Rear Vision
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Drones: warfare in the 21st century
Drone strikes and targeted killings have become the weapons of choice of the Obama administration in their ongoing war against terrorism. But what impact is this technology having -- not only on those who are the targets but on the soldiers who control the drones, on the people who make the decisions about who to target, and on the way we are likely to wage war in the future?
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Pakistan elections
For the first time in Pakistan’s history an elected civilian government has run its full term and, if all goes well on 11 May, power will be handed to another elected government.
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Malaysian elections
Since 1957, Malaysia has essentially been governed by a single political coalition, now known as Barisan Nasional or National Front. At the elections on 5 May there is a chance that this long winning streak might end. Rear Vision looks at the background to this extraordinary record and what it has meant for the country.
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High speed rail for Australia?
High speed rail spread around the globe from the 1960s when the first bullet trains took off in Japan. Rear Vision looks at why previous attempts to introduce high speed rail in Australia have failed.
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Superannuation in Australia
Rear Vision dives into the murky waters of superannuation to see just how Australia came up with its unusual system of retirement funding.
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North Korea: The history of its relationship with the...
North Korea: The history of its relationship with the United States and with nuclear weapons
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Mass public shootings
The murder of twenty children and six staff members at a primary school in Connecticut last December capped off—in a most horrific way—a record year for mass public shootings in the United States. Although much of the debate over what to do about such crimes has focused on tighter gun laws, research shows that there may be no simple solution. Rear Vision looks at what is known about mass public shootings and their perpetrators.
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Global Christianity
For centuries the centre of the Christian world was Europe but no longer. For the past 50 years the number of Christians in Europe has been declining and today the vast majority of Christians live in the southern hemisphere – Latin America, Asia and Africa.
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Gun control in America
After twenty children and six staff members were shot dead at a primary school in Connecticut, President Obama vowed to use whatever power his office held to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Rear Vision looks at the history and effectiveness of gun laws in the US.
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Iraq the verdict: Iraq 10 years on
Ten years ago this month the US-led military invasion of Iraq - dubbed Operation Iraqi Freedom – deposed the Ba'athist government of Saddam Hussein.
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After Sri Lanka’s civil war
Many people greeted the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka between government forces and Tamil separatist rebels in 2009 with jubilation but although the fighting stopped, the restoration of the rule of law and the proper investigation of rights abuses and alleged war crimes by both sides has not occurred.
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The reluctant European: Britain and the European Union
For over four decades Britain has been a reluctant member of the European Union. Now the Prime Minister David Cameron is promising to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU and then allow a referendum so the British people can decide whether Britain should stay in the EU.
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The Italian election
Silvio Berlusconi, forced out of office by Italy’s financial crisis in 2011, is about to make a political comeback, despite a tax fraud conviction and the impending 'bunga bunga' court case, where he is accused of paying for sex with an underage nightclub dancer. No pasta or pizza but plenty of politics on Rear Vision as Italians go to the polls.
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Egypt: Where has the revolution gone?
In the two years since the uprisings that ousted Mubarak, Egyptians have held their first ever free and fair parliamentary elections, elected a new president and voted on a new constitution. Despite this Egypt is still in chaos with violent street protests and a stalled economy. What’s happened to the revolution in Egypt?
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The London Underground
In January, the London Underground launched a yearlong celebration of its 150th anniversary with a recreation of the first Tube journey, complete with steam locomotive. Rear Vision charts the history of the world’s first underground rail system.
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Mali: A nation in turmoil
A year ago, democracy was overturned in Mali when the elected president was removed in a military coup. In April, two-thirds of the country was taken over by radical Islamic extremists. Now the French military has intervened in the conflict. Rear Vision looks at the background to these events.
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A tale of two cities; East and West Berlin
On 3 October, Germany will celebrate 22 years of reunification. Rear Vision puts the spotlight on Berlin, a city that was for almost 30 years divided by a wall and these days is still coming to terms with what that meant and how it should be remembered. This program was first broadcast on 23 September 2012.
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Germany and renewable energy
We are told that Germany now leads the world in terms of green technology and the generation of renewable electricity. So how has this come about, what are the benefits and what has been the cost?
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The AIDS Generation
US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has promised an AIDS-free generation. HIV-AIDS might no longer be the death sentence it used to be, but many millions of people are still living with the virus. Rear Vision looks back on the origins of HIV-AIDS and the struggle to contain it. This program was first broadcast on 12 August 2012.
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Marriage, Australian style
Debate over same-sex marriage is nothing new. Just who can marry and the circumstances under which they can later divorce has been contested territory for as long as the institution of matrimony has been with us. This week, Rear Vision explores the story of marriage in Australia. This program was first broadcast on 1 July 2012.
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Like ships in the night: the relationship between Iran...
As the world watches the escalating tension between Iran and American over Iran’s nuclear program, Rear Vision asks why it is that these two nations distrust each other so much: the story of a very difficult relationship.
