Lone Wolf Films

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Simon Torok, Honorary Fellow, School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne

December 24 is the 50th anniversary of Earthrise, arguably one of the most profound images in the history of human culture. When astronaut William Anders photographed a fragile blue sphere set in dark space peeking over the Moon, it changed our perception of our place in space and fuelled environmental awareness around the world.

The photo let us see our planet from a great distance for the first time. The living Earth, surrounded by the darkness of space, appears fragile and vulnerable, with finite resources.

Read more: 50 years ago: Australia and the Apollo 8 mission that sent a Christmas message from the Moon

Viewing a small blue Earth against the black backdrop of space, with the barren moonscape in the foreground, evokes feelings of vastness: we are a small planet, orbiting an ordinary star, in an unremarkable galaxy among the billions we can observe. The image prompts emotions of insignificance – Earth is only special because it’s the planet we live on.

As astronaut Jim Lovell said during the live broadcast from Apollo 8, “The vast loneliness is awe-inspiring, and it makes you realise just what you have back there on Earth.”

The Apollo 8 Christmas Eve broadcast.

Earthrise is a testament to the extraordinary capacity of human perception. Although, in 1968, the photograph seemed revelatory and unexpected, it belongs to an extraordinary history of representing the Earth from above. Anders may have produced an image that radically shifted our view of ourselves, but we were ready to see it.

A history of flight

People have always dreamed of flying. As we grew from hot-air balloons to space shuttles, the camera has been there for much of the ride.

After WWII, the US military used captured V-2 rockets to launch motion-picture cameras out of the atmosphere, producing the first images of Earth from space.

Russia’s Sputnik spurred the United States to launch a series of satellites — watching the enemy and the weather — and then NASA turned its attention to the Moon, launching a series of exploratory probes. One (Lunar Orbiter I, 1966) turned its camera across a sliver of the Moon’s surface and found the Earth, rising above it.

The non-human version of Earthrise from Lunar Orbiter in 1966. NASA

Despite not being the “first” image of the Earth from our Moon, Earthrise is special. It was directly witnessed by the astronauts as well as being captured by the camera. It elegantly illustrates how human perception is something that is constantly evolving, often hand in hand with technology.

Earthrise showed us that Earth is a connected system, and any changes made to this system potentially affect the whole of the planet. Although the Apollo missions sought to reveal the Moon, they also powerfully revealed the limits of our own planet. The idea of a Spaceship Earth, with its interdependent ecologies and finite resources, became an icon of a growing environmental movement concerned with the ecological impacts of industrialisation and population growth.

‘Spaceship Earth’ became a powerful rallying cry for environmental groups. Flickr, CC BY-SA

From space, we observe the thin shield provided by our atmosphere, allowing life to flourish on the surface of our planet. Lifeforms created Earth’s atmosphere by removing carbon dioxide and generating free oxygen. They created an unusual mix of gases compared to other planets – an atmosphere with a protective ozone layer and a mix of gases that trap heat and moderate extremes of temperature. Over millions of years, this special mix has allowed a huge diversity of life forms to evolve, including (relatively recently on this time scale) Homo sapiens.

The field of meteorology has benefited enormously from the technology foreshadowed by the Earthrise photo. Our knowledge is no longer limited to Earth-based weather-observing stations.

Satellites can now bring us an Earthrise-type image every ten minutes, allowing us to observe extremes such as tropical cyclones as they form over the ocean, potentially affecting life and land. Importantly, we now possess a long enough record of satellite information so that in many instances we can begin to examine long-term changes of such events.

Tropical Cyclone Owen seen from space. Bureau of Meteorology/AAP

The human population has doubled in the 50 years since the Earthrise image, resulting in habitat destruction, the spread of pest species and wildfires spurred by climate warming. Every year, our actions endanger more species.

Earth’s climate has undergone enormous changes in the five decades since the Earthrise photo was taken. Much of the increase in Australian and global temperatures has happened in the past 50 years. This warming is affecting us now, with an increase in the frequency of extreme events such as heatwaves, and vast changes across the oceans and polar caps.

Read more: Space research pays for itself, but inspires fewer people

With further warming projected, it is important that we take this chance to look back at the Earthrise photo of our little planet, so starkly presented against the vastness of space. The perspective that it offers us can help us choose the path for our planet for the next 50 years.

It reminds us of the wonders of the Earth system, its beauty and its fragility. It encourages us to continue to seek understanding of its weather systems, blue ocean and ice caps through scientific endeavour and sustained monitoring.

The beauty of our planet as seen from afar – and up close – can inspire us to make changes to secure the amazing and diverse animals that share our Earth.

Zoos become conservation organisations, holding, breeding and releasing critically endangered animals. Scientists teach us about the capacities of animals and the threats to their survival.

Communities rise to the challenge and people in their thousands take actions to help wildlife, from buying toilet paper made from recycled paper to not releasing balloons outdoors. If we stand together we can secure a future for all nature on this remarkable planet.

Read more: In defence of zoos: how captivity helps conservation

But is a 50-year-old photo enough to reignite the environmental awareness and action required to tackle today’s threats to nature? What will be this generation’s Earthrise moment?

The authors would like to acknowledge the significant contribution of Alicia Sometimes to this article.

– ref. Earthrise, a photo that changed the world – http://theconversation.com/earthrise-a-photo-that-changed-the-world-109009

MIL OSI – Source: Evening Report Arts and Media

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn Hinz, Director of Research and Development, Pivot Professional Learning; and Honorary Fellow, University of Melbourne

This is a longer read at just over 1,500 words. Enjoy!

