Audio
The world's food insurance policy: 50,000 new species added to Global Seed Vault Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
The botanical equivalent of Noah's Ark has been updated to include tens of thousands more plant species. The Global Seed Vault on the Arctic Island of Svalbard in Norway was established almost 10 years ago to safeguard the world's crops. Fifty thousand new samples have recently been added to the collection. Former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer, a board member of the trust that runs the vault, says that over the last century both India and the United States have lost 90 per cent of valued crop varieties.
Topics: biological-diversity, biotechnology, botany, norway
Angry protests in Mexico as US cabinet secretaries arrive for talks Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Angry protests have broken out in Mexico City as US cabinet members arrived to discuss two policies that have derailed cross border relations since Donald Trump took office. The US is preparing to deport thousands of illegal immigrants who've come through Mexico - if they've committed even minor crimes. Mexico has expressed its fury at the plan, with its Foreign Minister refusing to comply with US demands.
Topics: world-politics, immigration, mexico, united-states
Australia-Indonesia relationship 'resilient' ahead of President Widodo visit: Lowy Institute Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Indonesian President Joko Widodo will make his first state visit to Australia this weekend to meet with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and business leaders within the local Indonesian community. His visit comes at a high point in bilateral relations, with Australian attitudes toward Indonesia more positive than they ever have been. Aaron Connelly of the Lowy Institute says that, while the two countries have different viewpoints and assumptions about each other, their strategic interests have much in common, which allows them to overcome short-term frictions such as the recent partial suspension of military exercises and the hard-line scepticism of figures such as military chief Gatot Nurmantyo.
Topics: world-politics, indonesia, australia
Project to support women in illegal brothels Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
A new project in Melbourne is trying to reach sex workers in illegal brothels, who have received virtually no support services until now. Authorities estimate there are 500 illegal brothels operating in the city, compared with just 87 properly licenced brothels. The number of illegal brothels is thought to be growing and helping the women involved is extremely difficult.
Topics: prostitution, law-crime-and-justice, melbourne-3000
Catholic Archbishops concede mandatory celibacy contributed to abuse Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Five of Australia's Catholic Archbishops have told the child sexual abuse Royal Commission mandatory celibacy has possibly been a contributing factor in clerical sexual abuse. They agreed the church must improve its selection and training processes for seminarians to ensure the mistakes of the past aren't repeated.
Topics: royal-commissions, child-abuse, catholic, sexual-offences, sydney-2000
SA election set to be 'crowded house' for disaffected voters Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party says it's had at least 30 inquiries about running as upper and lower house candidates in the South Australian election. The party is yet to register to be eligible to run candidates in the March 2018 poll, but is confident it'll be a main player, with disaffected voters looking for change. But cutting through for One Nation will be tough, says a political expert, who predicts the pending poll will be a very 'crowded house' including candidates from NXT and Corey Bernardi's Australian Conservatives.
Topics: one-nation, elections, states-and-territories, sa
Capital gains, negative gearing changes could cool housing suggests RBA governor Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
The governor of the Reserve Bank, Dr Philip Lowe has suggested that altering tax breaks for property investors could take some heat out of the currently hot real estate market. Dr Lowe told a parliamentary committee that changing the mix of negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions would lower demand and house prices could fall. He's also signalled that interest rates are unlikely to be cut again because of concerns about fuelling property investment.
Topics: money-and-monetary-policy, tax, canberra-2600
Biggest overhaul of Queensland electorate boundaries in decades Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
All but two electorates have changed boundaries in the largest shake-up of Queensland's electoral map for almost 30 years. There are now 93 seats, with four new electorates added to the 89 MP's sitting currently. One rural electorate in northern Queensland was eliminated altogether. With speculation mounting on when the next election could be called, politicians are now scrambling to decide whether to stay in their electorate or move given the sweeping changes.
Topics: electoral-system, elections, states-and-territories, qld
Concerns female workers will be particularly hard hit by Fair Work decision on penalty rates Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Many retail and fast food workers are expected to be significantly worse off by yesterday's Fair Work decision cut to Sunday penalty rates. But what you may not know is that more than a quarter of all employed women under 25 work in retail. Advocates are worried that female workers will be especially hard hit by the cuts.