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Cruising
It is almost a year since the cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground off Italy's west coast. Despite the bad publicity and the loss of 32 lives, cruising has never been more popular in Australia.
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Palestinian Politics
Fatah and Hamas offer two very different strategies in their push for statehood; Fatah has adopted negotiation and the two state solution, while Hamas favours armed resistance and claims all the land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River – including land that is today Israel. After 20 years it’s clear that both strategies have failed - So where to now for Palestinian politics?
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Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Despite its vast economic potential, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been bedevilled by civil war and corruption. Rear Vision unravels the complex story leading to the recent violence in Goma, the city long at the centre of conflict and humanitarian crises.
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Bahrain and the forgotten protests
Since February 2011 Bahrain has been gripped by political protests and while they haven't attracted the same attention as protests in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, they do have the potential to reshape the Gulf region . The story behind the political unrest in Bahrain.
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Australia's welfare state
Welfare benefits have been in the news a lot lately – in Europe as governments struggle with debt, in the US with Mitt Romney’s comments about the ‘47 percent dependent on government entitlements’ and here in Australia as the federal government cuts back the baby bonus. This week on Rear Vision the story of welfare in Australia.
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The Maldives: from dictatorship to democracy and back...
In 2008, after 30 years of autocratic rule Mohamed Nasheed became the first democratically elected President of the Maldives. Nasheed was young, charismatic and a leading campaigner against climate change. In February this year he resigned, claiming he did so under threat of imminent violence. What's going on in the Maldives; are we seeing a return to dictatorship or democracy in action?
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Violence in Burma
Burma’s history is tainted by political violence, tensions between and within ethnic groups, ethnic and religious discrimination and persecution. Rear Vision looks at the background to the current unrest in Burma's western Rakhine state.
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The Vatican City: the smallest nation on earth
The Vatican City is a landlocked nation state consisting of 110 acres and a population of just over 800, yet it has its own police force, army, legal system and economy. It’s also one of the last nations in Europe where political power resides in the hands of one man. How and when did it come into existence and how does it survive?
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India's economic accelerator
Last month the Indian government announced that it would open up the country’s massive retail sector to foreign supermarkets, the first of a series of economic reforms. Just how significant are these and will they manage to shake the world’s biggest democracy out of the economic doldrums?
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Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church
The recent Pussy Riot Affair has brought the issue of the relationship between President Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church to international attention. How close is the Russian Orthodox Church to political power in Russia and what impact does that have on Russian democracy?
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Tasmania; divided state
The announcement last month by Tasmania’s biggest timber company, Gunns, that it was going into voluntary administration is the latest episode in an apparent fight to the death between conservationists and the timber industry in Tasmania. Rear Vision looks at the background to the battle over Tasmania’s trees.
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Hugo Chavez, the unlikely president
It's hard to find a more polarising figure than the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez.On October 7, he goes to the polls looking for a third term as President. Rear Vision traces his surprising rise to the top and his turbulent decade in power.
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Australia's eugenic heritage
The idea of eugenics was popular with intellectuals across the globe during early 20th centuries. What was Australia's connection with the eugenics movement and do eugenic ideas still influence our current debates around genetic research, human reproduction and immigration?
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A tale of two cities; East and West Berlin
On the 3 October, Germany will celebrate 22 years of reunification. Rear Vision puts the spotlight on Berlin, a city that was for almost 30 years divided by a wall and these days is still coming to terms with what that meant and how it should be remembered.
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Mission impossible: why Kofi Annan’s peace plan for...
In the years to come, when the history of Syria's civil war is written, one of the key questions will be how and why did Kofi Annan’s peace plan fail. On Rear Vision this week we try to answer this question.
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German money; Germany and the euro
Since the financial crisis in the euro zone began in 2010, we’ve heard a lot about the plight of people in Ireland, Greece and Spain as their governments try to deal with crippling levels of debt. What has been happening in Germany, the largest and most successful economy in the euro zone?
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Finland: the real education revolution
Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard have both talked about an education revolution. In Finland they have already had one and created the best education system in the world.
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Private military and security companies
The scandal over a shortfall in security in the lead up to the recent London Olympic Games illustrated the degree to which governments have come to rely on private security companies, even for events as important as the Olympics. How and why has this happened?
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Mali: A nation in turmoil
For 20 years the nation of Mali was Africa’s democratic poster boy. Then within a couple of months the elected president was removed in a military coup and two-thirds of the country was taken over by radical Islamic extremists. So what is happening in Mali?
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The AIDS Generation
Rear Vision looks back on the struggle to contain one of the world’s deadliest pandemics.
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The story of the Hazara people
For over 10 years Afghan refugees have been arriving on our shores and a large number of them have been Hazara. So who are the Hazara and why are they fleeing Afghanistan?
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Guest Workers
Gina Rinehart and others in the mining industry want to plug the skills shortage with guest workers. Modern Australia’s been built with migrant workers, but it’s not often that we’ve sent them back when they’ve done the job.
