On This Week's Behind the News s7

BtN: Episode 28 Transcript 12/10/10

On this week's Behind the News:

·  Can one dollar buy you another dollar and why would you want to?

·  We look at what's being done to reduce the number of people drowning.

·  And if you like the sound of your own voice then a career in radio might be just your thing.

Hi I'm Nathan Bazley, welcome to Behind the News.

Also on the show today, we're going to meet some kids who are travelling all the way to Rome in Italy to witness a very special religious event.

Taser Debate

Reporter: Nathan Bazley

INTRO: Last year we told you about the use of Tasers, a gun that uses electricity to stop dangerous people without hurting them permanently.

Police around the country are using them more and more as an alternative to handguns.

But lately there have been a few cases of these supposedly safe weapons killing the people they are meant to be shocking.

Should police stop using them? Let's take a look.

NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: Policing is a dangerous job.

A day in the office often involves trying to stop dangerous and violent people, desperate to get away.

Many are armed and ready to use their weapons against police or members of the public.

To deal with these situations, police have weapons of their own.

These are police issue handguns.

All police carry these whilst on patrol, as a last line of defence in dangerous situations.

They are trained to use them only against armed criminals; to protect themselves or other people.

But unfortunately, handguns are often fatal.

Not every situation calls for that kind of force though, and the police don't want to see people die unnecessarily.

So police now have a few different options.

The first of these is capsicum spray.

It's based on the active ingredient in chillies, which police spray into the eyes of people who are becoming violent or aggressive.

It blinds and causes irritation for up to an hour, but generally has no permanent effects.

The downside to this is that police officers have to get pretty close to use it, and it doesn't always stop people.

So if someone has a knife, they could still continue blindly swinging it after being sprayed.

This is where the second, more controversial option comes in - Tasers.

The name actually comes from an old kid’s book called "Tom Swift", about a kid who builds an electric rifle.

When a man called Jack Cover invented his own electric gun in the 70s, he named it after "Tom A. Swift's Electric Rifle" or "TASER".

It works by sending a jolt of electricity between two electrodes.

You can also get Taser guns, which fire electrodes attached to wires that stick in a person's skin and give them a jolt.

That causes pain and makes the muscles of the body seize up, meaning they lose control.

That's the big advantage for police. They can disarm people carrying weapons like knives from a safer distance.

They say Tasers have certainly saved officers lives.

And while they do hurt a fair bit, Tasers are very unlikely to kill those targeted.

But unlikely, doesn't mean they can't.

REPORTER: Frantic efforts by paramedics couldn't save the man. His heart stopped when he was Tasered by police.

This is the latest of four Taser deaths Australia-wide over the past few years.

In this situation, NSW police have said the officers involved did exactly the right thing.

But in a couple of other cases, Tasers have been judged to have been used too much, or in situations that didn't call for them.

It's led some people to question their use.

Some object to the pain they inflict, saying it's more like torture than a policing tool.

Others say the risk of death is not being considered before they're used, while others say there needs to be tighter guidelines for when they're used.

Some police have cameras installed on their Tasers, to record the situation as it happens, to make sure they're used in the right way.

And in NSW, these cameras are now becoming mandatory.

But with nearly 7000 Tasers already being used across the country, it looks like these small electric guns, have become a permanent tool for police on the beat.

Presenter: OK that's a serious issue that has a lot of people talking so let's make that our poll this week.

The question is: Should police be allowed to use Tasers?

To vote, just head to our website.

The Wire

Ok there's been a lot happening in the news this week so let's catch up with the headlines on the wire with Alfie.

*****

In Chile the rescue of the 33 miners trapped underground could be finished by Thursday.

Engineers are trying to stabilise a rescue shaft after drilling the chamber on the weekend.

The miners have been trapped underground for more than two months.

****

To Hungary now where workers are racing to build an emergency dam to prevent a second wave of toxic sludge.

A reservoir holding the toxic waste from an aluminium plant is cracking and protective walls are being built around it to hold back further spills.

About 800 people have been moved to emergency accommodation and thousands more have been told to pack a bag and get ready to leave at any time.

In the first wave of sludge, seven people were killed and more than 120 injured.

US Dollar

Reporter: Sarah Larsen

INTRO: If you've caught the news in the past week or two you might have heard a bit about the Aussie dollar being pretty high right now.

But it's not just something for finance experts and accountants to get excited about.

Believe it or not the value of the dollar may affect you and your family.

Why do we pay so much attention to the US dollar? And how does it affect you?

Sarah got out her calculator and came up with the answer.

SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: What can you get for a dollar?

Or how about 98 US cents?

Maybe if you could get to the States that would be helpful.

But we're a long way from the US so why are we so concerned with US dollars? You know what I mean?

And why does the value change so much?

The answer can be found back in time

Way, way back in the old days money was made from precious metals like gold and silver. They're valuable just about everywhere so no matter where you went in the world money would be worth something.

Then they started to make money out of less valuable things - copper and nickel and paper and cloth. So people had to agree on how much it was worth.

The US decided to measure the value of its dollar against gold. That made the value of US dollars pretty trustworthy because you could always swap your notes and coins for solid, valuable gold.

After WW2 other countries decided to measure their money against the US dollar. It became the standard currency that lots of things were traded in.