Topics: work, food-and-beverage, hospitality, retail, regulation, careers, federal-government, men, women, australia
Murray Goulburn's loss further shakes dairy farmer confidence Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Dairy farmers have been shaken by another industry downturn after one of Australia's largest dairy company's announced a substantial loss. Milk suppliers have been struggling to make ends meet after processor Murray Goulburn cut the price it pays farmers last year. The processor has been trying to win back the confidence of suppliers but its latest financial results have left a sour taste.
Topics: dairy-production, agribusiness, australia
Eric Abetz says Tony Abbott isn't undermining and detractors are 'name-calling' Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Tasmanian Liberal Senator Eric Abetz has voiced his support for Tony Abbott's criticism of the Prime Minister and Cabinet last night. Speaking with The World Today's Julia Holman, he says the former prime minister's comments are 'not undermining anybody' and are 'motivated by the desire to make Australia a better place.' He says the Government's one-seat majority following the September 2016 election makes Mr Abbott's comments on the Coalition's popularity 'objectively correct' and says that offering new policy ideas should not be seen as sniping or undermining of the Government.
Topics: federal-government, liberals, canberra-2600, tas
Malcolm Turnbull blasts Tony Abbott's record as prime minister Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Prime Minister has unleashed on his predecessor Tony Abbott, saying that he's acted where the former PM failed to deliver. Last night Mr Abbott said that the Coalition was in danger of drifting towards defeat. But Malcolm Turnbull and his Cabinet colleague say Tony Abbott was never capable of implementing his own agenda.
Topics: federal-government, canberra-2600
'No use of military force': US Secretary Kelly contradicts President during Mexico trip Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
US President Trump has sent his Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson and his Secretary of Homeland Security, John Kelly, to Mexico for a series of meetings with senior Mexican Government officials, including President Enrique Pena Nieto. Mexico has publicly expressed displeasure at statements made by the Trump administration, including the US President's plans to purge illegal migrants and build a wall along the border between the two countries. Despite Mr Trump describing his actions at the US-Mexico border as a military operation, Secretary Kelly has unambiguously pledged that US military force will not be employed in US immigration operations.
Topics: world-politics, immigration, mexico, united-states
Australia fails to send court representatives as 115 Indonesians sue Federal Government Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
An Indonesian court hearing in a civil case against the Australian Government has been adjourned not long after it began, because Australia failed to send any representation to the court. One hundred and fifteen Indonesians are suing Australia for allegedly being detained in adult jails, while they were juveniles, between 2008 and 2012. All members of the group had crewed asylum seeker boats and many were convicted on people smuggling charges, spending time in jails including Sydney's Silverwater Prison.
Topics: courts-and-trials, refugees, indonesia, australia
Yemeni population on the brink of famine: UN Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The United Nations urgently needs more than $5 billion by the end of March to deal with major starvation crises in four troubled nations. The UN World Food Programme says more than 20 million people in Yemen, northern Nigeria, Somalia and South Sudan are at risk of dying from starvation within the six months. Yemen is the worst effected country, with more than 7 million people requiring emergency food assistance and more than 460,000 children are currently suffering from severe acute malnutrition. The Yemeni crisis follows the overthrow of the government and two years of war that has killed and maimed thousands of civilians.
Topics: famine, unrest-conflict-and-war, yemen
Ahmed Fahour maintains pay not a factor in decision to quit Australia Post Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Ahmed Fahour maintains that pressure to take a major pay cut was not a major factor in his decision to resign as Australia Post chief executive, despite a looming Senate estimates hearing set for next week. But Mr Fahour has received support from unusual quarters, with Labor Senator Sam Dastyari saying pressure from the Prime Minister made his future at Australia Post untenable. Mr Fahour abruptly cancelled an interview with the ABC's Peter Ryan, saying that he was too exhausted.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, government-and-politics, australia
There's something wrong with the system: Mark Dreyfus calls for changes to Fair Work rules Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The issue over weekend penalty rates is set to be a major political fight from now until the next federal election. The Federal Opposition says it will try to challenge the Fair Work Commission's ruling. Speaking with AM's Sabra Lane, shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus says that, despite being set up by the Rudd Labor government as an 'arm's-length' body to arbitrate independently, the rules that have been set for the commission need to be changed and that Labor will use legislation or some other parliamentary solution to change the system.