The year 2018 was a mixed bag for schooling policy in Australia.

We had new ministers, a new organisation and some auspicious anniversaries. As Christmas approaches, it’s worth reflecting on the year that’s been.

Let’s begin in the states and territories

New South Wales

One of the biggest ticket items this year is the overhaul of the NSW school curriculum for the first time in decades. The curriculum is currently under review – and when it’s reformed, the effect will likely be felt far beyond NSW’s borders.

There have been multiple indications the reformed curriculum may have a greater focus on capabilities. These are also known as “soft skills” or “21st century skills”, and include creative and critical thinking. (The new Victorian Curriculum, and to a lesser extent the national Australian Curriculum, have also focused more closely on general capabilities.)

NSW premier Gladys Berijiklian announced in May 2018 they would review and overhaul the state curriculum. Peter Rae/AAP

This shift is a response to growing evidence of the vital importance of capabilities to school performance, life outcomes and the economy. There is also evidence they can and should be developed in education settings from toddler-hood through to the tertiary years and beyond. Debate now turns to the best way to do so.

South Australia

NSW is not the only state marching forward with its own bold program. The new South Australian government is embarking on an ambitious school improvement agenda to “speed up” the learning growth of every student in every classroom. This system-wide reform combines tailored approaches with a heavier emphasis on planning, data, literacy and numeracy, building on their successful trial of the phonics check.

Read more: South Australia’s trial of England’s year one phonics check shows why we need it

Queensland

Queensland is steadily closing gaps in educational outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.

It has also launched a new strategic plan. Notably, this includes early childhood education and post-school education, and additional measures for students in regional and rural areas, and students with disabilities. This is part of a cohesive approach to lifting and sustaining learning outcomes for all students.

Victoria

The re-election of the Andrews government in November sees the continuation of its Education State reform agenda. This includes funding more specialists in schools (teachers, doctors, speech pathologists, psychologists and social workers), building and renovating more schools, and providing more preschool.

Victorian state education minister James Merlino (left) and Victoria’s Premier, Daniel Andrews (right). Ellen Smith/AAP

Yes, in a landmark policy announcement, Victoria’s youngest residents will receive two years of funded preschool. Given the benefits of quality preschool to all students, especially reducing developmental vulnerability on school entry, it’s a solid investment. It is one of the only strategies proven by research to lift outcomes for all children.

Read more: Research shows there are benefits from getting more three-year-olds into preschool

Western Australia

Western Australia is turning its attention to better recruitment, development and support for school leaders, as part of its broader system improvement strategy.

Tasmania

In Tasmania, the ongoing implementation of the 2017 Education Act kept schools and department officials busy – in large part due to giant shift to 13 years of compulsory schooling (prep to year 12) by 2020.

Until recently, many schools finished at year ten and students wanting to continue their education move to a new school, often in a new town. This is a major factor in Tassie’s low year 12 completion rate of only 72% – a full 10% lower than the national average.

The Northern Territory

And the NT launched it’s latest strategic plan with a focus on school leadership, quality, equity, differentiated learning, community engagement and better data.

The NT is focusing on a strong public education system that ensures equity for all children. Lucy Hughes Jones/AAP

They also put out a new school funding model, with a greater emphasis on action and targeting to student needs and interventions.

ACT

The ACT became the first jurisdiction in Australia to provide every secondary student in a government school with a laptop. The ACT 2018-19 budget also provided A$9.2 million for research and trials of new teaching techniques in response to damning research that found once socio-economic backgrounds are taken into account, ACT students are up to a year behind their counterparts in other states and territories.

Turning to the federal level

Gonski 2.0

The March release of the Gonski 2.0 report was an early highlight. This review was tasked with identifying the school and classroom factors that can make the biggest, sustained difference to educational achievement. This includes what funding should be spent on, rather than structural issues like funding allocations.

The Gonski 2.0 report, authored by David Gonski (far left) was released in March 2018. Mick Tsikas

Gonski 2.0 advocated for a student-centred schooling system based on learning growth over time. Key recommendations focused on enhancing student voice, and better valuing of and support for teachers and school leaders, including providing them with the time and tools (including finer grain data, and data beyond NAPLAN) to focus on teaching and educational leadership, so they’re not swamped by administrative compliance.

Read more: Gonski review reveals another grand plan to overhaul education: but do we really need it?

(Astute readers will have noticed the key elements of Gonski 2.0 are already key elements of existing state and territory policy platforms and strategies.)

Happy anniversary?

2018 was the tenth anniversary of three major pillars of Australian schooling policy: NAPLAN, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and the Melbourne Declaration of Educational Goals for Young Australians. Each celebrated this milestone amidst growing debate on whether they had served their intended purpose.

Read more: The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians: what it is and why it needs updating

In the case of NAPLAN, this was accompanied by a growing call for its abolition or overhaul. NAPLAN was intended as a nationally-comparable, point-in-time dataset on a few vital areas to support schools and system leaders to make program and resourcing decisions. It was also meant to inform parental choice of schools.

But misunderstanding and misuse of NAPLAN has led to perverse effects. These include an overemphasis on preparation by some schools and families, resulting in anxiety and curriculum narrowing.

Read more: Five things we wouldn’t know without NAPLAN

In with the new

2018 also saw the launch of a new national institution – the Gonski Institute focused on addressing education inequality across Australia. Despite – or perhaps because of – near continuous reforms at state and federal levels this past decade, inequality continues to grow.