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Ireland's Austerity
Ireland is being held up as the poster child for austerity measures, they've cut public services wages, raised taxes and cut government spending. Yet Ireland's economy is still in decline. So is austerity working in Ireland?
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London's past Olympics
When London won the right to host the 2012 Olympics, it made history in more ways than one, becoming the only city to hold the games three times since the first International Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896. Rear Vision looks at those two earlier London Olympics, held in 1908 and 1948.
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A question of gender: the sex testing of female athletes
At the world athletics competition in Berlin 2009 Caster Semenya won gold in the 800 metres, but her victory was thrown into question when doubts were raised about her gender. Semenya is not the first person to have her gender questioned, for over 50 years all elite female athletes have had to prove that they are really women - its a story about sport, gender and the Cold war.
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Marriage, Australian style
Debate over same-sex marriage is nothing new. Just who can marry and the circumstances under which they can later divorce has been contested territory for as long as the institution of matrimony has been with us. This week, Rear Vision explores the story of marriage in Australia.
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Nepal: A political vacuum
For over a decade the mountainous kingdom of Nepal was engulfed in a civil war. In 2006 a peace agreement not only ended the war but also abolished the monarchy and established a constitutional assembly to write a new democratic constitution. Four years on there is still no constitution and no government in Nepal – so what’s gone wrong?
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Disputes in the South China Sea
The South China Sea contains over 250 small islands, atolls, shoals, reefs and sandbars. Despite the fact that many are underwater at high tide and some are permanently submerged, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and Vietnam have identified territorial claims while China essentially claims the lot.
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Syriza
The Coalition of the Radical Left, known as Syriza, is competing with Greece's conservative party to become the biggest party in parliament in the June 17 elections. Its leader, Alexis Tsipras, promises that despite its dire financial situation, Greece can halt austerity programs, restore social spending and remain part of the eurozone. This week the story of Syriza and its charismatic leader.
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The British Empire and what became of it
At its height, it was the largest empire in history, incorporating over one-fifth of the world's population and covering almost a quarter of the Earth's total land area. As Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Diamond Jubilee, Rear Vision explores the story of the British Empire's rise and fall and the creation of the Commonwealth of Nations.
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Like a phoenix from the ashes: religion in China
For most of the twentieth century the government in China - both nationalist and communist - tried to wipe out religion and religious practice from mainland China and failed. This week, the story of how and why religion survives in China and what role in may play in the future.
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Labor, mining and scandals
There are many parallels between the Labor government of Gough Whitlam of the 1970s and the Rudd/Gillard's of today. Both confronted a major global economic crisis, both tried for a greater share in the wealth from Australia’s natural resources and both were ultimately engulfed by scandal.
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The Arab Spring and the shifting sands of Middle East...
The wave of demonstrations and protests that has engulfed the Arab world since December 2010 has reshaped politics in the region in surprising ways. Rear Vision explores the political dynamics in the wake of the Arab Spring.
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Party over for Labor?
Labor’s recent drubbing in NSW and Queensland and its likely loss at the next federal election cast a cloud over the party’s future. Rear Vision plots the story of the ALP to see why it - along with some other well-known labour parties - is struggling.
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Germany and renewable energy
We are told that Germany now leads the world in terms of green technology and the generation of renewable electricity. So how has this come about, what are the benefits and what has been the cost?
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Transforming the city through the Olympic Games
The connection between sport and urban regeneration is not obvious but somehow the Olympic Games have become tied up with major urban renewal projects. How did this happen and what does it mean for London's Olympic Games?
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Anders Behring Breivik; mad or bad?
When Anders Breivik, the right wing extremist who admitted killing 77 people last year, was found to be psychotic, Norwegians reacted with surprise and disbelief. A second evaluation has found him to be sane. On Rear Vision this week, insanity, the law and the Breivik case.
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Afghanistan: a history of invasion
Over the past 2 centuries, Afghanistan has been invaded five times and each time the Afghans have forced the invading troops to retreat. With the Taliban now regaining its hold over southern Afghanistan, does the same fate await the US and its allies?
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African Rebel Leaders
The Youtube film Kony2012 highlighted the issue of child abduction and militia violence in Africa. We take a look at the story of Kony and other rebel leaders - who are they and what are they fighting for?
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Illegal drugs
President Richard Nixon declared a 'war on drugs' in 1971.Today the illegal drug trade is a global industry worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Rear Vision looks at the effects of prohibition and attempts to overcome its inherent counter productivity.
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A Special Relationship: the United States and Israel
There is a special relationship between Israel and the United States, it has existed for decades and has arguably defined the US’s policies in the Middle East for decades. So how and why has this special relationship developed and just what impact does it have on Middle East politics today?
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Making it: manufacturing and globalisation
Over the last 30 years, manufacturing has moved from the rich industrialised countries to the poor nations of Asia. How did this happen and does it matter?
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Economic sanctions: sledgehammer or feather?
Economic sanctions are intended to make the leaders in places like Burma, Syria and Iran change their behaviour. But just how effective are sanctions and what impact do they have on a nation’s population?
