Background Briefing

Lyme: a four letter word

Australian GPs reveal why they are risking their reputations by diagnosing patients with Lyme disease—from Borrelia bacteria that are not even supposed to be in Australia. The treatment, high-dose antibiotics, is alarming health authorities and the nation’s chief medical officer has formed an advisory committee to look into this controversial disease. Di Martin investigates.

A conflict of interest?

When the Liberal National Party swept to power in Queensland it proclaimed the most extensive rules in the country to deal with lobbying and conflicts of interest within its own ranks. The LNP wanted to avoid lobbying scandals that had plagued the Bligh Labor government. So why is the Newman Government now caught in its own lobbying controversy? Stan Correy investigates.

In Thatcher's Britain

As the long term legacy of Thatcherism is being re-interpreted following the death of the Iron Lady, Background Briefing returns to 1980s Britain. In this program, first broadcast in 1989, Nick Franklin and the late Tony Barrell investigate the rise and rise of Margaret Thatcher. (Originally broadcast 7 May 1989)

Casualties in the supermarket war

Dangerous diesel

Australia’s diesel-reliant industries are on notice following the World Health Organisation’s emphatic conclusion that diesel exhaust is a cause of lung cancer. But as Stan Correy discovers, the Department of Mines in the boom state of WA has just closed a program that monitored the long term health of miners.

Toxic mine water

The Dee River in Queensland is being killed by toxic water from an old gold mine. Mount Morgan is one of thousands of abandoned and unregulated mine sites, many of which are leaking contaminated ‘legacy water’ into river catchments. Ian Townsend investigates.

Highway 1: The black ribbon of death

The lifeblood of hundreds of east coast towns, Highway 1 is also the nation’s longest cemetery with hundreds killed on the road as promised upgrades are continually delayed. James Woodford drove from far north Queensland to southern NSW, charting life, death and broken promises along the way.

Blood, sweat and tears in the cage

Punch, kick, knee, elbow, choke, stomp, almost anything goes in a cage fight. It’s brutal, it’s legal, it’s popular and it’s a public safety time-bomb without adequate regulation.

Flight of the drones

Unmanned aerial vehicles have spread from war zones to toy shops. Now anyone can use a drone to point a camera into your private spaces and privacy laws can’t stop them. James Woodford investigates. (Originally broadcast on 16 September 2012)

The missing emissions

The claim that coal seam gas is 50% cleaner than coal is coming under renewed scrutiny as more science comes in. The government is now reviewing the situation, but in the meantime investors are getting the jitters over the real carbon exposure. So why hasn’t the Government insisted on better science? Reporter: Wendy Carlisle.

The parrot smugglers

Australia has some of the strongest laws in the world to tackle wildlife crime, yet the trade in native and exotic birds continues virtually unchecked. Two high profile attempts to prosecute the smugglers have failed. Why? Hagar Cohen investigates.

An excessive use of force?

Brazilian student Roberto Laudisio Curti died after being chased, pinned down and tasered multiple times by NSW police officers. The police say the use of force was reasonable but evidence at the inquest into his death said it was ‘unreasonable’, ‘excessive’ and an ‘act of thuggery’. Did the police shoot first and ask questions later? Wendy Carlisle investigates.

For their eyes only

ASIO and law enforcement agencies say technology is undermining their capabilities. They want new powers, including access to two years of our phone and internet data. Is the intrusion justified? Di Martin investigates. Image

Back to Bali

Bali bombing survivor Peter Hughes makes an emotional journey back to the scene of the blasts. On the tenth anniversary he asks, how safe is Bali today and what has happened to the Balinese victims?

The church, the clubs and their pokies

The Catholic church and Catholic clubs are at odds over gambling reforms. The church backs them but the clubs oppose them, insisting they don’t profit from problem gamblers. Wendy Carlisle investigates the ‘Catholic casinos’.

The big binge

More pubs and more bars, open for more hours, more extreme binge drinking, more extreme violence and more hospital admissions! What is being done to stem the alcohol tide? Di Martin investigates.