Dan Tehan, right, was appointed Federal Education Minister by Scott Morrison, left, in August 2018. Mick Tsikas/AAP

We also got a new federal education minister – Dan Tehan. He received the poisoned chalice of continuing the long and testy negotiations with the states on a five-year school funding agreement derived from the 2017 Education Act (the previous round of funding refoms) and the Gonski 2.0 findings.

These funding agreements are also a key element of the Coalition’s Quality Schools policy package, which has remained fairly constant the last few years.

It wasn’t until this week all jurisdictions were finally signed-up. But the last signatory – Victoria – only made a one-month deal. The Victorian government has expressed their concerns about a “dud deal” that provides more funding for students at non-government schools than those at government schools.

Read more: What the Victorian government’s decision not to sign on to the Gonski reforms means for schools in the new year

This short-term deal raises a bunch of questions as we head into the near year and the 2019 federal election – will there be by more short-term deals? Will other states seek to renegotiate better terms? Is Victoria banking on a change of government – and negotiating partner?

What do we know about federal Labor’s plans for education?

The key elements of Labor’s schooling policy pillars are restoring funding to schools cut by the Coalition. This includes, contentiously, restoring funding to some of the most over-funded non-government schools.

Read more: An education research institute won’t take politics out of the classroom

They have also pledged an additional year of preschool for all kids across Australia, and have announced they will establish a national evidence institute for education policy.

Federal Labor plans to establish a national evidence institute for education policy if they win the election in 2019. Wayne Taylor/AAP

A new year and new goals

The updating of the national goals for Australian schooling by Australia’s state, territory and Commonwealth education ministers next year provides an opportunity to reflect on the purposes of schooling in the 21st century.

It’s hard to find fault with Minister Tehan’s statement that “Australia needs a shared agenda across the country to ensure alignment between policy, practice and delivery” and that young people need “a quality school education, tailored to individual needs”.

But it’s also true the 2008 goals were never achieved because it was never properly implemented.

Read more: Explaining Australia’s school funding debate: what’s at stake

Grand goals are well and good, but we need to also provision for implementation and work hard to make it happen. This means time, resources, clarity on each stakeholder’s role in creating an excellent and equitable schooling system (which enables all young Australians to become successful learners, confident and creative individuals), and active and informed citizens.

It’s time to commit to action and cooperation, regardless of who wins the 2019 elections.

– ref. Schools policy in 2018: reflecting on the big events and the new developments – http://theconversation.com/schools-policy-in-2018-reflecting-on-the-big-events-and-the-new-developments-108079

MIL OSI – Source: Evening Report Arts and Media

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Looking back on the federal politics of 2018, voters can conclude they’ve been given a rough trot.

What’s been dubbed “the permanent election campaign” to which we are subjected these days is a curse. Too often it encourages expedient rather than sound decisions and ugly behaviour dominated by noise and stunts.

Added to that, we’ve had from the Coalition this year an extraordinary series of leadership, policy and individual meltdowns. A government that started 2018 with a one-seat majority ends it in a minority, after the loss of a byelection and a defection to the crossbench.

This has indeed been the year of governing badly.

As the Coalition struggles towards Christmas it has been buffeted this week by a sex scandal involving an obscure Nationals MP and an attack from its own side over its energy policy.

The cavorting of Andrew Broad in “sugar baby” land has left the Nationals looking for a candidate for the Victorian seat of Mallee, safe in normal circumstances, but not to be taken for granted in these days of community independents and when the incumbent has been disgraced. (Broad will be around until the election – there is no byelection.)

Senior Nationals want a woman to run. The party’s deputy leader senator Bridget McKenzie is not ruling out seeking preselection but has no connection with the area. One government source says “it would be pretty late for her to be carpetbagging” into the seat. A strong local would seem better.

Whether the Liberals will make it a three-cornered contest is an open question (though they probably wouldn’t field a candidate if McKenzie ran).

In 2016 the Nationals contested Murray after a Liberal retired, and won the seat; the Liberals might think they could benefit in this contest from any backlash against the Nationals over Broad’s conduct. On the other hand, would they want to spend money on this seat in an election when dollars will be tight?

The Nationals have often been a steady and stabilising force within the Coalition. Coming out of this year they look like a chaotic rump, unable to manage their personal and political lives.

Barnaby Joyce destroyed his leadership with an affair and has been undermining his party as he tries to get it back. McCormack is a trier facing a job that often looks beyond him. He’ll last to the election (well, presumably) but probably not after that.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is the ultimate trier, believing the only possible salvation for the government is constant activity. For a very short time, he looked reasonably effective. But then all the freneticism stated to appear contrived and fake.

One big challenge Morrison has not been able to handle is the Coalition’s “woman problem”. Minimal female representation in both Coalition parties, claims of bullying in the Liberals, and the defection to the crossbench of Liberal MP Julia Banks will inevitably put off female voters. The Broad scandal feeds into the negative narrative.

Morrison himself has a “blokey” image that might turn away some female voters although Liberal sources dispute this.

It’s ironic that neither Coalition party will embrace quotas but Morrison wanted a female candidate in Wentworth (only to be rebuffed by the preselectors) and now McCormack urges a woman for Mallee.

Women are thought to be useful in desperate circumstances, it seems.

Amid all the year’s bedlam in conservative politics, one major policy issue remains unresolved – or more precisely it is the intersection of two issues, energy and climate.

The bitter battle within the Liberals over energy didn’t just bring down Malcolm Turnbull – it stopped the formulation of the sort of viable policy business pleads for, to give certainty to investors.

This week the Berejiklian government called out its federal counterpart; state energy minister Don Harwin declared it “out of touch” on energy and climate policy, saying “it’s time for them to change course”. But at a testy meeting of the COAG energy council federal minister Angus Taylor was defiantly unmoved.

