider whether they are getting value for money. They're urging customers not to 'set and forget' their health insurance and to shop around for a better deal.
Topics: insurance, government-and-politics, health-insurance, australia
Trump angered by court ruling upholding suspension of travel ban Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The US President, Donald Trump, has been incensed by a court ruling which has upheld a suspension of his executive order that had put travel bans on refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries. The court found that, although courts show deference to the President's policy, they do have the right to adjudicate constitutional challenges to executive actions.
Topics: courts-and-trials, islam, government-and-politics, world-politics, law-crime-and-justice, united-states
Temperatures soar as SA power debate hits boiling point Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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As temperatures soar in South Australia again today, the political debate surrounding energy is heading towards boiling point. The Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has continued his attack, labelling the state lazy and complacent. The South Australian Premier says he'll announce a plan in a few weeks for what he's labelled a 'dramatic intervention' in the electricity market. An energy expert says the state has no other options, thanks to a flawed national energy market.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, government-and-politics, sa
Extreme weather conditions hit huge parts of Australia Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Extreme weather conditions have hit several Australian states, prompting concerns the heatwave could put a strain on hospitals and power supplies. Authorities are bracing for 'catastrophic' fire conditions in some areas with temperatures expected to soar above 40 degrees.
Big increases to private health insurance signed off by Government Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Health insurance premiums are set to rise by more than three times the rate of inflation, with the Health Minister giving the go-ahead for insurers to bump up their rates by an average of five per cent. The Federal Government says the increase, worth about $200 for the average family, is the lowest in a decade. But the Opposition says the continued rise in health insurance will drive people away from the private system.
Topics: insurance, health-insurance, australia
SA power emergency caused by regulator: Tony Burke Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Federal Government is again using the power crisis in South Australia to advance its case to seek stability in the national power grid, over a rapid transition to renewable power. As accusations and counter-accusations continue over South Australia's use of renewable energy sources, Federal Opposition environment spokesman Tony Burke places the blame for Wednesday's blackout with the federal regulator who, he says, handled the incident 'appallingly'.
Topics: government-and-politics, electricity-energy-and-utilities, alternative-energy, australia
Kenya's High Court rules against closure of Dadaab refugee camp Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Kenya's High Court has blocked a Government order to close the world's largest refugee camp. The Dadaab camp near the Somali border was set to close in the middle of the year, but the court has found that the Kenyan Government's plans were unconstitutional and discriminatory.
Wrong, wrong, wrong: White House adviser 'counselled' after commercial endorsement Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Senior US presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway promoted the fashion label of Ivanka Trump, the President's daughter, during a television interview this morning. Ms Conway's comments provoked fury on both sides of the US political landscape. Regulations state that US officials cannot make commercial endorsements. White House press secretary Sean Spicer stated that the adviser has been 'counselled' regarding her statement. Meanwhile, Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has spoken out against Donald Trump's criticism of the judiciary, calling his remarks 'demoralising' and 'disheartening' - but the White House has denied that the nominee was speaking specifically about the President.
Topics: world-politics, united-states
RBA governor backs corporate tax cut, worries about Donald Trump Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The governor of the Reserve Bank, Dr Philip Lowe, has implicitly backed the Government's campaign to lower the corporate tax rate. Speaking in Sydney last night, Dr Lowe warned that Australia needs to be globally competitive on corporate tax to attract foreign investors and to provide a buffer for the federal budget. Dr Lowe also cautiously welcomed some of Donald Trump's economic policies but warned that things 'could turn out very badly'.
Turnbull snubs royal invitation Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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AM has learnt that the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has snubbed a royal invitation - but it's not likely to result in a diplomatic incident. Tomorrow, many oceans away from Buckingham Palace, the self-declared sovereign of Hutt River, Prince Leonard, is ceding the throne. Mr Turnbull was one of several dignitaries on the guest list but has sent his regrets.