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Independence for Scotland
The British government thought the Scots would be satisfied with their own parliament but now they want to bring down the United Kingdom.
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Like ships in the night: the relationship between Iran...
As the world watches the escalating tension between Iran and American over Iran’s nuclear program, Rear Vision asks why it is that these two nations distrust each other so much: the story of a very difficult relationship.
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Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea has become a country with two prime ministers, two cabinets and two police chiefs. How and why did this happen?
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Nigeria: the story of lost potential
Why is it that in one of the richest nations on the African continent almost 70 per cent of the population lives in poverty? Find out how democracy has failed modern Nigeria.
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Anyone but Mitt
Mitt Romney is handsome, rich and, having run a credible campaign in 2008, the heir apparent. Why is he struggling to nail down the Republican presidential nomination?
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The French National Front
The National Front, the far-right party formed by Jean-Marie Le Pen in 1972, has transformed modern French politics, despite limited electoral success. Now under a new leader, Le Pen's daughter Marine, can it become more mainstream?
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Gambling on Sport
According to Olympics chief Jacques Rogge, illegal betting on sport generates a global turnover of around $140 billion a year and threatens the credibility of sport. Perfectly legal gambling can also lead to corruption and distort results. Rear Vision looks at the history of the relationship between gambling and sport. (This program was first broadcast on 17 March 2011)
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The Arab world
As political unrest spreads across the Middle East and North Africa we take a look at the history of the Arab world, through the 20th century.
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The history of nuclear power
The magnitude 8.9 earthquake that hit Japan caused a massive tsunami that killed thousands and flooded the Fukushima nuclear power plant. As Japan comes to terms with its worst nuclear disaster, we take a look at the history of nuclear power.
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The True Finns: populist politics in Finland
In April this year Finland went to the polls -- and the right wing populist party, the True Finns, gained almost 20 per cent of the vote. This upset almost 30 years of consensus politics, and shows an upsurge in anti-European Union, anti-immigration, socially conservative values.
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Qatar: a new power in the Gulf
Qatar, a tiny thumb-shaped nation on the edge of the Persian Gulf, has emerged as the most dynamic Arab country in the tumult now reshaping the region. Why has Qatar become such an important player?
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Euro woe
The creation of a common currency was supposed to unify Europe; instead it threatens to blow it apart. Why hasn’t a solution been found for the troubled currency?
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Vladimir Putin and the great switcheroo
After serving two consecutive terms as Russian President, Vladimir Putin was not eligible to stand for a third. And so, after a period as Prime Minister, he has announced that he will stand as President once more, effectively "trading places" with the current President, Medvedev.
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2011-11-23 Democracy in Iraq?
The US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 aimed to topple Saddam Hussein and replace him with a democratic system that would serve as an inspiration to other oppressed nations in the region. As the last US troops prepare to leave, Rear Vision looks at the attempt to create democracy in Iraq.
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2011-11-16 A true friend? The US/Australia alliance
The United States is our key global ally and the ANZUS treaty the cornerstone of Australia's military defence. As the US president arrives in Australia to celebrate the 60th anniversary of ANZUS we trace the history of Australia's alliance with the United States. First broadcast 9 June 2010
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2011-11-09 Egypt post the revolution
Egypt post the January uprising - how much have thing changed and just what is likely to happen in the upcoming parliamentary election?
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2011-11-02 Reform in Burma?
Elections in Burma twelve months ago were widely seen as a sham but a series of unexpected government decisions since then offers some modest hope for a country suffering the effects of fifty years of repressive military rule.
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2011-10-26 Stirring the Pot: the Tea Party Movement in...
The Tea Party Movement and its contradictions: the story of a street protest movement with elite origins, a maverick movement with loss on its mind, an outsider group with insider claims, a non-political organisation with clear party connections. Did the Tea Party Movement come into being in February 2009? Or perhaps in response to the civil rights movements of the 1960s, or in the 1840s, or maybe during the French Revolution . . . And what of its claims to a connection to the Revolutionary...
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2011-10-19 Plain packaging of cigarettes
From 1st July next year, all tobacco products sold in Australia must come in plain packaging. Rear Vision tracks the story of government attempts to reduce smoking through legislation since the first health warnings appeared on cigarette packs in the 1970s.
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2011-10-12 Japans 20 years of economic stagnation
Why it is that Japan's economy, one of the most successful of the 20th century, has became a stagnant swamp?
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2011-10-05 Turkey and its neighbours
A successful Muslim democracy, Turkey has become a significant economic and political force over the last decade but recent events in the Middle East have forced it to reassess its relationships in the region.
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2011-09-28 Tighten your belts: a history of austerity
Austerity measures are increasingly presented as the final solution for countries in economic crisis - but where does this idea come from, and how has it changed?
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2011-09-21 Justice in Rwanda
Almost one million people may have been killed in the genocide in Rwanda in 1994. Finding justice afterwards took an unusual and controversial form: tribunals called Gacaca courts.