Also this week came criticism from the Energy Security Board, which says in its 2018 Health of the Electricity Market report that when investment is needed “it is not helpful for the Commonwealth government to be threatening powers of divestment, price setting and discretionary asset write-downs.”

Energy policy both symbolises the deep ideological divide in the Liberal party and is at the core of it. The party won’t be credible on policy until it can formulate a broad position that is acceptable to stakeholders and the community. If it goes into opposition next year, doing so should be a top policy priority.

Its plan for a National Energy Guarantee was scuttled by the government itself during those crazy coup days in August. But this was not before devising the scheme had given then energy minister Josh Frydenberg a chance to show his credentials, as a policy formulator and a negotiator.

Frydenberg lost the NEG but won his colleagues’ respect. He received an overwhelming vote for Liberal deputy; as things stand, he’s well placed to lead his party at some future point.

Frydenberg, now treasurer, is one of the few senior Liberal who’s looked half way impressive this year. His next test will be the April 2 budget, although naturally ownership of that will lie as much or more with Morrison.

The timetable for a May election is now set. The government wants to maximise the period it has to try to regroup.

When parliament rose there was speculation the government might not want it to return in February because the Coalition faced a House defeat on a amendment to facilitate medical transfers from Manus and Nauru. This might make a March election more attractive, so the argument went.

But the government doesn’t seem so concerned about that vote now, believing some of the crossbenchers will drop off the amendment or want to weaken it.

Looking to 2019: the betting is firmly on an ALP victory, in the absence of a surprising turn of events. A win by either side would at least bring an end to the revolving prime ministerships, thanks to rule changes.

Assuming Labor won a solid majority, hopefully the voters might also get a little respite before the continuous campaigning started up again.

– ref. Grattan on Friday: 2018, the year of governing badly – http://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-2018-the-year-of-governing-badly-109152

MIL OSI – Source: Evening Report Arts and Media

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Hopkin, Editor: Energy + Environment, The Conversation

Let’s be honest – environment news isn’t always the jolliest, and 2018 was no exception. From climate change, to recycling, to energy policy, at times it has felt like we’ve been lurching from one crisis to the next.

So here are ten upbeat environmental stories from this year that prove it’s not all doom and gloom.

Cane toads cracked

In September, scientists announced they have decoded the cane toad genome, potentially paving the way for new weapons to repel the slimy invaders.

The successful effort potentially makes it easier to identify viruses that can be used to attack the toxic toads.

Cracking the cane toad genome.

Bears on the mend

The treatment of bears imprisoned in Asian bile farms is heartbreaking. But the good news is they can recover from their ordeal if given the right care during rehabilitation, going on to lead relatively stress-free lives even after years of torture.

Tasty trick

Blockchain isn’t just for bitcoin and other clever stuff best left to the financial experts. It can also help tackle illegal tuna fishing, helping to ensure the fish on your dish is more sustainable and bringing much-needed transparency to an important global industry.

Why did the fish cross the road?

Crossing roads is hard enough if you have legs. You might think it’s impossible for fish, and technically you’d be right. But Queensland researchers have invented a device that lets fish do the next best thing: swim upstream through culverts beneath the road, even if they’re facing a raging torrent in the opposite direction.

A breakthrough for fish.

Epic feat

The excitingly named “epic duck challenge” proved that drones can do an even better job of surveying wildlife than human scientists. This development should help this under-resourced area of research finally take flight (sorry).

Hey, good lookin’

And before we leave the animal stories, there’s just time to take you back inside the world of million-dollar beauty pageants… for camels. We guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

Ready to wow the judges. Mahmood Al amri and Jaime Gongora, Author provided

Feeling the energy

Yes, it was a spirit-sapping year for energy policy, with one round of bickering after another. But throughout the year, South Australia’s big battery has been quietly kicking goals.

It celebrated its birthday in late November, and although questions remain over what will happen when its battery packs need replacing, it made A$13 million during the first half of 2018, and has generally been a roaring success considering that it owes its existence to some billionaires’ banter on Twitter.

Grounds for optimism

Your coffee habit could do more than give you a pick-me-up. Used coffee grounds can boost the health of your garden too, as long as you compost them first.

Contain your excitement

And if you’re more of a cola drinker, take heart in the fact that container deposit schemes really do help reduce the amount of plastic in the oceans, by as much as 40% off the US and Australian coasts. We’ll drink to that.

And… breathe

The holiday season is traditionally a time to draw breath and recoup for the new year. So you might like to meditate on the fact that our breath (and other animals’ too) literally helps trees to grow.

And if you like thinking about trees, why not sign up to our Beating Around the Bush series, with plenty more uplifting musings on some of Australia’s favourite species.

– ref. Ten feelgood environment stories you may have missed in 2018 – http://theconversation.com/ten-feelgood-environment-stories-you-may-have-missed-in-2018-108759

MIL OSI – Source: Evening Report Arts and Media

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Therese O’Sullivan, Associate Professor, Edith Cowan University

Granny, who lives interstate and whom the kids haven’t seen since last year, is visiting for Christmas. She loves the kids and is eager to scoop them up and smother them with kisses. The young children, who only have a vague memory of who she is, are wary and would rather keep an eye on this strange woman for the next few hours before committing to any physical contact.

Faced with this situation, many parents would instinctively tell their kids to remember their manners and allow themselves to be smothered by Granny (or Grandad). It’s the polite thing to do, right? It is Christmas after all.

