BtN: Episode 34 Transcript 20/11/12
On this week's Behind the News
· Homelessness on the rise and why it's a particular problem for young people.
· We travel with the flying dentists putting healthy smiles on the faces of outback kids
· And we join a big rescue operation to save these bushfire victims.
Hi I'm Nathan Bazley, welcome to Behind the News. Also on the show today we meet some of the best young lifesavers in the country and find out why they do it. But first.
Royal Commission
Reporter: Sarah Larsen
INTRO: Over the next few weeks and months you'll probably be hearing a lot about something called a royal commission. The government is starting one to look into the issue of child abuse. So what exactly is a royal commission anyway? Sarah looks into it. But first there's a warning to Aboriginal viewers, this story contains images of people who've died.
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Imagine a team of investigators with one mission; find the truth, find a solution and bring about justice.
With all the money and resources they need and the power to force the truth out of anyone, nothing can stop them until their job is done.
Put it that way and royal commissions sound a bit like a prime time drama.
But they're more than 'Law and Order'. They're a way of resolving problems that affect the whole country and they've helped to shape Australia's history.
Basically a royal commission is a big, independent, public investigation; usually into an issue that's controversial or which affects a lot of people.
That might not sound or look very exciting. But royal commissions have decided some important things, for example, this place:
Canberra is Australia's capital because a royal commission decided it was the best place for it way back in 1903.
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Now you might think decisions like that are the job of governments, right? Well, there are times when governments aren't the best people for the job.
For example, what if there was a problem with something the government controlled? How could you be sure you were getting the whole truth?
And there are things that are supposed to be kept separate from politics; like the courts.
Sometimes governments feel an issue is so important that it needs to be investigated publicly without politicians getting involved.
So they appoint a royal commissioner.
There's actually nothing royal about them. Commissioners are usually retired judges or other well-known people.
The important thing is they're independent, not a member of the government or the police or any other institution, so the public can trust that they won't try to hide anything.
The commissioner and his or her team are put in charge of investigating just one issue and they're given special powers to make sure they can get to the bottom of things.
They can call witnesses and look at evidence. No one can refuse to talk to them and once they've started not even the government can stop them although it's up to the government to decide how to use the information they find.
Commissions can be started by state or federal governments and they can investigate all sorts of things.
It was after a royal commission in the 70s that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were given rights to their land.
And in the 80s a royal commission decided Lindy Chamberlain was innocent of murdering her baby daughter Azaria, who had in fact been taken by a dingo.
There have been commissions into police corruption and company collapses.
And more recently, into Victoria's Black Saturday Bushfires.
Investigations like that aren't cheap. Royal commissions cost millions of dollars and they can take years.
But sometimes governments say they're worth it.
Last week the Federal Government ordered a royal commission into child abuse. It followed allegations that organisations like churches were covering up crimes and helping people who'd hurt kids.
It's hoped a royal commission will get to the bottom of it. It'll force issues out into the open and give victims a chance to have their say.
Many are hoping it will uncover the truth, bring about justice and change Australia for the better like other royal commissions have in the past.
PRESENTER: And if you've been affected by the issues in Sarah's report, there's a helpline number on the BtN website.
Okay, let's see what else is making the news now. Here's Matt with the Wire.
The Wire
The worst fighting in years has broken out between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.
Israel says more than 500 rockets have been fired at its cities since Wednesday killing three civilians and wounding dozens.
People in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have had to run for cover as air raid sirens warned of incoming bombs.
KID: It's very scary, we can’t go to school and really we can't go out to the garden.
While in Gaza, officials say Israeli rockets have killed more than 60 people, including children.
Doctors say they're struggling to treat all the injured.
DOCTOR: Three days I couldn't go to home I am exhausted.
World leaders are asking both sides to stop the violence.
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China has a new leadership team.
Shi Jingping will be the country's new president starting next year.
He and his team were chosen by a group of China's most powerful people.
They'll lead the country for the next ten years.
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The world's second biggest fishing boat, the Abel Tasman, has been banned from Australian waters for two years.
The super-trawler came to Australia in September but was given a short term fishing ban after some Australians protested.
They said a boat that big could hurt fish populations.
Now the Government wants an expert panel to look at how the trawler might affect the environment before it's allowed to be used.
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Australia now has the biggest marine park in the world.
3.1 million square kilometres of ocean around Australia is now off-limits to fishing and oil drilling.
The idea is to protect ocean life, just like national parks protect the environment on land.
But some fishing groups are angry, saying it will damage their industry and cost jobs.
Homelessness
Reporter: Natasha Thiele
INTRO: Imagine not having a place to go home to at night. Well, that's the sad reality for people who are homeless. A recent report showed the number of homeless in Australia has risen to more than a hundred thousand. And lots of those are young people. Here's Tash.
NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: It's a busy time of the year for these young volunteers. Sorting, packing and sealing up boxes full of donated goods. These students from St Andrew's School are helping Anglicare get ready for their annual Christmas appeal and some of the things they're sending off will go to people who are homeless.