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2011-09-14 Did defaulting rescue Argentina and could it...
In 2001 Argentina announced it was going to restructure its international debt, thereby triggering the biggest default in history. Twelve months later Argentina was registering record economic growth. What lessons can countries like Greece, Spain and Ireland learn from the Argentine experience?
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2011-09-07 Tall, taller, tallest: the history of...
After the collapse of the World Trade Center ten years ago, it seemed that the era of skyscrapers had come to an end -- not only were they unlikely to turn a profit, they were dangerous as well. But skyscrapers have been symbols of hope and ingenuity for 100 years, and they are still being built -- taller than ever. The fascinating past, present and future of skyscrapers.
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2011-08-31 Somalia: How did it get to be like this?
If famine is a political and not a natural phenomenon: how did Somalia get to the state it's in now? From the Berlin Conference in 1885 through the proxy wars of the Cold War era, a story of optimism and chaos.
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2011-08-24 Crowded Skies: national airlines under...
Qantas has announced drastic changes to its international service, with the loss of many Australian jobs. Its not alone, the national flagship airlines have all been through traumatic times since the 80s. From total protection as an arm of government foreign policy, to the open skies of deregulation its been a bumpy ride for heritage airlines, with bankruptcies and bailouts along the way.
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2011-08-17 Here we go again... A look at the US economy...
Why has the US economy not recovered as quickly as predicted, and is the US about to slide into a second recession?
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2011-08-10 Disability support in Australia
The Productivity Commission has proposed a radical transformation of disability services, more than doubling the funding, setting up a national disability insurance scheme and transferring control of spending to people with disabilities, their families and carers. : Productivity Commission inquiry : Draft report
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2011-08-03 Who Counts? A history of the census
Next week Australia holds its census, and so Rear Vision traces the recent history of this ancient institution, to make sense of who counts, and who does the counting. While there have been systems of "enumeration" in place since the Romans, Egyptians and Chinese wanted to keep track of populations and landowners, fighting forces and minorities - the Australian system owes its origins to both English naval "musters" and colonial forms of control, and international statistical developments....
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2011-07-27 The United States and democracy
The United States portrays itself as the defender of democracy and freedom around the world yet it has sometimes supported corrupt, authoritarian leaders and even helped overthrow democratically elected governments. How well has the US lived up to the rhetoric?
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2011-07-20 Who are the asylum seekers?
Rear Vision takes a broader look at the history of asylum seekers and puts the current Australian situation into a global context.
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2011-06-29 Australia's beef industry
As the federal government struggles to find a way for the live cattle trade with Indonesia to resume, Rear Vision looks at the history and practices of Australia's largest agricultural enterprise. Ethical consumption of meat?: RN Breakfast and New Zealand's live animal trade: Saturday Extra
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2011-06-22 Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb general, has finally been brought before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to answer charges relating to conflict in the Balkans in the 1990s. Established in 1993 by the UN Security Council, the Tribunal is charged with bringing to justice all those who committed war crimes, but just how well has it fulfilled that task?
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2011-06-01 Carbon Tax: a way forward or economic ruin?
As the federal government's proposal to implement a carbon tax to control Australia's carbon pollution drowns in a sea of political rhetoric, Rear Vision looks at the history of carbon taxing and how it has worked in Europe, where it has been in operation for the past 20 years. This program was first broadcast on 18th August 2010.
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2011-05-25 Electricity
The retail price of electricity has increased dramatically over 5 years and according to the experts this is only going to continue. The question is why? We take a look at the history of the Australian electricity industry.
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2011-05-18 Life after the GFC
The Global Financial Crisis had its roots in the collapse of the US housing bubble, which caused the values of securities tied to US real estate to plummet, in turn threatening the existence of many of the worlds biggest financial institutions. Rear Vision looks at how the aftershocks of the crisis are playing out around the world.
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2011-05-11 Microfinance and Politics: the removal of...
In a move that surprised many people outside Bangladesh, Muhummad Yunus, founder of the influential microfinance institution the Grameen Bank, has been removed from his position as head of the bank. Yunus won a Nobel prize in 2006 for his role in developing the concept of microfinance and microcredit, helping people—especially women—lift themselves out of poverty with the help of very small loans. Just five years later, he's out. So on Rear Vision, we ask: what is this all about?
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2011-05-04 Syria
Popular unrest in Syria has been met with violent government repression and hundreds have been killed. The Alawite elite have ruled a predominantly Sunni Muslim country for more than 40 years.
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2011-04-27 Somali pirates
Piracy has always existed but through most of the 20th century it posed no real threat to maritime trade. That all changed with the growth of piracy off the coast of Somalia.
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2011-04-20 Telecommunications in Australia
Everything to do with communications in Australia has always been highly political; the National Broadband Network provides the latest evidence. Rear Vision looks at the story of communication in Australia and compares the evolution of the internet here with the rest of the world.