But in an era when we want children to be empowered, to be in charge of their bodies, and to be able to say no to unwanted attention, why do we allow our kids to be hugged and kissed against their will at family gatherings? Forced affection can undermine a child’s inherent sense of stranger danger and self-trust.

Read more: From tiger to free-range parents – what research says about pros and cons of popular parenting styles

Building and maintaining trust and respect are key to a successful relationship with children. The respectful approach to parenting (also known as “educaring”) focuses on building cooperative relationships and treating each child as a unique human being.

Developed by Hungarian paediatrician Emmi Pikler and US parenting advocate Magda Gerber, the goal of this approach is to aid the development of an “authentic” child. Authentic in this sense means a child who feels secure, independent, competent in their abilities, and connected to the people and the environment around them. This approach has been shown to benefit children and to promote a healthy relationship between a child and their caregiver.

It is not an easy style of parenting. In many cases, it goes against how we ourselves were parented, and society’s conventional expectations of what parenting involves. An obedient child who never questioned authority was often viewed as a result of “good” parenting. In contrast, a child’s defiance reflects their confidence to disagree, and is a normal and beneficial part of development.

Christmas presence

When it comes to Christmas family gatherings, the respectful approach can include giving children information in advance, so they have an idea of what to expect.

Sitting down with your child and having a chat about where they will be going and who they will be meeting can help mentally prepare them them for an upcoming event. Showing photos from previous years can also help them remember which relatives are which, thus helping them warm up for the impending meeting by putting a face to a name.

Likewise, letting relatives know in advance that your child will have a say in their greeting can help them prepare for the possibility of not getting the hug to which they might feel entitled. You can also suggest your relative give the child a choice of greeting (a hug, high-five, fist-bump, or wave).

The key to this process is to wait and hear the child’s response – and, importantly, to respect their decision. This can be very hard – often the adult will feel disappointed and upset to realise the child does not want to hug them.

Read more: Home alone: how to keep your kids safe (and out of trouble) when you’re at work these holidays

Letting children know that certain relatives may particularly like a hug can prepare them for that situation, while reassuring the child that they do have a say in the matter. You could try saying something like:

Grandpa is really looking forward to seeing you! He’ll ask you for a hug, but if you don’t feel like it you don’t have to. You might like to say hello in another way.

Children often relish the opportunity to exert some control. Autonomy is an important aspect of the respectful approach. For many children, it is their preference not to hug other people unless there is a close and connected relationship, and this should be fostered and supported. ​Occasionally, children may “test” the theory, by declining a hug and then waiting to see what happens.

As with adults, when their decision is respected, children feel more confident and valued. Over time, as a relationship becomes more familiar and connected, the child may feel more comfortable with closer contact.

For grandparents and other relatives, the good news is that this means when the child does agree to a hug (or even offers one of their own accord), it comes from a true desire to show affection, rather than from an adult imposing their wishes on them.

Incorporating aspects of the respectful approach into your Christmas can help your children feel more settled and secure, at what is often a hectic time of the year.

– ref. Why you shouldn’t force the kids to hug Granny at Christmas – http://theconversation.com/why-you-shouldnt-force-the-kids-to-hug-granny-at-christmas-108059

MIL OSI – Source: Evening Report Arts and Media

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heather Merle Benbow, Senior lecturer in German and European Studies, University of Melbourne

We have just concluded four years of commemoration of the centenary of the first world war and, although the guns fell silent in November 1918, by Christmas many Australians were still separated from their loved ones.

For Australians serving overseas in WWI, celebrations such as Christmas were particularly difficult, a reminder that the war had laid waste to their routines and taken them away from their families.

We can see from historical documents that every effort was made to reproduce the form and content of a traditional Christmas meal, whether that be on board a ship, in the mess or even in the trenches

On active service

Maintaining the traditions of Christmas could be logistically difficult. It was often simply a slightly larger amount of food than the normal rations, with additional treats, such as the half pound of Christmas pudding that Major-General John Monash procured for every man in his Third Division in 1917. Alcohol was a welcome addition.

Women distribute Christmas billies to men in Cairo, Egypt, December 1915. Australian War Memorial

Christmas hampers and billies sent from home provided particular joy to those lucky enough to receive them. Some, however, experienced Christmas dinners like that of Private John Chugg of 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance, who complained “it was a miserable Xmas” in Egypt in 1914: “boiled beef unpeeled potatoes and tea without milk… [and] no mail or anything to cheer us”.

Sapper Alfred Galbraith described Christmas day in Ismailia Camp, Egypt, in December 1915 in a letter to his family. Each man chipped in to purchase a turkey and

chickens more like humming birds, soft drinks and a few biscuits. The chickens were dealt out 1 between 5 men and some of them would not feed one let alone 5 men, the one we got we tossed up to see who would get it & I won but I half it with my pal & then the two of us went & bought some […] biscuits & some tin fruit.

Alf is depicted in a photo of the dinner, sitting awkwardly on canvas at the end of a row of soldiers, mess tins in front of each and an occasional bottle, likely of beer. Alf’s Christmas letter concludes nostalgically “Dear Australia the land of my Birth which we will all be glad to see again … it will be a glorious day if I live to see it out … ” It was to be his last Christmas.

AIF troops celebrating Christmas at Ismailia Camp, Egypt, in December 1915. Museums Victoria

A special meal could have the effect of making the war recede, if briefly, for the soldiers who partook of it. This is the impression gleaned from the menu for the 1917 Christmas dinner at the “A” Mess of the 3rd Australian Divisional Headquarters in France, led by Monash.

