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TRANSCRIPT
Questions for discussion
Taser troubles
Body image
Melbourne Cup
EPISODE 31
3RD NOVEMBER 2009
School boarders
Wallaby foster parents
Focus Questions
Reporting the facts about Tasers
EPISODE 31
3RD NOVEMBER 2009
Learning Area
Society and
Environment
Key learning
Students will
develop an
understanding of
what Tasers are,
why police want to
use them and
opposition to
them.
Reflection
Related Research Links
Focus Questions
Body image
EPISODE 31
3RD NOVEMBER 2009
Learning Area
Health and
Physical Education
Key learning
Students will
develop a deeper
understanding of
what body image is
and how it impacts
on wellbeing.
Related Research Links
BtN: Episode 31 Transcripts 03/11/09
On this week's Behind the News:
How much of what you see in magazines is real?
Remote kids hit the big smoke for study.
And the jockey who dreamed of being a D.J.
Hi I'm Nathan Bazley welcome to Behind the News.
Also on the show today – the wallabies becoming foster parents to
help save a species.
Those items later... but first let's catch up with some of the week's
other headlines ... here's Catherine with the Wire.
The Wire
Last week we told you about people smuggling and it's still all over the
news.
Pollies are arguing about what to do with 78 Sri Lankans who are on
an Aussie customs ship in Indonesia.
The Asylum seekers were picked up when their boat started sinking
on its way to Australia where they want to live.
The Australian Government wants to drop them off in Indonesia, but
they won't get off the boat.
The asylum seekers are saying they'd rather jump into the water than
stay in Indonesia.
*******
A few months ago we told you about a 14 year old Dutch girl who
planned to sail around the world.
Well a court in her home country has banned her from going.
In other sailing news, Aussie Jessica Watson left on her solo around
the world voyage around two weeks ago. So far she's covered more
than 3000 k’s and going strong.
*******
And as much as some of us hate vegies, scientists have found another
reason to eat them!
Research has shown that the fibre in them boosts your immune
system, which helps diseases like asthma and diabetes.
That's on top of the evidence showing they're awesome for holding off
heart disease and some cancers.
So no more pushing them to the side of your plate!
Taser Troubles
Reporter: Sarah Larsen
INTRO: Now to our features and first up today we look at weapons
that shoot electricity.
Sounds pretty sci-fi but they're called tasers and some cops use them.
They're designed to stop dangerous people in their tracks without
hurting them badly, but reports are now saying them might be more
dangerous than first thought.
Sarah has the story.
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Watch a lot of cop shows, and you'd
think being a police officer was a bit like this. On TV the good guys
win and only the bad guys get hurt. But then there's the real world.
Policing is a really important job but it can also be a really hard one.
They see people at their worst and face some horrible situations and
risk their lives.
REPORTER: Imagine walking into a room and not knowing what
you'll find. People could be hurt, and around any door there could be
someone holding a weapon.
Police need a way of bringing dangerous situations under control and
that's why they carry guns. They're trained to use them properly, and
only as a last resort to protect themselves or someone else. Because
when police do have to shoot, it's horrible for everyone; families and
the officers.
REPORTER: Police officers don't want to hurt anyone but they have
to stay safe so they're always looking for new, non-lethal ways of
controlling people.
They already use things capsicum spray and now, tasers. The name
actually comes from a really old kids’ book called Tom Swift, about a
kid who builds an electric rifle. So when a man called Jack Cover
invented his own electric gun in the 70’s he named it after "Tom A.
Swift's Electric Rifle" or "TASER". The taser works by sending a jolt of
electricity between two electrodes. You can also get taser guns, which
fire electrodes attached to wires. They stick into a person's skin and
give them a jolt. The electricity messes up the signals going to the
brain and stops the muscles working for a little while; long enough for
police to get the situation under control. Taser suppliers say it doesn't
last long and it's pretty safe. Police in the US have been using them for
years but in Australia tasers are pretty new.
But not everyone is happy. People have died after being tasered,
although there's debate about whether the taser was to blame. Some
say inflicting pain on someone is wrong. There're also worries tasers
will be used too much. That's why these ones have cameras installed
so we can check that they're being used in the right way. Some say the
answer isn't new weapons but better training for police. These NSW
officers are doing a course designed to show them how to deal with
people who are very upset. They learn better ways to calm them down
so weapons aren't necessary. Tasers are already being used by police
in a few states, and others are trying them out so they can decide
whether or not they want to use them. So it might not be long before
you see more police officers armed with tasers.