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2011-03-30 The history of nuclear power
The magnitude 8.9 earthquake that hit Japan caused a massive tsunami that killed thousands and flooded the Fukushima nuclear power plant. As Japan comes to terms with its worst nuclear disaster, we take a look at the history of nuclear power.
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2011-03-23 Political cycles
At this month's international track cycling championships in Holland, Australia will be using its secret weapon: a home-grown bicycle so fast it has set world records tumbling. The problem is, for the past 10 years Australia's high-tech bike has also been used by its competitors. Scroll down page for links to more photos and articles.
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2011-03-02 Closing Guantanamo
Why has President Obama been unable to fulfill his key election promise to close the controversial Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp? Hear the program and explore this week's special online feature How to get out of Guantanamo.
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2011-02-23 The Arab world
As political spreads across the Arab world we take a look at the history of the Arab world, through the 20th century.
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2011-02-16 The French National Front
The National Front, the far-right party formed by Jean-Marie Le Pen in 1972, has transformed modern French politics, despite limited electoral success. Now under a new leader, Le Pen's daughter, Marine, can it become more mainstream?
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2011-02-09 Deluges that have gone before: floods in...
As flash floods, tidal surges, cyclones, burst riverbanks and downpours have impacted on much of Eastern Australia, we've heard many references to the floods that have gone before. These floods stand as markers and reference points, in both practical and symbolic ways. But what do we really know of these past floods? And what happens as we move beyond lived memory? Using the Brisbane floods of 1974 and 1893 as reference points, Rear Vision traces some of the stories of flood, and asks what...
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2011-02-02 Tunisia
Street protests in Tunisia forced the swift departure of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, ending almost 25 years of political repression in this north African Arab nation. Rear Vision looks at the background to these unexpected events.
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2011-01-26 Sudan
Rear Vision this week tells the story behind the recent referendum in Sudan and explores why the people of southern Sudan are so determine to separate from the north.
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2011-01-19 Illegal immigration in the United States
About 12 million people live in the United States as illegal immigrants. With unemployment over 10 per cent, the reform of US immigration law is a divisive issue and a challenge for the Obama administration.This program was first broadcast on 14th April 2010
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2011-01-12 Carbon Tax: a way forward or economic ruin?
This year the Australian government is going to consider putting a price on carbon and one option is a carbon tax. Those who support a carbon tax argue that it would be simpler, cheaper and more efficient than a cap and trade scheme.
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2011-01-05 Illegal immigration in Europe
Rear Vision looks at the history of illegal or irregular immigration in Europe since the end of World War II, when some countries began to actively recruit foreign workers, through the 1980s and '90s when some governments feared being overwhelmed, not just by those looking for work but also those seeking asylum.This program was first broadcast on 10th February 2010
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2010-12-29 The Mossad
The story of the Israeli secret service the Mossad.
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2010-12-22 Manuel Noriega
In April, after more than 20 years in an American jail, Manuel Noriega was taken to France where, after a new trial, he was found guilty on charges of money laundering. Rear Vision charts the former Panamanian dictator's passage from US ally to drug smuggling pariah. This program was first broadcast on 12th May 2010
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2010-12-15 The changing nature of friendship
Friendship relationships have always played a significant role in human society - historically they were public relationships, often underpinning the political and social structures of society. Today friendships are private or personal - having no place in political or public life. We trace the changing meaning of friendships.
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2010-12-08 Irish lament
Ireland's turbocharged transformation from rural poverty to global affluence overshot the mark and now the British and German banks that funded the building boom want their money back. Rear Vision looks at what went wrong.
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2010-11-24 One term presidents
The Democrats' poor showing at the recent mid-term congressional elections raises questions about Barack Obama's ability to win a second term. Rear Vision looks at the four twentieth century US presidents who failed to win a second term. Are there any lessons for President Obama?
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2010-11-17 Direct Democracy
In Switzerland, voters not only elect the government they also directly vote on policy issues and legislation passed by the parliament. What can we learn from Switzerland?
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2010-11-10 The House of Lords
Membership of Britain's upper house, the House of Lords, is gained only by inheritance or appointment, unless you happen to be a bishop of the Church of England. How has this unelected political dinosaur managed to survive into the twenty-first century and are its days numbered?
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2010-11-03 A history of modern Yemen
Once again Yemen is at the centre of a terrorist bomb scare. This week Rear Vision explains why Yemen, one of the world's oldest civilisations, has become a haven for Islamic jihadists. First broadcast on 3/2/2010
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2010-10-27 Mining and safety
The story of the 33 Chilean miners, rescued after being buried for more than two months, showed human resilience and ingenuity at its best. But it was also a reminder of how dangerous working underground can be. Rear Vision explores the history of mining and safety.
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2010-10-20 Humane or tough: a response to asylum seeker...
As more and more refugees arrive in Australian waters by boat, Rear Vision takes a look at the history of Australia's policies on asylum seekers, from the first boatload of Vietnamese back in 1976 through to today. First broadcast 7/4/2010
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2010-10-13 The City
Long before Wall Street became the symbol of international global finance, there was the City, also known as the Square Mile, in London. Rear Vision looks at the development of the City and why it can still challenge New York as the financial capital of the world.