The hand-drawn menu features bucolic sketches of rural French life, and a list of dishes in a mix of French and English, signalling the prestige of the officers’ dinner.

The 10 courses included hors d’oeuvres (olives and “Tomato au Lobster”), potage _(“_Crème de Giblet”), poisson, entrée (chicken), viands (pork and ham), legumes, sweets (three choices) and a cheese tart, ending with wine and coffee.

The menu served at an AIF Christmas Dinner in 1916. Museums Victoria collection, donated by Jean Bourke

The “B” Mess dinner at the Headquarters was almost as sumptuous, but with fewer courses. Its more simple menu included a humorous script, poetry and parodies. When the food concluded a toast was made to “Absent Ones”, drunk “while softly murmuring the words ‘Not lost but gone to CORPS’”. Notably, the term “Lest We Forget” was used to remind diners of good etiquette!

Christmas in transit

The voyage to active overseas service was a mixture of excitement, trepidation and monotony. Food service broke the boredom of long days at sea. On board the SS Suffolk on Christmas day 1915 diners were treated to a multi-course dinner, opening with olives, mock turtle soup and salmon cutlets in anchovy sauce. The next course featured iced asparagus, beef fillets with mushrooms and prawns in aspic, before the food became even more serious, with four types of meat, baked and boiled potatoes, and beans.

Members of the 4th Australian Field Ambulance at Christmas in Lemnos in 1915. Australian War Memorial

Four deserts followed, including plum pudding with both hard and brandy sauces. Like many special occasion menus of the war, diners signed their names on the back.

Aprés la guerre

The desire to be “home by Christmas” had been widely expressed from the very first year of the Great War, yet when the armistice finally came in 1918, Australians on active service still had a long journey ahead of them and faced another Christmas away from home.

In 1918, the 2nd Australian pioneers officers’ Christmas dinner took place “somewhere in France”, featuring a menu entirely in French save for the words “plum pudding” and “God Save the King”. Two half pages of the menu were dedicated to “Autographs”.

The souvenir menu card from the 13th Australian Field Ambulance 2nd anniversary dinner, held on Christmas Day 1918 in the Palace of Justice, Dinant-Sur-Meuse, Belgium likewise has a page for autographs. The festive menu features an extensive list of desserts.

The menu served to the 13th Australian Field Ambulance on Christmas Day 1918. Museums Victoria collection, donated by John Lord

Christmas dinner in 1919 saw Australians who had served in Europe returning home on the SS Königin Luise, a German ship allocated to Britain as part of war reparations. A menu saved by Sergeant Tom Robinson Lydster bears no references to the war.

A wreath of holly frames an eclectic menu including “Fillet of Sole au Vin Blanc, Asperges au Beurre Fondu” but also “Lamb cutlets, Tomato sauce, Roast Sirlion of Beef”. The Christmas element is provided by “Plum Pudding, Brandy Sauce, Mince Pies”. More than a year after the end of the war, some surviving Australians were yet to celebrate Christmas on home soil.

Christmas traditions for Australian soldiers, nurses and medics helped maintain cultural normalcy during overseas service. Yet Christmas on active service could be a time of significant stress, a reminder of loved ones far away and of fallen friends. Unfortunately, for those who returned to Australia, forever changed by their experiences, Christmas was not always what they remembered or had imagined.

– ref. What Australian soldiers ate for Christmas in WWI – http://theconversation.com/what-australian-soldiers-ate-for-christmas-in-wwi-108987

MIL OSI – Source: Evening Report Arts and Media

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanne Wright, Research associate, Griffith University

This article was coauthored by Gimuy Yidniji Traditional Owner Gudju Gudju Fourmile.

For many decades Aboriginal Australians have campaigned for the return of ancestral remains that continue to be stored in museums worldwide.

But in many instances these remains cannot be repatriated – as their geographic origin, tribal affiliation or language group was never identified. Without this information it is impossible for museums to determine appropriate custodians, which prevents their return.

Our research, published in Science Advances today, shows it is possible to determine the origin of Aboriginal Australian remains using DNA-based methods, enabling their return to Country.

Read more: DNA reveals a new history of the First Australians

Collaborative beginnings

Past injustices due to actions and policies implemented in early colonial history have left gaps in the self-knowledge of many contemporary Aboriginal Australians.

A key term in this context is “Country”: the place in which an Aboriginal Australian, or his or her ancestors, was born and lived. For some communities their Country encompasses large geographical areas; for others it is much smaller.

Aboriginal Australians believe they have a spiritual connection to their Country – and many believe that in order for their ancestor’s spirits to rest, their remains must be returned to Country.

The Lake Mungo World Heritage Site has a long history of Aboriginal occupation. Sherene Lambert (St Augustine’s College, Ipswich, Australia), Author provided

Many of our traditional owner collaborative partners wanted to learn more about their history through DNA analyses – and to directly test whether DNA might help with the return of unprovenanced remains from museums worldwide to Country.

Read more: The violent collectors who gathered Indigenous artefacts for the Queensland Museum

Our research, undertaken in collaboration with Aboriginal Australian traditional owners and communities across Australia, tested whether it is possible to determine the origins of ancient individuals using DNA-based methods.

We successfully recovered ten nuclear genomes (DNA from cell nuclei) and 27 mitogenomes (DNA from cell mitochondria) from ancient pre-European Aboriginal Australians dating up to 1,540 years before present – and for whom we had records of Country.

These ancient genomic sequences, of known origin, were used as proxies for unprovenanced remains. We compared these against reference datasets of contemporary Aboriginal Australian nuclear and mitochondrial genomes.

