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On Monday's program: New research shows that where you live could mean that you pay up to five times more than others to see a medical specialist. A coalition of 24 health, school, academic and sporting organisations is calling for a national plan to tackle physical inactivity. And three members of the far right United Patriots Front have faced court in Melbourne charged with breaching with Victoria's religious vilification laws.
Topics: australia
Tasmanian furniture designer selected to show work at Milan light show Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Duncan Meerding designs lights and his work is being recognised by an invitation to the International Light trade show Euroluce in Milan, Italy. Mr Meerding says his inspiration comes from nature, the wood that he handcrafts and his disability. The designer is legally blind, losing most of his vision when he was 18.
Topics: human-interest, arts-and-entertainment, disabilities, italy, australia, tas
United Patriots Front court case will test Victoria's religious vilification laws Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Three members of the far right United Patriots Front have faced court charged with serious religious vilification for a mock beheading stunt at an anti-mosque protest in Bendigo in 2015. It's believed to be the first high-profile criminal case prosecuted under Victoria's Racial and Religious Tolerance Act. The men say they have a right to freedom of speech and protest and that they will fight the charges.
Topics: courts-and-trials, community-and-society, religion-and-beliefs, law-crime-and-justice, melbourne-3000, australia, vic
Report urges reform of PBS to reduce medicine cost Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Pharmacy Guild has labelled a report, which claims Australians are paying too much for prescription drugs, as unbalanced and misleading. The Grattan Institute report says Australian drug prices are more than twice those in the UK and more than three times higher than in New Zealand. It argues taxpayers and patients would pay a lot less if the federal government made changes to the way prices are set under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Topics: medical-research, health, australia
Darwin hospital under scrutiny after high risk surgery death Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Procedures at Darwin's private and public hospitals are under scrutiny, after a woman was left for 36 hours with a post-surgery complication. The woman died from multiple organ failure in May 2015. Nurses involved have told the coroner they didn't have specific training for work in the private hospital's high dependency unit.
Topics: doctors-and-medical-professionals, death, health, darwin-0800, australia, nt
Sport, doctors, teachers, academics all unite to push Government on obesity Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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A coalition of 24 health, school, academic and sporting organisations is calling for a national plan to tackle physical inactivity. They argue all previous efforts have been piecemeal, with only 20 per cent of children doing enough exercise. Economic modelling released today shows the proposed strategy would pay for itself, with better health saving the economy half a billion dollars a year.
Topics: exercise-and-fitness, health, obesity, australia
Concern that rise in obesity will cause higher rates of chronic kidney disease Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Dr Carol Pollock is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Sydney. She's a trained specialist in renal medicine and currently doing research into predicting the future risk of chronic kidney disease in the offspring of obese mothers with and without type 2 diabetes. She says a Deakin University study has shown that 63 per cent of Australians are now classified as being overweight or obese, which is concerning to health practitioners, as obesity is closely linked with the development chronic of kidney disease.
Topics: liver-and-kidneys, health, diseases-and-disorders, diabetes, medical-research, obesity, australia
Shops and department stores bounce back in January Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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There was some relief today for policy makers when official data showed retail sales rebounded in January. There were some anxious business owners earlier this year when the monthly sales data showed shoppers actually pulling back on their spending. But despite the lift in January, there are fears the increased sales won't last, and that it will actually get worse for department stores and shopping centres later this year.
Topics: retail, business-economics-and-finance, australia
Study reveals large differences in specialists fees Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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New research shows that where you live could mean that you pay up to five times more than others to see a medical specialist. A study in the Medical Journal of Australia found that the cost to patients can vary widely even within the same medical discipline. It found that some patients are paying up to 400 per cent more in out of pocket costs more for the same treatment as other patients.
Topics: medical-procedures, health, medical-research, rural, australia
Defence and Immigration officials appear before child abuse inquiry Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Ray Griggs, has told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that the ADF is doing everything it can to ensure that child sexual abuse is a crime of the past. Senior officials from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection have also been grilled about the work that has been done to safeguard refugee children.
Topics: child-abuse, community-and-society, defence-and-national-security, defence-forces, refugees, australia
Pauline Hanson's comments on immunisation and Russia cause controversy Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson's arrived in Western Australia with five campaigning days left before the state election on Saturday. Her remarks about child immunisation yesterday have blown up a storm, along with her admiration for the strongman leadership of Vladimir Putin and questioning of the evidence that a Russian missile launcher shot down MH17. But Pauline Hanson is still predicting the party will be returned to state parliament for the first time since 2001.
Topics: government-and-politics, wa, australia
Exercise could save big bucks, not just your life Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Even if your child is playing regular sport, they may not be getting enough exercise. Deakin University research shows most Australians - including 3 million-children - are not exercising enough to meet health guidelines. Now a group including the Confederation of Australian Sport, researchers and schools are calling for a National Physical Activity Strategy.
Kenyan anti-FGM campaigner for girls rights inspires others in fight for change Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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A little over a year ago, Kenyan education entrepreneur and campaigner for the rights of Massai girls, Dr Kakenya Ntaiya, spoke to The World Today about the price she'd paid as a determined young girl to finish school; trading a part of her body. She also shared her joy about founding a ground-breaking school for girls in Kenya, where none of them will have to endure the Massai tradition of genital cutting. One listener was so moved by Dr Ntaiya's story that he immediately acted to draw together a group of Australians to help the students from her school. That listener was Australian businessman and chairman of the LBW Trust charity, David Vaux.