Eventually it was so trusted that they didn't need gold. Instead they let the markets decide how much a dollar was worth.

Yep, money is traded in financial markets just like everything else. The more people want it the more it's worth, and people want it when the economy's doing well.

Except right now the US economy isn't doing so well. Lots of people are unemployed and the country's in a lot of debt.

So their dollar has gone down in value.

Here in Australia it's a different story. We've got lots of natural resources which are bringing in money, unemployment is low people are spending. The economy's going well so more people want Aussie dollars.

The result?

FINANCE REPORT: The Aussie dollar is worth 98 US cents

REPORTER: That's way higher than usual. The average value of the Aussie dollar over the past 10 years has been about 70 US cents.

Now some people reckon it could get to one whole US dollar. That's called PARITY and if it happens, you'll hear all about it.

It’s actually a pretty big deal. And it affects a lot of people.

Remember that a lot of trading is done in US dollars so imagine you're trying to sell something overseas like fashion.

If the Aussie dollar is high compared to overseas countries, it’s going to cost other countries more to buy your stuff.

It might mean that big companies profit and that affects the whole economy.

But there's good news too, especially if you want to go on an overseas holiday. You'll be able to exchange your Aussie dollars and get more US dollars.

Or if you want to buy something from overseas a high Aussie dollar means imported things like electronics and cars will eventually get cheaper.

Your Aussie dollars will buy you even more!

Presenter: OK still on the money theme let's have a quick quiz.

Quiz 1

What's another word for the US Dollar?

Greenback

Razorback

Hunchback

Answer: Greenback

And that's because the back of the note is printed with green ink!

Drownings

Reporter: Nathasha Thiele

INTRO: Now summer's on the way and most of us love heading to the beach or pool for a swim.

But there are a few things you need to know to stay safe around water especially after some pretty scary stats were released about drownings.

A new report's found the number of Aussies who've drowned is the highest it's been in seven years.

Tash went to find out how we can protect ourselves and others from getting into trouble.

NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: When people travel to our country, they might think sharks are the biggest threat in the water.

But the water itself can be just as deadly!

We hear about people drowning in places like backyard pools, dams and rivers and about a third of all drownings happen in the ocean!

It can happen anywhere, at any time!

REPORTER: Experts say there are four things that can lead to drownings. First is a LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, so you're unaware of the dangers that are actually out there.

REPORTER: Next is being ALLOWED INTO DANGEROUS AREAS like a pool that's not properly fenced.

REPORTER: Another problem is LACK OF SUPERVISION like if you're at the beach and there are no adults or life savers around.

REPORTER: And finally a LACK OF SURVIVAL SKILLS. That means you don't know how to save yourself.

It's those key factors that are most likely to lead to someone drowning in Australia.

Stats show a lot of people who've drowned here are international tourists and migrants.

Surf lifesavers reckon that's because they're not used to our waters, like the strong waves and rips we have in some parts of Australia.

But it's not just the ocean that can be dangerous, swimming pools can be too!

Many kids who drown are under the age of four and have died in backyard pools.

Surf Life Saving Australia is trying to reduce the number of drownings and raise awareness of beach safety.

BEACH SAFETY CAMPAIGN: Your guide to enjoying Australia's beaches safely.

It recently launched a video campaign that's being shown on six international airlines. So overseas visitors can learn about our conditions as they fly in.

The video explains the red and yellow flags and the safety signs on our beaches.

Beach goers are reminded to swim between the flags and with a friend just in case they hit trouble.

There are also brochures, posters and online games to help get the message across.

So how do we prevent drownings from happening?

Well, these young surf lifesavers, Charlotte and Jack, know all about the dangers of getting into trouble in water.

CHARLOTTE: It can be dangerous depending on the conditions and whether you don't know if you know what you're doing well enough and if you go out unprepared and without people watching you or by yourself.

JACK: It's also dangerous if you go out at night because you don't know where you're going as well.

They say there are several things to remember if you're ever in trouble, including not panicking.

CHARLOTTE: They should always read the conditions before they go in and swim between the flags.

JACK: And if they're unsure they should also ask a lifesaver about the safest place to swim as well.

Surf Life Saving wants to reduce the number of drowning deaths by 50 percent by 2020.

So next time you head out for a swim, no matter where you are, remember to keep your eyes and ears open and stay safe!

Presenter: Ok now let's get you thinking about geography with our next quiz.

Quiz 2

The question is: Where is Vatican City?

Brussels

Rome

Venice

Answer: Rome

And its population is around 800.

Aussie Saint

Reporter: Natasha Thiele

INTRO: Well there will be a lot of eyes on Vatican City this weekend because

Australia is getting its first Catholic saint.

Mary MacKillop will be canonised on Sunday at a big event at the Vatican.

But who is Mary MacKillop and what does it take to become a saint?

Tash asked a group of students who are making the journey overseas to join in the celebrations.

NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: Many people have a lot of respect for this woman, Mary MacKillop.

She was born in Melbourne in 1842 and died just over 100 years ago.

Back then most schools were only available to the rich, so Mary opened a free catholic school in the South Australian town of Penola.

It was actually set up in an old stable and any child could go to the school.

Mary then helped open more schools around the country, so kids could get a good education.

By the time she died in 1909, she had helped set up hundreds of schools.