Presenter: OK, I think it’s time now for a quiz – although don’t
stress, there’s no electric shock if you get it wrong.
Quiz 1
When did humans start wearing clothes?
1. 5,000 years ago
2. 40,000
3. 150,000
Answer: 40,000 years ago
Presenter: No-one knows exactly, but some scientists reckon it
could be around 40 to 70 thousand years ago. And they worked it out
by studying body lice!
Ok I know that sounds bizarre but there's a link on our website
explaining all - I'm getting itchy just thinking about it.
Body Image
Reporter: Kirsty Bennett
INTRO: Now let's fast forward to today's fashion .
Wherever we look we're surrounded by images of what look like
perfect people.
Billboards, magazines and catwalks all seem to show people that
have bodies that are nothing like the average persons.
Now that's all well and good, but how do these pictures make you
feel about yourself?
Some people reckon it's hurting a lot of us, so they're fighting back.
Kirsty has the story.
KIRSTY BENNETT, REPORTER: On the catwalk anything goes.
From the skimpy to the strange, there are no boundaries when it
comes to fashion. And what you see in magazines isn't always what it
seems. But the Federal Government is looking to change all that.
When you flick through magazines it's pretty hard to escape all the so-
called "beautiful people". Thin or muscly; pretty or handsome - this is
what advertisers and the fashion world want us to think is the
"perfect" body. But not everyone fits this description.
KIRSTY: Women who have these catwalk bodies only make up a tiny
percentage of the population. As for the rest of Australia, we come in
all shapes and sizes.
Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there who compare
themselves to models. It can affect the way we feel about our bodies
which can lead to eating disorders and other health problems.
Our bodies come in all different shapes but there are some tricks the
industry uses to make models look flawless. A lot of the time pictures
are changed by computer software to make them look better. Now
let's see what our graphics extraordinaire - Ruth - can do with this
picture of me. Big red lips... a bit of a change to my eye colour... and
she can even change my nose! Ok, let's bring my nose back. And
finally the finished product! Its changes like these that the
Government wants stamped out because they say they're not real. So
it's gathered some of the best brains to help make us feel better about
the way we look.
They want advertisers, the fashion industry and the media to show
more models of different shapes, sizes and cultures. They want the
industry to stop using digital technology to make unrealistic images.
And if the image is changed, the consumer should know about it. They
want models to look healthy and be older too. People aged over 16
should be used when it comes to modelling clothes for adults. They
also want fashion shops to stock a large range of sizes to fit different
customers.
While there are rules, the fashion industry, advertisers and the media
don't have to follow them. It's a voluntary code, which means no-one
will be forced to do it. But the group that advised the government
hopes the industries will become more responsible. It's all part of
helping us feel a whole lot better about the skin we're in!
Presenter: Good news there. Now, we’ll make that the topic for our
online poll this week.
Poll
The question is: “Should the fashion industry be forced to use the
new body image code?”
If you want to vote go to our website.
Melbourne Cup
Reporter: Catherine Ellis
INTRO: Now to the race that stops the nation, and will hopefully get
you out of a little bit of school!
The Melbourne Cup is a huge deal in this country and has been going
for nearly 150 years.
For the jockeys it's an even bigger deal, it's like their grand final and
many have been training for it since school.
But one of the guys lining up got into the sport in the strangest way.
Catherine met him to find out all about it.
CATHERINE ELLIS, REPORTER: Twenty years ago, when Dom
Tourneur was just 15 he was obsessed with music and dreamt about
becoming a disk jockey.
So when his mum found an ad in the paper for jockey school, he was
super excited! What he didn't realise was she meant jockey school
with horses!
DOM: So I thought I was going to be a DJ, but as it turns out it had
something to do with horses and I had nothing to do with horses.
But after the ten week course he was hooked. He quit school, had to
leave home and was off to train full time to be jockey.
CATHERINE: Love at first sight really!
DOM: Yeah it was a bit you know once I really adjusted to the horse
and you get to know them they're a beautiful animal and you sort of
learn a lot from them and it's been terrific.
Now all these years later, Dom is set to race in the biggest horse race
in the country - the Melbourne Cup!
He's been getting tips from two time winner John Letts and doing lots
of training.
His favourite thing about racing, is the adrenalin rush!
CATHERINE: What sort of speeds are you getting up to?