The super trawler

Tasmania’s fishers are up in arms over the arrival of a Dutch super trawler, the FV Margiris. These boats are blamed around the world for overfishing and Tasmania’s anglers are convinced the super trawler will deplete local populations of fish and in doing so drive away the prized blue-fin tuna. Australia’s fishing regulator says the quota is based on sound science, and they say they’ll be able to effectively police the catch. So who’s right? Reporter: Wendy Carlisle

A fair share of the boom

Mineral rich nations are demanding more from the mining companies digging up their resources, and Australia with its mineral resources tax is at the forefront of this trend, known as resource nationalism. The big mining companies don’t like it -- they’re calling it resource nationalisation and they’re fighting it. Reporter: Stan Correy.

A long line to nowhere

The tuna in the Coral Sea could have saved a fishing fleet from extinction. But those tuna will be off limits in the new marine park and the fishers will have to choose – to take their boats and leave, or leave their boats and take compensation.

Libya's power vacuum

The defeat of Gaddafi brought the destruction of corrupt institutions but the power vacuum left by old cronies is being filled by new militias. Armed groups with NATO support helped remove the former dictator and they now threaten to undermine moves to democracy. Many Libyans fear a new era of corruption. The country’s vast oil wealth—and how it is distributed—will be critical in determining political and economic stability. Reporter: Reese Erlich.

Dischord: music school in turmoil

One of Australia’s top music schools is in upheaval. Worsening debt and a very public fight over the direction of teaching has plunged the ANU School of Music into uncertainty and acrimony. Half the teaching staff will go. For some this is a battle between good and evil. For others it is an inevitable cultural shift, away from traditional classical music. Reporter: Di Martin.

'We're stopped because we're African'

There’s rising tension between African migrant communities and police in Victoria. The police say high rates of violent crime justify their stop and search methods. But young Africans accuse Victoria Police of racial profiling and brutality and there’s a mounting caseload of complaints against police, including a class action in the Federal Court. Reporter: Hagar Cohen.

Residents vs McDonald's

A group of residents in Adelaide have opened a new front against the fast food giant. They’re trying to stop a McDonald’s restaurant opening opposite a school, arguing it will raise childhood obesity rates in the area. This may be the first time an urban planning court in Australia has looked beyond traffic, noise, litter and crime concerns, to consider the food environment. Reporter: Stan Correy.

Lead poisoning: a silent epidemic

There’s growing evidence that lead poisoning shaves IQ points in children and has an insidious effect on behaviour. While experts debate safe exposure, a boom in home renovations could increase the risks. The recently flooded suburbs of Queensland are lead-dust hot spots but residents haven’t been warned. Reporter: Ian Townsend

Cage fighting and the rise of the UFC

It began as a brutal no-holds-barred experiment and is now a multi-billion dollar fight industry. Cage fighting, or Mixed Martial Arts, is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and especially in Australia. The sport’s main promoter says it’s part of our DNA and fighters will do anything to step into the cage. Reporter Hagar Cohen.

Energy efficiency: Not in Australia mate!

In forty years Australia’s energy efficiency record has barely improved. We’re a land of air con, power hungry industry, and fuel guzzling cars. But electricity is no longer cheap, and we have to deal with carbon emissions. Energy savings could deal with both. Yet the message has been swept away by the political storm over a carbon price. Reporter: Di Martin

The dark side of the boom

In the 1970s, Joh Bjelke-Petersen told mining companies to build towns or they wouldn't be able to dig out the black gold. That's why towns like Moranbah were built. Forty years later, Moranbah has morphed into a big miners camp. House prices have gone through the roof, businesses are collapsing and families are leaving. Now even Labor voters are reminiscing about Joh. Reporter, Wendy Carlisle.

Political micro-targeting

Political parties constantly narrow their campaigns to focus on key marginal seats, and they have to do it more cheaply and efficiently. It’s becoming harder to convince wary voters and the parties are looking for more direct approaches. Electronic ‘micro-targeting’ is the new frontier.