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2010-10-06 Wall Street
The release of the latest Wall Street movie will again draw attention to the activities - both shady and otherwise - that go on in the epicentre of international finance. Rear Vision looks back over two centuries of wheeling and dealing in lower Manhattan, where the original Dutch traders built a four metre wooden wall that gave the street its name.
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2010-09-29 The Middle East conflict and the two-state...
American president Barack Obama is committed to the Middle East peace process and the two-state solution. That is, that between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River there should be two states: one Israeli and the other Palestinian. We take a look at the history of the two-state solution. First broadcast on 23 September 2009
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2010-09-22 Roma history
President Nicolas Sarkozy accuses the Romani people of 'illicit trafficking and exploitation of children for begging, prostitution or crime'. Romani camps across France have been bulldozed and Roma with Romanian or Bulgarian citizenship have been given a choice of 'voluntary repatriation' or deportation. Rear Vision looks at the history of the Romani people -- where they came from and why they remain one of the most isolated groups in Europe.
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2010-09-15 The Red Cross
The large number of wars, conflicts and more recently natural disasters means the International Committee of the Red Cross is still busy helping the wounded and the lost almost 150 years since it was formed.
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2010-09-08 Remembering 9/11
Rear Vision visits several 9/11 memorials and exhibits in New York, as Americans prepare to mark the ninth anniversary of terrorist attacks that still reverberate in unpredictable ways in the political life of both the city and the nation beyond.
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2010-09-01 The wild card: independent in Australian...
As the two major political parties struggle to win favour with the independents in federal parliament, Rear Vision takes a look back at the role independents have played in Australia's political history.
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2010-08-25 Understanding Pakistan
Pakistan was born on 15 August 1947 and when it emerged from British India, Muslims around the world rejoiced, believing they were witnessing the birth of the first democratic Muslim nation. So why has it all gone so wrong?
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2010-08-18 Carbon Tax: a way forward or economic ruin?
With the failure of the Copenhagen Climate Conference and the Rudd/Gillard government putting their emissions trading scheme in the too-hard basket, whats left in the climate change debate? According to the Greens and many eminent economists, a carbon tax. Rear Vision takes a look at the carbon tax: what is it, where has it been introduced and what impact, if any, has it had on the economy?
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2010-08-11 Florence Nightingale
The thirteenth of August is the centenary of the death of Florence Nightingale, the founder of the modern profession of nursing. Rear Vision looks at the life and work of this remarkable woman.
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2010-08-04 What's happened to the KGB in the 21st...
In light of the arrest and deportation of 10 Russian agents from the US last month, Rear Vision examines Russias intelligence services since the fall of the Soviet Union. Whats happened to the KGB and just why is Russia still spying on the west?
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2010-07-28 Democracy in Hong Kong
Thousands of democracy advocates have taken to the streets of Hong Kong to protest against the decision to delay democratic elections. But the movement has been divided, with the major democratic party siding with the government on crucial legislation. This week we look at the evolution and future of Hong Kong's democracy movement.
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2010-07-21 Kyrgyzstan: An Island of democracy?
For almost 2 decades Kyrgyzstan appeared to be an oasis of democracy in Central Asia, in less than four months that idea has been turned on its head - the President was ousted in a bloody uprising and then the south erupted into ethnic violence. The story behind the recent crisis in Kyrgyzstan.
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2010-07-14 The Panama Canal
On the 14th July, ninety years ago, US President Woodrow Wilson officially opened the Panama Canal. Rear Vision explores the building of this famous waterway and the relationship between Panama and the US that grew up around it.
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2010-07-07 Financial derivatives, their rise and rise
Many of the large collapses during the global financial crisis were finance companies dealing in exotic financial instruments such as Collateralised Debt Obligations - CDOs. CDOs are a form of derivative, a trading tool with a long and chequered history. We trace the origin and purpose of derivatives and how they became so large and dangerous.
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2010-06-30 True diligence or conspiracy: The WHO's...
A year ago the WHO's Director General, declared Swine Flu a pandemic. Now some medical experts are questioning the WHO decision and the objectivity of the influenza experts whose advice they followed. We examine the WHO's handling of the Swine Flu pandemic.
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2010-06-23 Oil and water
The ill-fated Deepwater Horizon oil rig was in legal terms an ocean-going vessel, registered in the Marshall Islands, a tiny country halfway between Papua New Guinea and Hawaii. As the struggle to control the oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico continues, Rear Vision looks at the history of flags of convenience.
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2010-06-16 Poland
Following the death of Poland's president in a plane crash in April, elections will be held in Poland this month. Rear Vision looks back at two decades of change in the country that led the way in the collapse of communism across Eastern Europe in 1989.
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2010-06-09 A True Friend? The US/Australia alliance
While President Obama's, proposed trip to Asia, had more to do with visiting Indonesia than Australia, for us the idea of entertaining the US President was a big deal. The US is our key global ally and the ANZUS the corner stone of our military defence - the story of Australia's alliance with the United States.