Previously the only authentic pre-European DNA ever recovered from Aboriginal Australian remains was the mitochondrial genome of an ancient man from the Willandra Lakes region. Here we show it is also possible to recover ancient nuclear genomes from Aboriginal Australian remains, despite DNA survival in an Australian context being poor due to harsh climatic conditions.

Details of the locations and language groups of Aboriginal Australian samples uses in this study. Yellow shading indicates the distribution and location of Pama-Nyungan language families. Orange shading indicates the distribution of non–Pama-Nyungan language families. Dashed lines show the approximate distribution of accepted major language subgroups, with language names in italics. Red symbols indicate previously published mitochondrial or nuclear genomes; blue symbols indicate new unpublished data. Circles indicate contemporary Aboriginal Australian samples, and stars represent ancient individuals. Sample code abbreviations have been included in parentheses. Joanna Groom/Science Advances, Author provided

Mitochondrial vs nuclear DNA

We found by using maternally inherited DNA (mitochondrial DNA), we could successfully determine the origins of 62.1% of bodily remains of ancient Aboriginal Australians included in this research.

But we could not achieve this for the remaining 37.9% of the remains in the study. For these, the results were either inconclusive (due to a lack of contemporary matches or the matches identified were widespread across large geographic distances), or the results were unreliable. In two instances, the closest contemporary matches were not from the same geographic location, but some 635 kilometres away.

As the return to place and Country of ancestral remains is important to many Aboriginal Australian communities, repatriation to incorrect Country would be extremely problematic. Therefore, we are unable to recommend the use of mitochondrial DNA alone for repatriation.

Read more: The Dreamtime, science and narratives of Indigenous Australia

Nuclear DNA (DNA inherited from both parents) provided the most accurate results, working in 100% of cases and to precise geographic locations.

The results obtained were supported by several different methods, each of which independently showed considerable population structure and local continuity between both the ancient and contemporary populations in each geographic location.

However, when combined, these analyses provide strong evidence that nuclear DNA, as a tool for repatriation, is very effective. If applied to unprovenanced ancestral remains, we believe this will greatly assist with their repatriation.

A need for national consultation and standards

Traditional Owner Gudju Gudju Fourmile of the Gimuy Yidniji People of Cairns told us this was an important result, and a solution to a problem that has been a major concern to Aboriginal Australians for more than 50 years. He said:

Many of our ancestors still remain on foreign land, and in storage of museums and collectors. We need to do the right thing to bring them home so their spirit will rest.

Despite our success, however, one question remains unanswered: how should this new tool be implemented? We believe that before DNA is used to facilitate repatriation of ancient remains, a detailed set of standards and protocols should be developed as best practice for museums and other institutions to follow.

As this method requires the destruction of unprovenanced ancient bone, albeit in small quantities, it is imperative that these standards be developed in close consultation with Indigenous communities across Australia. It is essential that a consensus be reached and a decision made by Aboriginal Australians at a national level. This requires a national debate, but it should be among our First People.

Read more: New DNA study confirms ancient Aborigines were the First Australians

From subject to researcher

In addition to developing an effective tool for provenancing ancestral remains for repatriation, this research is significant because it was driven by Aboriginal Australian Traditional Owners and their communities. Their desire to learn more about themselves developed into a major research project in which they were actively involved and equal partners in the direction the research took.

Without their input and knowledge this research would not have been possible.

This is a significant shift from Aboriginal Australians being scientific subjects, as they were in the past, to them becoming researchers in their own right.

– ref. DNA from ancient Aboriginal Australian remains enables their return to Country – http://theconversation.com/dna-from-ancient-aboriginal-australian-remains-enables-their-return-to-country-108168

MIL OSI – Source: Evening Report Arts and Media

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arie Freiberg, Emeritus Professor of Law, Monash University

The community has little sympathy for mass murderers, serial killers or anyone convicted of a very serious crime against another person.

Presumably, this is why the Sentence Administration Amendment (Multiple Murders) Act 2018 passed through the WA state parliament earlier this month without any substantial opposition and was supported by victims’ families.

When proclaimed, the new legislation will allow WA’s attorney-general to instruct the Prisoners Review Board to suspend the assessment, consideration or reporting for parole (or a re-socialisation program) for certain mass murderers and serial killers for up to six years at a time.

Previously, these orders only lasted three years, which meant prisoners denied parole were entitled to have their cases reviewed every three years.

This change affects six prisoners.

The attorney-general will also be able to make multiple instructions, which may mean he or she can order an offender will never be released. This decision is not subject to legal review except in exceptional circumstances.

The primary intention of this law is to reduce the trauma suffered by survivors and secondary victims of such crimes.

It fulfills an election commitment made in 2017 by the incoming McGowan Labor government.

Don’t these offenders deserve to die in jail?

Under WA law, a person convicted of murder and given a life sentence must be given a minimum term of 10 or 15 years, depending on the circumstances of the offence. Alternatively, the court may order the offender never be released on parole in certain circumstances. It’s easy to imagine that mass murderers and serial killers might warrant such a sentence.

However, where a life sentence for murder has been imposed and a minimum sentence served, it is the governor (usually acting on the advice of the attorney-general and the Prisoners Review Board) who has the ultimate power to parole a prisoner.

It appears that minimum sentences were set before the new legislation came into force for these six offenders, some for 30 years.

This arrangement is a hangover from when capital punishment was abolished in WA in 1984. Previously, the executive (that is, the political arm of government) made the final decision about whether the person would be executed. After abolition, the executive retained the power to decide which murderers would be released on parole. This system is unique to WA.