Range anxiety and the future of the car industry

How far and how fast can electric cars go? That’s what most buyers want to know as the big car-makers talk up battery power and zero emissions. Meanwhile in the US and Australia public debate about the future of the car industry is caught in the old politics of subsidies and jobs.

Orica: how not to deal with a toxic leak

A chemical spill at the Orica plant near Newcastle in NSW put the company in the spotlight and raised serious questions about its safety procedures and what it told the neighbouring residents. The Orica leak also highlights major health and safety issues around hazardous industries located on the doorstep of residential suburbs like Stockton, and whether there are adequate laws in place.

Interview with Hanne Warsoe

Interview with Hanne Worsoe on the role of the Home Education Unit in Queensland.

Mining Afghanistan

As foreign troops withdraw, will foreign miners move in? They’ve known of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth for a century but it hasn’t been safe or easy enough to extract it. Now Western companies, including Australian miners, are behind the geopolitical eight-ball as China and India lock up mining rights. Reporter, StanCorrey (Originally broadcast on the 18th December 2011)

Guns are back

Gun clubs report lots of new members, hunting is cool, and handguns are gangland chic. The hundreds of thousands of guns destroyed in buybacks since Port Arthur have been more than replaced by new ones. But guns are highly political and the national system for monitoring gun ownership is a mess. Reporter, Ian Townsend.

Don't trust the web

The internet is awash with misinformation, manipulated identities, fake reviews, and dishonest comments. Politicians use astroturfing. So do businesses and marketing firms. Beware—it's infecting everyone. Reporter Hagar Cohen

Occupy: a global moment or a movement?

It started with a bang in Wall Street and spread to over a hundred cities worldwide. But, as the novelty wears off, the tent city occupations are facing their own crunch time with the weather, the police and internal disagreements threatening their survival. Reporter, Hagar Cohen.

Apology for duplicate podcasts

We have just upgraded to a new website, and the move has caused some podcast subscribers to download duplicate mp3s. We apologise for this issue and hope you continue to listen to Radio National podcasts in the future.

2011-11-13 Guns are back

Gun clubs report lots of new members, hunting is cool, and handguns are gangland chic. The hundreds of thousands of guns destroyed in buybacks since Port Arthur have been more than replaced by new ones. But guns are highly political and the national system for monitoring gun ownership is a mess. Reporter, Ian Townsend.

2011-10-30 Casualties in the war on people smuggling

The Australian government wants to smash the people smugglers business model and courts around the country are now dealing with hundreds of the accused. But how many of them are just children from Indonesian fishing villages whose families think theyre lost at sea? Reporter, Hagar Cohen.

2011-10-16 A noble cause

Producing new medicines to extend lives and reduce suffering is a noble cause. The marketing of those drugs is often ignoble, with the wining and dining of doctors and the use of specialists to spruik the company line. A former industry insider gives a unique insight into the selling techniques of big pharma. Reporter, Ray Moynihan.

2011-10-02 Boys and the buff culture

'Zyzz' was a ladies man and a puny boys dream realised. From skinny teenager to rippling Adonis he epitomised a growing obsession with male body culture. His death had an unexpected impact and has re-opened concerns about steroid use. Reporter, Brendan King. Photo source: Facebook

2011-09-18 Don't trust the web

The internet is awash with misinformation, manipulated identities, fake reviews, and dishonest comments. Politicians use astroturfing. So do businesses and marketing firms. Beware—it's infecting everyone. Reporter Hagar Cohen

2011-09-04 Nowhere to live

Rents are rising even in country towns, and more people are forced into caravan parks, the back rooms of old pubs - or the river bank - even with young children. It can happen to anyone. It will get worse. Various attempts to create more places for people to live at cheap rent are not meeting the need. Reporter Anita Barraud.