DOM: Yeah the horses probably get up to sort of like a top speed of
around sixty maybe a fraction more sort of thing. So you are travelling
at a fairly quick pace without a seatbelt!
CATHERINE: That'd be pretty scary, have you ever fallen off?
DOM: I fell off on Sunday at Mount Gambier in a race. The horse that
I fell off rolled over me and then a horse that was behind me ran over
me as well and then that jockey came off as well so it's a fairly risky
business.
The horses are okay, Dom has a bruised ankle but he's all set for the
Melbourne Cup.
CATHERINE: Now Dom is going to be riding a horse called Alcopop
who is joint favourite to win the race let's go and meet Alcopop.
Jake is Alcopop's trainer. He makes sure he gets the right food, is
brushed, washed and does all sorts of fitness work.
CATHERINE: Is it true that horses get special massages?
DOM: Yeah absolutely.
JAKE: Like Dom.
DOM: Jake uses a neck massager on him about twice a day. They
enjoy it and it loosens them up sort of thing.
CAT: And you walk them through the water what does that do? JAKE:
The cool water is obviously good for their joints after work and
galloping and pace work does the back of their legs and so walking
through the water obviously works the front end.
Jake has transformed Alcopop from a farm horse, who used to round
up sheep, into a prized racehorse.
He'll be nervously watching the big race trackside along with Dom's
proud family.
DOM: It's probably a dream come true to be able to ride in it and to
be on a live chance with a chance of winning it you know if you were
to win it would be an absolute life changing experience.
Presenter: 60 k’s an hour on a horse? I think DJ would have been
safer.
Ok, let’s hit up another quiz now, and see how much you know about
racing.
Quiz 2
The Melbourne Cup has a maximum of 24 horses running, but what’s
the record for the most runners in a horse race?
1. 47
2. 138
3. 228
Answer: The answer is 228.
Presenter: And that race was in China 4 years ago. Sounds like
chaos.
School Boarders
Reporter: Sarah Larsen
INTRO: You might not always feel like going to school but deep
down, you've got to know it's pretty important.
Getting an education means you can be whatever you want to be.
But for Indigenous kids in some of Australia's most remote places,
getting an education isn't really easy.
Sarah has a look at some that have overcome that hurdle.
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Meet Christopher. He dreams of
being a lawyer. Philemon wants to be a helicopter pilot. Christine
wants to be a policewoman and Jazzy wants to get into hairdressing.
Annabella runs really fast; she could end up as a sports star and
Nicky, she doesn't know what she wants to do yet but she's got years
to decide.
REPORTER: This is where the kids are working on achieving those
dreams, at big city boarding schools. The boys go here and the girls go
to a different one.
But both schools are a world away from the place the kids came from.
NICKY: We're excited because we are going home today, we are going
to fly to Alice Springs and our family are going to pick us up at the
airport.
CHRISTOPHER: I'm really looking forward to seeing my family.
Home is thousands of kilometres away from Adelaide, 300km from
Alice Springs on an Aboriginal homeland called Ukaka. It's home to
about 60 people. They're the land's traditional owners but life here
isn't easy, they struggle with poverty. The Ukaka School isn't much,
just one little tin shed. There's no high school and kids don't get the
opportunities most Aussie kids take for granted.
IAN CONWAY: Christopher at the age of 13 couldn't tell the time,
Philemon couldn't even spell his name and they'd been going to
school for between five and 10 years.
Ian and his wife Lyn own Kings Creek Station which is right next door
and they have a lot of friends in Ukaka. It was a promise made to one
of those friends that would eventually change a lot of lives.
IAN: Many years ago I was approached by an old Aboriginal elder, the
Kulpitjara man as I call him. And before he passed away he said to me
will you make sure, will you make sure that my son Billy gets
education and he really needs to go away from Central Australia, he
needs to go to Adelaide to get some education. I was very unsuccessful
at that because I had no idea how I could do it so I felt as though I let
this old man down.
But Ian never forgot his promise and one day Lizzie also asked him
for help.
LIZZIE JAKO, UKAKA GRANDMOTHER: I was really worried about
my granddaughter so I talked to Ian so he could help me out.
Ian and Lyn managed to get enough money to send some kids to
boarding schools in Adelaide. The schools wanted to help as well but
it wasn't easy for kids so far from home.
CHRISTOPHER: When I first came here I was very nervous and my
English was not very good.
Now they're starting to fit right in but home will always be important.