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2010-06-02 The History of Australia's mining industry
Debate over the mining super profits tax continues to dominate the political agenda. Last week we looked at how the Norwegian government has developed their oil resources for the benefit of the whole nation. This week on Rear Vision a very different story, the story of Australias mining history
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2010-05-26 Making money from mining: Norway
As Australians ponder the implications of the Rudd government's proposed new super-profits tax on mining, Rear Vision looks at how Norway became one of the world's most prosperous, peaceful and egalitarian nations through state ownership and development of its natural resources.
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2010-05-19 Israel's Nuclear History
In New York this month the signatories to the NPT are setting the disarmament agenda for the 21st century and one of the issues is Israel. For the past 50 years Israel has neither admitted nor denied their nuclear weapons program. The week on Rear Vision the story of Israel's nuclear industry.
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2010-05-12 Manuel Noriega
After more than 20 years in an American gaol, former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega has been taken to France to face charges of money laundering. Rear Vision charts Noriega's passage from US ally to drug smuggling pariah.
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2010-05-05 The story of the conflict over Kashmir
Since terrorist attack on Mubai in 2008 tensions between India and Pakistan have been strained. Political tensions and military conflict are nothing new - for most of the past 50 years India and Pakistan have been rivals and enemies. The key area of dispute has been Kashmir. This week the story of the conflict over Kashmir.
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2010-04-28 UK elections 2010
During recent decades both major parties have been forced to reinvent themselves after game-changing elections. Rear Vision sets the scene for next week's general election.
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2010-04-21 Nuclear Disarmament
Nuclear disarmament and the containment of nuclear material is back on the international agenda - with both Washington and Tehran trying to claim the moral high ground. This week on Rear Vision the history of the world's attempts to contain nuclear material and weapons.
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2010-04-14 Illegal immigration in the United States
About 12 million people live in the United States as illegal immigrants. With unemployment over 10 per cent, the reform of US immigration law is a divisive issue and a challenge for the Obama administration.
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2010-04-07 Humane or tough: a response to asylum seeker...
As more and more refugees arrive in Australian waters by boat, Rear Vision takes a look at the history of Australia�s policies on asylum seekers, from the first boatload of Vietnamese back in 1976 through to today.
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2010-03-31 The euro
The Eurozone, a singular experiment in a currency shared across national borders, is under strain because of domestic profligacy in Greece. As the European Union struggles to find a solution to Greece�s debt problem, Rear Vision looks at the origins and short history of the euro.
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2010-03-24 The Mossad
The story of the Israeli secret service The Mossad.
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2010-03-17 Thailand's democracy
This week in Bangkok, tens of thousands of Thais demanded the resignation of their government. Over the last two years, two groups of protesters -- dressed in red shirts or yellow shirts -- have taken to the streets. Who are these demonstrators and why are they protesting? First broadcast 20 May 2009
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2010-03-10 The problem with public hospitals
Public hospitals are the centrepiece of Australia�s health system, yet there seems to be something deeply wrong with them. How should we resolve the tension between need to manage costs and the demand to provide the best care?
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2010-03-03 A nation cursed?
Haiti is a nation best known for its political instability and natural disasters. It would not be unreasonable to believe that Haiti was cursed. This week on Rear Vision, a look at the history of Haiti.
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2010-02-24 The MMR vaccine scare
How did the Lancet, Britain's oldest and most respected medical journal, come to publish a fraudulent study linking the measles mumps rubella vaccination with autism? There was no scientific basis for the claim and the paper�s lead author was being paid by a personal-injury lawyer who represented several children in the study.
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2010-02-17 The tale of two cities
Over the past ten years Australian cities and towns have faced water shortages and water restrictions, yet Singapore, which once imported 80 per cent of its water, has become self sufficient. Are there any lessons Australian cities can learn from Singapore?
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2009-12-09 Negotiating the Kyoto Protocol
As negotiators in Copenhagen try to reach a binding agreement on carbon cuts, Rear Vision revisits the negotiations that produced the last major international agreement on global warming, the Kyoto Protocol.
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2009-11-18 Libya
Sixty years ago this week, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution that Libya should become an independent nation. Rear Vision looks at the post-colonial history of this oil-rich nation, most of it spent under the dictatorship of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
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2009-11-11 The Pope and the Anglicans
The surprise announcement last month that disgruntled Anglicans, including married priests, would be allowed to enter full communion with the Catholic Church appeared to stun both Catholics and Anglicans alike. Rear Vision looks at the history of the relationship between these two strands of the Christian faith and the background to the Pope's offer.
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2009-11-04 Dreams of peace - the Philippines
The roots of the four decade long Muslim insurgency in the Southern Philippines lie centuries ago, when the islands of Sulu and Mindanao were sultanates. Peace remains a dream in this largely Catholic nation.
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- History, Current Affairs
- ABC (Australia)
- English
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Rear Vision
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