2011-08-21 Amos Oz on fanaticism

Renowned Israeli writer, poet, activist, and historian Amos Oz talks about the most urgent topic of our time—fanatics on all sides of politics and religion. If the UN agrees to recognise Palestine he hopes Israel will be the first to embrace the decision—and move on from there. The Ervin Graf Memorial Oration at the Shalom Institute. Also Charles Massy talks about the $10 billion collapse of the wool industry in Australia

2011-08-07 Murderous Mexico

In the first five months of this year, an astonishing l8,500 Mexicans have been murdered -- with very few convictions. In the last five years 66 journalists have been murdered. Mexico is a failed state with corruption, no rule of law, and spin and lies all around -- including in America. The speaker is American non-fiction writer Charles Bowden.

2011-07-24 Water bugs

Every year more than 200 people in Queensland get very sick with a nasty, little understood, hard-to-treat type of bacteria. Other states report none. Why? Our water supply is now so complex, things are overlooked. Reporter, Ian Townsend.

2011-07-03 Ghosts of Vietnam

There are 300,000 Vietnamese still missing in action and their souls haunt the living. Real or metaphorical, these ghosts are disrupting society. Some American veterans calm their own souls by helping to find and properly bury these war dead. BBC World Service documentary.

2011-06-19 The knight of Newcastle

Nathan Tinkler is a billionaire and the richest man in Australia under 40. He loves fast horses, fast cars, the Newcastle Knights, and big business deals. Hes held in awe and trepidation - but he won't talk to BB. Nor will most people who know him. So who is he, how did he get so rich, and why will Newcastle rise or fall with him? Reporter Brendan King. Photo: Lucas Dawson

2011-06-05 Preventing cancer

One in three cancers are preventable and successful campaigns such as 'Slip Slop Slap' are proof. Lung and bowel cancer are also coming down, and melanoma in children. St. Vincents Institute in Melbourne held a forum to discuss aspects of cancer prevention, including the fact that every $1 used in prevention saves $50 in treatment. Producer, Kirsten Garrett.

2011-05-22 Language barriers

The compulsory English language test for migrants can make or break their future in Australia. But critics say it is a blunt instrument that can produce odd results. Frustration with the test is mounting and there is evidence of corruption. Reporter, Hagar Cohen.

2011-05-08 How politics neglects feelings

David Brooks, a leading political analyst for the New York Times and PBS NewsHour, has come to some surprising conclusions after years of observing political life. He says politicians place too much value on reason, and not enough on social relationships, emotion and morality. Politicians can only develop successful policies if they learn the skills of intuition, sympathy and restraint. Also in this program, some analysis from Michael Scheuer, formerly chief of the Bin-laden unit on what...

2011-04-24 Medical turf wars

Physicians' assistants have joined pharmacists, nurse practitioners and optometrists to say they can do the straightforward, simple, and repetitive work that would take the load off GPs. Patient safety is central to the debate, as the AMA guards its turf. Reporter Brendan King.

2011-04-03 Dementia: into the daylight

Were diagnosing dementia younger, were living with it longer, and more Australians will have it in future. How are we to deal with this devastating and costly disease? Like cancer 30 years ago, we prefer not to talk about it. But it needs increasing attention as the dementia epidemic breaks over our health and aged care systems. Reporter: Di Martin

2011-03-22 Overloaded internet

Even silicon valley says the world is overconnected, corporations are overwhelmed, and were heading for another global crisis because the internet is now cowboy country, out of control. Internet high priest, historian, and author Bill Davidow says international regulations - or some way of making it all smaller is vital. Producer, Kirsten Garrett. This story was originally broadcast on the 6th March 2011. If you wish to download the audio of this program please go to the original story via...

2011-03-13 The boy on Christmas Island

Orphaned in the wild sea storm, 9 year old Iranian boy Seena Akhlaqi has become the political pawn of `stop the boats. Why was a traumatised boy left in an overcrowded detention centre, with substandard care, for over two months? Was it a bungle or a cover-up? Reporter: Wendy Carlisle Photo: Getty images

2011-02-27 Mismanaging disasters

Nature's forces - floods, cyclones, fires and this week the earthquake in Christchurch - wont stop, yet we still live on flood plains, in the bush, on the beach and in earthquake zones. Rescue services struggle. Communications fail. Insurance companies spread the cost. It comes back to educating the people. Reporter Ian Townsend.