Who decides when someone’s released?

The difficulties with these changes to the law do not lie with the idea that mass murderers should never be released, but who decides if this should be the case.

Under the current law, it is the courts that can decide that “life means life”. This is an appropriate role for the judiciary. And it is appropriate for parliaments to make laws in relation to maximum sentences and parole generally.

However, it is not appropriate for politicians to make decisions about a specific person’s liberty, as they may be influenced by electoral or populist considerations rather than the merits of the individual case.

Read more: Political interventions have undermined the parole system’s effectiveness and independence

In the 1980s, most jurisdictions removed or limited the powers of attorneys-general to prosecute cases and gave this power to independent directors of public prosecutions.

In the same way, establishing independent parole boards from the 1950s, often chaired by retired or serving judicial officers, was designed to separate decisions about a person’s liberty from political influence.

Political pressure

As the debates in the WA parliament reveal, the political temptations are great. Why a delay of six years and not nine or 12? Why only serial killers and mass murderers? And how many victims are required to qualify? Why not paedophiles or child murderers or murderers of one victim?

The answer lies in the broad notion of the separation of powers: politicians make the law, the judiciary applies it and the executive carries out their decisions.

However, governments increasingly have shown a reluctance to trust courts or parole boards as the final decision-makers on sentencing and release powers, and have eroded their authority.

The Victorian parliament has legislated to effectively deny mass murderer Julian Knight and police killers the possibility of release on parole and many jurisdictions have introduced “no body, no parole” laws.

Read more: No prospect of release: Kevin Crump and the human rights implications of life imprisonment

In WA, none of the six people subject to these new extended powers has been released after being considered by the Prisoners Review Board. This suggests the system was working effectively without the need for legislative reform.

It is understandable that victims should not be re-traumatised each time an offender is being considered for release, no matter how remote that possibility. And it is reasonable for the community to expect the most serious punishment for heinous crimes.

But it is also reasonable for citizens to expect that decisions about their liberty should be in the hands of impartial and independent bodies. This is what the “rule of law” should mean.

– ref. Serial killers’ fates are in politicians’ hands. Here’s why that’s a worry – http://theconversation.com/serial-killers-fates-are-in-politicians-hands-heres-why-thats-a-worry-108825

MIL OSI – Source: Evening Report Arts and Media

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle

Christmas and the holidays are a time to relax and celebrate with family and friends. But the festive season can also be a time of unwanted weight gain that won’t budge once the holidays are over.

Research (mostly from the United States) has found adults typically gain 400 to 900 grams over the holidays.

No-one wants to miss out on the celebrations. But knowing more about the kilojoule content of your favourite Christmas treats can help you make conscious decisions about which foods and drinks to have and enjoy, and what portion sizes to choose.

Read more: Health check: do bigger portion sizes make you eat more?

Check the comparisons below, and how much housework or the number of steps you’d need to take to expend that same number of kilojoules. (Note: calculations are based on an adult weighing 70-80 kilograms.)

Try this for starters

Which of these pre-dinner snacks is worth the effort:

A large handful of potato crisps containing 550kJ, which would take 32 minutes of vacuuming or 3294 steps to work off?

Or a handful of fresh cherries (about ten large or 15 small ones) which contains about 150kJ? This would take only 8.5 minutes of vacuuming or 880 steps to work off.

Here comes the main course

Two slices of roast pork and a 30g (matchbox size) piece of crackling contains about 1,415kJ. This is equivalent to spending 54 minutes cleaning windows or taking 8,500 steps.

If you substitute the pork for 12 medium prawns (about 70g) at 260kJ, this is equivalent to ten minutes of washing windows or taking 1,560 steps.

Read more: How to pick an ethically raised ham this Christmas

Sweet swap

If you eat one-eighth (about 90g) of a large plum pudding, you will have consumed about 1,080kJ. You’ll need to take about 6,350 steps to walk it off, or spend 41 minutes raking up leaves in the garden.

Smaller portions come with fewer kilojoules. Shutterstock

In contrast, one 25g rum ball contains about 350kJ, equivalent to 2,060 steps or 13 minutes of raking leaves.

Even better, half a cup of fresh fruit salad at 250kJ is equivalent to 1,470 steps or approximately nine minutes of raking leaves.

How to focus more on celebration

It’s possible to have fun at Christmas and celebrate the time with family and friends while reducing your focus on food. Here are some tips to get you started:

Take a breather between courses. Shutterstock

• think about your Christmas food budget and try to stick to it. Going for less total food but better quality in your budget can help avoid food waste and reduce stress related to finances and food security.

• if Christmas home cooking is a part of your routine, plan to give some away as gifts. Or, think about spending less time in the kitchen cooking and more time contacting those you have not been in touch with for a while.

• plan some fun, post-dinner Christmas activities. Set up some old-fashioned physical games, like a hookey board, a set of skittles, or boules. Make playing compulsory before dessert is served!

Try not to feel guilty

You’d think people who stress about food would have healthier eating habits, but the research shows that this isn’t the case.

One study found that people who associated eating chocolate cake with guilt, rather than a celebration, had eating habits that were less healthy, especially when they were under stress.

Aside from avoiding over-eating, having a focus on enjoying healthy foods as well as some self-compassion can help improve your relationship with food.

Read more: This Christmas, give yourself permission to enjoy pudding

– ref. Christmas versus kilojoules – how to focus more on celebration and less on the food – http://theconversation.com/christmas-versus-kilojoules-how-to-focus-more-on-celebration-and-less-on-the-food-107436

MIL OSI – Source: Evening Report Arts and Media