Topics: access-to-education, education, schools, women, kenya, australia
Civilians fleeing Mosul say Islamic State using chemical weapons Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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In northern Iraq now, the bloody fight to clear the Islamic State group from its last stronghold continues. The tempo of battle has stepped up and so it appears has the use of banned weapons. Fleeing civilians are are reporting that IS forces have been using chemical weapons.
Topics: unrest-conflict-and-war, iraq
Fees charged by airports 'significantly outstripping inflation' ACCC report finds Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Airfares might be falling but it's no thanks to the ballooning costs charged by Australian airports, according to a report by the ACCC in its annual Airport Monitoring Report. It says the fees airports charge airlines to use their space and services are significantly outstripping inflation, and that the cost is finding its way into the ticket prices you pay.
Topics: air-transport, consumer-protection, australia
Retail sales still sluggish as online stores ramp up dominance Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Retail turnover rose by 0.4 per cent in January, according to the Bureau of Statistics. The result is a bounce-back from December where turnover fell by 0.1 per cent. US based entrepreneur Adam Hudson warns the planned opening of Amazon in Australia later this year is a fresh threat for department stores.
Child abuse inquiry hearing from senior government representatives Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Senior government representatives are being held to account at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse this week as the final stretch of public hearings continues. The inquiry is hearing evidence relating to abuse in immigration detention.
Topics: child-abuse, defence-and-national-security, royal-commissions, australia
Hanson slammed over anti-vaxx comments Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Health groups have slammed Pauline Hanson for comments where she appears to criticise Australia's vaccination program. The One Nation leader described the Government's no jab, no pay policy as a 'dictatorship' and parents should do their own research into vaccinations. Malcolm Turnbull has rejected the calls, saying any parent who doesn't vaccinate their kids is risking their health. The head of the Australian Medical Association says it's time Senator Hanson started behaving responsibly.
Topics: vaccines-and-immunity, pauline-hanson, australia
Housing supply still the big issue Fed Govt tells Victoria Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Prime Minister and Federal Treasurer are adamant supply is the big issue to tackle to improve housing affordability. The Victorian Government has announced plans to abolish stamp duty on homes under $600 000 for first home buyers and the establishment of a shared equity scheme. It says it's also working to improve supply.
Topics: housing, housing-industry, tax, vic
Australian man dies during Mount Everest descent Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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An Australian man has died after reportedly falling ill while descending from the Mount Everest base camp in Nepal. His death has renewed concerns about the dangerous trek which last year lead to the death of another Australian, Maria Strydom. The cause of the man's death is unclear, but veteran mountaineers say it's vital anyone attempting Mount Everest is properly acclimatised to avoid altitude sickness.
Topics: travel-health-and-safety, lifestyle-and-leisure, travel-and-tourism, nepal
Rates set to stay on hold but could next move by up? Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Official interest rates appear almost certain to remain on hold when the Reserve Bank board meets tomorrow. The 'shadow' RBA board at the Australian National University sees a 68 per cent chance of a rate hike in the next six moths. But Matt Sherwood, head of investment strategy at Perpetual believes the RBA will move cautiously given concerns about leveraged households.
Topics: money-and-monetary-policy, banking, australia
New report finds Australians paying too much for necessary medications Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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A new report has found Australians are paying too much for prescription drugs - to the tune of a half a billion dollars each year. The Grattan Institute Study shows prices in Australia are more than twice as high as in the UK and more than three times higher than in New Zealand. The high costs are forcing many people to put off buying necessary medications.
Topics: pharmaceuticals, chemicals-and-pharmaceuticals, health, australia
Chinese Premier announces lowest annual growth rate in 26 years Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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In China the annual National People's Congress has begun. Premier Li Keqiang has announced the world's second biggest economy will aim to have an annual growth rate this year of 6.5 per cent, the lowest rate in 26 years. He has targeted the hugely inefficient state owned enterprises for major reform, but many question whether the government is really serious about fixing the problems.
Topics: economic-trends, international-aid-and-trade, china
Trade Minister hopes to finalise trade deal with Indonesia by the end of this year Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Trade Minister Steven Ciobo will depart today for a trip covering Indonesia, the UK and Chile, where he hopes to make significant progress on three trade deals. Australia and Indonesia are hoping to finally sign off on a Trade and Investment agreement by the end of this year. Mr Ciobo said he's sympathetic with Indonesian aims to increase palm oil and forestry products, and lower the bar for students to study here.
Topics: international-aid-and-trade, environment, rain-forests-and-forest, australia, chile, indonesia, united-kingdom
Grassroots non-profits hone their pitches to win a slice of the charity dollar Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Some charities have come along way from the days of rattling tins on Street corners to rustle up donations. Many have copied the film and TV world by crafting slick pitches to catch the attention and money of investors. They can quickly pick up hundreds of thousands of dollars at events like the ones hosted by the non-profit group The Funding Network.