2011-02-15 The Matilda Myth

Its 70 years since the death of Banjo Patterson, and tourists will drive the Banjo Route from Narrambla to Corryong armed with a book of his poems. The Diamantina River, home of the famous billabong, is flowing again after drenching rains...just like in 1894 when the swagman of the story visited the waterhole. The Matilda Myth -- with an interactive website -- takes a look again at the politics and mysteries of these first years of the Labour movement in Australia. Devised and produced by...

2011-02-06 Julian Assange: The man who played with fire

Theres been no proven crime, no one has been brought to trial, but there are death threats, diplomatic panic, and trumped up scandals. Around the globe people are aghast at how their leaders have lied and connived. Wikileaks has all the bizarre stories and cast of a Hollywood spy thriller. Reporter Wendy Carlisle.

2011-01-23 The business of being a boss

Professor of Management Science and Engineering, Robert Sutton of the Stanford School of Business is a prolific author and speaker on boss and employee relationships. Hear what he thinks makes a good boss, and how the psychology of how bad bosses and bad employees can be managed. From the Commonwealth Club of California. This program was originally broadcast on the 17th October 2010.

2011-01-09 The bicycle helmet laws

The law here is that cyclists must wear helmets, but in Europe it is not mandatory, and yet it's much safer to cycle. Some say helmets make cycling more dangerous and others that they actually cause brain injury and the law should be repealed. The debate makes climate change look like a walk in the park. This program was originally broadcast on the 19th September 2010. Since the original broadcast of this story the research conducted by Clinical Associate Professor Chris Rissel which claimed...

2010-12-26 Space rules the world - UPDATED

Transport, banking, food production, social networking, global supply chains, the world economy - would all grind to a halt if the satellite system failed. Its a fragile system, but also the best place from which to see how fragile the earth is. Australia lags behind. Reporter, Ian Townsend. This program was originally broadcast on 4th April 2010. Europa Launch, Woomera 1966On 24 May 1966 the Europa rocket was launched as part of the ELDO project based in Woomera. Here is the original...

2010-12-12 The myth of island living

There are more islands for sale today than at any other time in recorded history. But the dream of an island paradise is often a myth. Rather than idyllic, they are frequently the settings for border conflict, prisons and broken dreams. The reality of island living is much more like hard work. Reporter, Ian Townsend.

2010-11-28 The battle of king salmon

A local fishing community is pitted against the mining giant, Anglo-American, in a battle for natural resources in Alaska. A mine at the headwaters of a king salmon spawning area could threaten the wild salmon run. Nick Rankin reports from Bristol Bay in Alaska as the fishing frenzy begins. A BBC World Service documentary. For copyright reasons downloadable audio of this program is not available.

2010-11-14 Making violence men's business

In Central Australia traditional payback law is corrupted, leading to grog fuelled killings. Suicide has become a payback issue too. For the first time Indigenous men are trying to stop these escalating cycles of violence. Reporter: Chris Bullock Photograph: Jared Menge

2010-10-31 Why is James Murdoch so angry?

The stars have not been in alignment for the Murdoch empire: a phone hacking scandal threatens its influence in British politics, people won't pay for online content, the pirates have the best digital maps, and the British Library wants to give information away for free. Reporter Stan Correy Photo: Andrew Wong, Reuters

2010-10-17 The business of being a boss

Professor of Management Science and Engineering, Robert Sutton of the Stanford School of Business is a prolific author and speaker on boss and employee relationships. Hear what he thinks makes a good boss, and how the psychology of how bad bosses and bad employees can be managed. From the Commonwealth Club of California.

2010-10-03 Trains do it better

All political parties agree that trains do it better, but who will make it happen? Meanwhile, thousands of trucks are about to churn up the roads trying to get a huge wheat harvest to city ports, and two million tourists choke Byron Bay with cars. The rest of the world - even France - is joining its regional areas with high speed trains, and it works. Reporter Ian Townsend.