Topics: government-and-politics, alp, australia
Government risks becoming 'Labor light': former PM Tony Abbott slams his successor Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Former prime minister Tony Abbott has delivered a wide-ranging critique of his Government overnight, stating that the Coalition can't just be a contest of egos or someone's vanity project. He has called on his Government to scale back immigration until house prices stabilize, freezing the Renewable Energy Target and dismantling the Human Rights Commission. He has also criticized his successor, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, for continuing to live in his harbourside residence instead of the taxpayer-funded Kirribilli House. Mr Abbott's comments follow his failure to return to the ministry in January's Cabinet reshuffle.
Topics: federal-government, canberra-2600
US Conservative Political Action Conference focusses on young activists Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Thousands of conservative political activists across the United States have gathered in the state of Maryland to hear from senior Trump administration appointees. The annual Conservative Political Action Conference draws activists from across the states - and this year they're riding high. Many of the attendees this year are young, a demographic not strongly supportive of President Trump. Speaking with AM, two young attendees talk of being demonised and their pride in Mr Trump's performance.
Topics: world-politics, united-states
Record lamb prices force regional abattoirs to close Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Record lamb prices are forcing some country abattoirs out of business. Meat processors are often the biggest employers in small rural towns, but the soaring cost of livestock has abattoirs cutting back workers' shifts or closing down altogether.
Topics: sheep-production, agricultural-prices, cootamundra-2590, canberra-2600, cassilis-2329, tas
PM Full Program Audio
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On Thursday's program: Australia Post CEO Ahmed Fahour steps down just weeks after a Senate committee lifted the secrecy over his $5.6 million dollar pay check; After the plane crash, residents living under the flightpath at Melbourne's Essendon Airport say they live in fear of another deadly accident and want the facility moved; And cafe workers express their anger after what they describe as an unfair decision by the Fair Work Commission to cut their Sunday penalty rates.
Topics: australia
New urine test could track progression of motor neuron disease Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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There's a small ray of possible new hope for treating motor neuron disease. Motor neuron disease attacks the nervous system, often with frightening speed. Average life expectancy after diagnosis is one to five years. The advance comes in the form of a new urine test developed by experts from Flinders University and the University of Miami. The new test measures a key protein in the urine of MND sufferers as the disease progresses.
Topics: medical-research, health, medical-procedures, australia
Major battle for western Mosul could displace 400,000 civilians Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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It's morning in Iraq, and as we go to air the country's army is moving into a new phase of its bid to retake Mosul from the so-called Islamic State. A BBC reporter travelling with them has just tweeted a photo indicating that the army's begun its attempt to take Mosul airport, a key tactical goal. Up to 400,000 civilians, men women and children could be displaced.
Topics: terrorism, unrest-conflict-and-war, australia, iraq
World-first digital energy marketplace for rooftop solar launched Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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An Australian consortium has launched a world-first digital energy marketplace for rooftop solar. The Decentralised Energy Exchange, or deX, will allow consumers, businesses, communities and utilities to trade of energy generated by solar panels and stored in battery packs. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency is funding it. It brings together network operators, an energy retailer and tech start-ups, with pilot projects in the ACT and Victoria planned for June.
Topics: solar-energy, alternative-energy, nsw, act
Julalikari corporation under special administration after community criticism Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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One of Australia's largest Indigenous corporations has been put into special administration after ongoing community concern that it's failing to deliver services. The corporation's also been under scrutiny this month about asbestos housing it brought into the town. The Aboriginal corporations watchdog says administrators will focus on restoring community confidence in the organisation.
Topics: indigenous-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander, housing-industry, community-and-society, government-and-politics, housing, australia