LYNNE CONWAY: And I said you must never forget your language,
or where you come from, or your tradition. You listen to all the stories
that the old ladies tell you, you must always keep that because that is
your life, but with an education you can help your people.
Lyn and Ian have set up a foundation and they hope with donations
they'll be able to send more kids to school to give all the people of
Ukaka the future they deserve.
Presenter: Great plan. Back to sport now, here’s Catherine with the
Score.
The Score
Sebastian Vetell has raced to victory in the Abu Dahbi Grand Prix
ahead of Aussie Mark Webber.
Englishman Lewis Hamilton was looking good to win before car
problems forced him out of the race.
It was just the change Vettel needed to scream ahead.
He finished the race in the dark under the floodlights of Abu Dahbi's
new billion dollar track.
******
The Wallabies have had a bad start to their spring tour losing to the
All-Blacks in Tokyo.
The Kiwis scored 32 points to the Aussies' 19.
But the Wallabies will have a chance to make up for it on the other
side of the world.
This weekend they'll play England in Twickenham, kicking off a
grand-slam tour of the UK and Ireland.
*******
And in cricket there hasn't been any more good news for the Aussies
who lost another player to injury on the weekend.
James Hopes has flown back to Australia after injuring his right
hamstring during the first one day international in India.
He's the third player to fly back home, after Brett Lee injured his
elbow and Tim Paine hurt his finger.
Presenter: Thanks Catherine. We’re going to have a bit of sport
with you now - another quiz.
Quiz 3
So the question is – which of these marsupials has no pouch?
1. Numbat
2. Koala
3. Tasmanian Devil
Answer: Numbat
Presenter: Numbats are one of only a few marsupials that don't
have a true pouch. How random.
Rock Wallabies
Reporter: Nathan Bazley
INTRO: One species that does have a pouch is wallabies but some of
them are endangered.
Breeding programs are meant to help them by getting animals in
captivity to have as many babies as possible, so they can be released
into the wild.
But the problem wildlife people can run into is that some animals
need to care for their young for them to survive, which holds up the
whole process!
But an amazing technique is now helping scientists get around that,
by making other animals 'foster parents'. Let's take a look.
NATHAN BAZLEY, RPEORTER: This is a pretty unfair game of tag.
On one side are a whole group of highly trained scientists; the other,
one brush-tailed rock wallaby.
The scientists don't have a chance!
Despite their amazing running and jumping skills, these wallabies are
one of the country's most endangered species.
But they aren't just catching this one for a challenge. They're using it
for their new breeding program called cross-fostering.
Here's how it works. Mother brush tailed wallabies are caught and
their tiny two week old joeys are taken out of their pouch.
They are still very tiny at this point, and are gently removed from
their mother’s nipple, where they feed.
They then put it into the pouch of a more common wallaby to
continue growing.
That way the brush tailed wallaby is free to have another joey, and its
offspring are still being cared for!
The joeys in their foster parents’ pouches grow just like a normal
brush tail and once they get to about 18 months old, they're released
into Victoria's Grampians national park.
This is one area they used to be plentiful, along with a big stretch
along the length of the Great Dividing Range, but ten years ago the
Grampians were down to just one.
TONY, ECOLOGIST: European hunting for instance there was 200-
thousand skins sold to a single skin dealer in London in a ten year
period in the late 1930's, 20th century, so you can imagine that had a
major contribution to bringing the numbers down.
That wasn't the only problem for these guys. Disease and foxes also
took their toll.
But that's a trend this team is looking to change.
Before they're released they're given a final health check-up, and
given a pretty unnattractive bit of bling - a tracking collar.
And then, off they go!
You can see why they're called rock wallabies!
One of those helping release these amazing animals is 13 year old
Reagan, who spent the week out here with the team after his grandad
sponsored the program.
REAGAN: Knowing what I've done here could elevate this species to
come out of being endangered is just incredible and it's really
motivated me to help them even more.
So far the program has been hailed a huge success. These five
wallabies released today will join seven others still surviving and
thriving.
These volunteers will monitor their movements over the next few
weeks and it's hoped they'll get down to breeding as soon as possible.
That's if any of these speedy rock wallabies can even catch each other.
Presenter: Wouldn’t like to try to catch them again!
Closer
That's it for another show. There are some extra interviews and pics
from Catherine's Melbourne Cup story on our website, plus bloopers
from some of our kid actors as well. Catch you later.