2010-09-19 The bicycle helmet laws

The law here is that cyclists must wear helmets, but in Europe it is not mandatory, and yet it's much safer to cycle. Some say helmets make cycling more dangerous and others that they actually cause brain injury and the law should be repealed. The debate makes climate change look like a walk in the park. Reporter Wendy Carlisle. Photo: Mikael Colville-Andersen

2010-09-05 Church and state in Latin America

New technologies, travel and TV have profound implications for the Catholic church in Latin America. Gay rights, human rights, and women's rights - even abortion - are confronting centuries of Catholic thinking and the clergy is slowly being pushed out of politics. Reporter Stephen Crittenden Photo: Tierra del Fuego. A gay Argentine couple celebrate their marriage.

2010-08-24 The great native pet debate

Marsupial-loving reporter Ian Walker grew up wanting a pet like Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. Could encouraging more native mammals as pets be a canny new 'anti-extinction strategy'...or a future disaster to be cleaned up by the RSPCA? What happens when we apply market forces to the concept of extinction? The results may surprise you. This program was originally broadcast on the 11th April 2010.

2010-08-08 Freefall: free markets and the sinking of the...

Economist and Nobel Laureate, Joseph Stiglitz, talks about the policy mistakes that led to the GFC and the lessons to be drawn from it. The key question is: what will fill the gap in total demand left by the bursting of the bubble? A Centenary Oration from the University of Queensland. Photo by Jeremy Patton. Listen Now to questions for Joseph Stiglitz. Download questions for Joseph Stiglitz. [Duration: 25'37" 12MB]

2010-07-25 A wide open land

As the worlds available farming land shrinks in the face of population growth, climate change and soil degradation, Australias vast tracts of land are going to be increasingly important for global food security. Overseas players are already buying up Australian agricultural resources and interest is growing. There are economic benefits but is the sell-off in Australias long term interests? Reporter, Stephen Crittenden.

2010-07-11 Energy demand and climate change in the...

These are the colliding trends that confront India, China and much of the developing world. How do you meet the expectations of hundreds of millions of people currently without electricity, as well as reducing carbon emissions?

2010-06-27 Social media and sentiment mining

Businesses and advertisers can already access enormous amounts of personal data on social media sites, from where you live to what you like. The next step is sentiment analysis, where online conversations are mined for words and thoughts, for a commercial advantage. Is this ethical, and could computers really sift sarcasm from enthusiasm? Reporter, Shevonne Hunt.

2010-06-13 Prevention or cure?

Primary school kitchen gardens, behavioural economics and frugal innovation, theyre all important elements in a complex strategy to improve heart health and reduce the obesity epidemic. (From a public forum at the St Vincents Institute in Melbourne.) Download Mp3 St Vincents Institute Forum 2010: Prevention or cure? Questions from the audience. [26min, 12MB]

2010-05-30 Timber politics

Bunnings, Greenpeace, Ikea and the US Congress are part of an unlikely coalition pushing for a ban on illegally logged timber. An Australian DNA test may solve the problem of enforcement but the Rudd government is yet to impose a ban it promised three years ago. Reporter, Stephen Crittenden. Documents PDF document: Letter to Prime Minister Rudd from six members of the US Congress. PDF document: Letter to Prime Minister Rudd from US Senators. PDF document: Joint letter to Minister Burke on...

2010-05-16 The privacy paradox

Generational change and the power of social media has dramatically altered notions of privacy and as personal data files expand, our lives are going public by default. Will our data footprints strip us bare, or set us free? Reporter, Ian Townsend

2010-05-02 Whitlam as internationalist

Former High Court justice Michael Kirby talks about former prime minister Gough Whitlams foreign policy initiatives. The greatest legacy, Kirby says, has been the impact of Whitlam's emphasis on international law. Photograph by Sally Tsoutas, University of Western Sydney

2010-04-18 Food fears

Theres a public inquiry into food labelling, and it opens a Pandoras box of very complex issues. Prawns from China can be labelled 'Made in Australia'! Consumers want more and better labelling, but the food industry wants even fewer rules. And global free trade laws mean truth in content could get worse. Reporter Stephen Crittenden.