Topics: people, northampton-6535
Energy debate intensifies as states prepare for extreme temperatures Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Federal Government has stepped up its attack on the South Australian Government over its high use of intermittent renewable energy. The Federal Energy Minister, Josh Frydenberg, says the State Government could have declared an emergency to direct more power to be generated during Wednesday night's blackout. But State Minister Tom Koutsantonis rejects that, saying it was a failure of the market operator to properly predict demand; and that a state of emergency is only declared for major events like a fire, flood or earthquake.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, government-and-politics, phenomena, sa, australia
Desperate Sydney shoppers search stores for fans Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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As the temperature heats up on Australia's east coast, many people in Sydney have decided that now is the time to head to the shops and buy a fan. But shoppers are quickly discovering they've left it far too late. Some stores have been sold out for weeks; and for the stock that remains, prices are high.
Bob Brown lodges formal complaint over facebook post that he calls 'homophobic' Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The former leader of the Australian Greens, Bob Brown has lodged a formal complaint with Tasmania's anti-discrimination commissioner over a post on Facebook that he's called 'homophobic'. The post doctored a famous photo of the Greens activist from a 1986 forestry demonstration implying his sexuality was a motivating factor in the protest. The issue has raised broader questions about how content is regulated on the internet.
Topics: discrimination, community-and-society, government-and-politics, tas, australia
Unions allege NT workplace safety regulator has failed to investigate serious incidents Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Unions are alleging the Northern Territory's workplace regulator has failed to properly investigate a long list of serious workplace incidents. The death of a young man on a prawn trawler in 2013 is on the list, along with the recent drowning of a man at a Darwin wharf. The unions are calling for the Northern Territory Government to step in.
Topics: safety, accidents, government-and-politics, health, nt, australia
Detainees on Manus Island say immigration officials have begun deporting asylum-seekers Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Detainees at Australia's offshore detention centre on Manus Island say immigration officials have begun deporting asylum-seekers. The asylum-seekers' lawyer has confirmed at least one Nepalese man was removed from the centre in the early hours of the morning so he could be flown to Port Moresby then back to Nepal. Immigration authorities have previously said they were preparing to deport 163 men whose refugee claims had been rejected. This comes despite concern from international agencies that the men's claims have not been properly assessed.
Topics: refugees, community-and-society, immigration, australia, nepal
Australia heading for a debt 'catastrophe' as National Debt Helpline buckles under record calls Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The National Debt Helpline has told PM it's buckling under an unprecedented number of calls from Australians seeking financial counselling. PM understands as many as 14,000 phone calls went unanswered in January due to a lack of staff. Experts claim Australia is on the verge of a debt binge hangover.
Topics: money-and-monetary-policy, business-economics-and-finance, australia
Mandatory reporting laws would help stop Catholic Church cover-up : Royal Commission Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Canon law experts have told the child sexual abuse Royal Commission that if all the Australian states enacted mandatory reporting laws the Catholic Church would be compelled to report the clerical sexual abuse of children. The Commission is examining how the Church's canon law has been used to cover up abuse and protect paedophile priests.
Topics: child-abuse, law-crime-and-justice, royal-commissions, australia
Budget cuts starting to bite at ICAC Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Budget cuts are biting at the New South Wales corruption commission. The ICAC will have five fewer investigators this year, as a result of cuts in last year's New South Wales State Budget. The Commission says that could mean fewer investigations. PM can also reveal that no candidates have yet been interviewed to fill the role of the three new commissioners.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, australia
AEMO defends move to order load shedding in SA Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Australian Energy Market Operator has defended its move to cut electricity to thousands of customers in South Australia last night. 90,000 homes and businesses lost power because of insufficient generation due to the hot weather. New South Wales facing a similar prospect tomorrow. But with forecasts showing a potential lack of power reserves across the rest of summer and those to come, concerns have been raised about the vulnerability of other states in the future.
Topics: environment, energy, australia, nsw, sa