2010-04-04 Space rules the world

Transport, banking, food production, social networking, global supply chains, the world economy - would all grind to a halt if the satellite system failed. It�s a fragile system, but also the best place from which to see how fragile the earth is. Australia lags behind. Reporter, Ian Townsend. Europa Launch, Woomera 1966On 24 May 1966 the Europa rocket was launched as part of the ELDO project based in Woomera. Here is the original footage of the lift-off. [Dur: 3'42" 23.5MB]

2010-03-21 Maybe Obama can't

Perhaps it�s all too hard: Guantanamo, Republican hatred, Afghanistan, the global financial crisis and unemployment. The health bill may just pass and, if so, would make history. Barack Obama is working in a house of cards, many stacked against him. But he can hold it together, says Professor Mark Danner at the Sydney Ideas Forum. Photo by Dominique Nabakov. You can watch this talk on Big Ideas on ABC 1 at 11am on 30 March 2010.

2010-03-07 What is wrong with the Catholic Church?

Not only in Australia, but around the world, the Catholic Church is rocked by news of sex abuse scandals. The vow of celibacy is often blamed, but it is more than that. The Church encourages a kind of adolescence in its priests, a co-dependency, and a terrible and immature loneliness. Reporter, Stephen Crittenden.

2010-02-21 Dengue epidemic

Mozzies are waiting as each day travellers arrive carrying the dengue virus. They want a sip of blood, and will spread it all about within days. Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, has also arrived, and it bites so viciously, it's called 'the barbecue stopper'. Our changed garden culture suits them perfectly. Reporter Ian Townsend.

2010-02-07 The last 10 years

The decade since the millenium year has seen fast changes, terrible suffering and a communication revolution. China emerges as a superpower, Iraq and Afghanistan are open sores, Google pushes information frontiers and global warming bedevils political leaders. Reporter, from the BBC, Edward Stourton. (pictured)

2010-01-24 Australian Muslim youth

Searching for their own identity in a changing world, young Muslims in Australia face a plethora of backyard imams and internet sheikhs. Many are turning to simplistic and conservative interpretations. The emphasis can be on small rituals rather than the complex and subtle spirituality of Islam. It�s a phenomenon known in many religions. Reporter: Hagar Cohen.

2010-01-10 Housing for millions

Planning for happy cities, when you're also jamming in millions more people, is politically tricky. Urban planners say they can make better communities with more people, but the NIMBYs don't believe it. Like it or not, high density apartment living is around the corner. Reporter Ian Townsend.

2009-12-27 Controlling corruption

Out of the Fitzgerald Inquiry, the National Integrity System was born, and is now used by governments and authorities in most countries around the world. The latest is Kurdistan. Corruption, like death and taxes, is inevitable. Ian Townsend explores ways in which it can be managed and minimised. Cartoon by Nicholson from The Australian newspaper: www.nicholsoncartoons.com.au.

2009-12-13 Gillard's university reforms

Behind closed doors all the vice-chancellors are arguing about which bits of the Bradley Report they like and will agree to take on. Can we fit in 30% more students, with many of them from disadvantaged backgrounds? What will be the mix of regulation and deregulation of universities? Reporter Stephen Crittenden.

2009-11-29 Puppy farming

Hundreds of thousands of puppies are born every year, and many eventually end up in pounds, where most have to be put down. The vicious cycle involves unregulated breeders, pet stores, dog rescuers -- and the buyers who take in a puppy without thinking it through, then dump it. Reporter: Hagar Cohen. Kelly Kesper Kennels, January 2009This video was filmed at the Kelly Kesper Kennels in Victoria in January 2009 by Animal Liberation Victoria. [Duration: 3'44" 23.3MB]

2009-11-15 Rare earths and China

China currently produces about 95% of the world's rare earths, which are metals which are essential to modern living and used all around us every day. In business it�s a volatile mix, with complex political alchemy for every government, including Australia. Reporter Stan Correy.