KID 1: People sometimes they can have a home but they can't pay for it or so they have to live on the streets or in other people's houses and they don't have the resources, like the basic resources like shelter, food and water.
KID 2: People need to be educated about such a topic because not many people are aware of what's happening in our own country.
KID 3: If everybody just chips in to do their part, then we can rid of this problem entirely and around the world.
KID 4: I think you get a better feeling giving than from taking.
Homelessness is a big problem here in Australia. It's on the rise. A new report from the Bureau of Statistics says it's up 17 per cent since the last count. That means more than a hundred thousand people are recorded as homeless and nearly half of them are young people under 25. There are some who say the real figure could be even larger.
So how does someone end up homeless? Well, there are many different reasons why it can happen. They might have family problems or maybe they can't find an affordable place to stay. Steph and Fabiano both know what that's like. They're students now, but they used to be homeless.
STEPH: For three months I was couch surfing, sleeping on the street, doing all that until a friend asked me if I wanted to live with her.
FABIANO: I was sort of forced out, I mean forced out of my mum's house during midnight and then I had nowhere to go and at the same time I was doing exams.
But thanks to a special youth service, they were able to get accommodation and support to help get their lives back on track.
STEPH: Well I've gone back to school, got my licence, doing all that kind of stuff, so yeah it's definitely a lot more positive.
FABIANO: Now I'm doing an Advanced Diploma in Screen and Media, so my future, my biggest goal is to become a film maker.
Fabiano's now directing and producing his own shorts films. He's even part of a music group called Soul Fellas.
These guys are living proof that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
FABIANO: Focus on your dreams and pretty much don't think it's the end of the world. There are services out there that will help you and once you actually get a hold of that help, use it wisely because not everybody gets that chance.
So from being homeless to dreams of becoming a film maker, maybe one day we'll see Fabiano looking through the lens of a camera in Hollywood!
Outback Dentist
Reporter: Natasha Thiele
INTRO: In some of Australia's most remote communities getting medical help can sometimes be quite hard. That's why the Royal Flying Doctors service exists. And it's also the reason why a new program has started putting dentists in the sky as well.
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: This country is more than outback - it's waaay out back. And it's pretty spectacular to see from above. But this flight over the dry middle of Australia isn't just a sandy sight-seeing tour. These people are not here to take in the red earth, they're here to look over some pearly whites!
Every three months for the past year, final year dental students have visited Oodnadatta offering free treatment to anyone who wants an appointment.
CHRISTIAN, DENTAL STUDENT: It is certainly different. You have got a much higher incidence of dental decay out here and lower awareness of dental hygiene so there is certainly a lot more work to do out here very limited with facilities and make do and do your best.
The program is being run with help from the Royal Flying Doctors. They've been providing medical help out here in these parts for ages. But now, they're looking for ways to stop big health problems before they begin. And taking care of your chompers is a big step in the right direction.
PROF. LINDSAY RICHARDS, UNI OF ADELAIDE: In a much broader sense we have come to realise in recent times that your oral health is really an important part of your general health.
That work doesn't just happen in a dentist's chair though, it happens in the classroom as well.
CLASS: So who brushed their teeth this morning? Good!
These kids are getting lessons about what they can do to give their teeth a great head start. They're learning all the basics, from brushing.
CLASS: What I want you to be doing is circular motions, like that, all the way around to the back teeth.
To good food choices.
CLASS: So what kind of foods are good for teeth?
The younger you can teach kids about dental care, the more damage you can avoid, which is great for these kid's health in the long run.
But dental lessons don't take the place of time in the dentist chair. So after the classroom, these kids are still in for some good old-fashioned drilling and scraping. And because 90% of school kids that come through this clinic have at least one cavity, most are sadly in store for some filling work too. It's that kind of statistic that these young dentists want to turn around, by giving kids out here the same access to dentists that the rest of the country enjoys.
AGNETHA, DENTAL STUDENT: It's been quite rewarding, a lot of these people have been quite relieved that we have come, they say they don’t get a lot of dental care. It's something I would definitely consider doing, maybe not full time would like a few times per year to work. It's a good experience and the people are very appreciative to have us.
In fact, they're so appreciative, more and more are coming out for a check-up with each visit. Making these smiles an investment in better outback health for the future.
Quiz 1
OK, let's have a quiz about teeth.
The question is: What is the hard outer surface of a tooth called?
Enamel
Crown
Plaque
Answer: Enamel
Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the body even harder than bones!
Animal Rescue
Reporter: Natasha Thiele
INTRO: Summer can be a dangerous time for bushfires. It's not just dangerous for us though. For wild animals it can be just as deadly. But luckily for some of them animal rescue workers are doing all they can to help out.
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: It was a heart-warming moment during a horrible event. A fireman giving a koala a drink from his hand, whilst fighting a bushfire in South Australia.
FIREFIGHTER: He's not looking too well really.
Seven homes were lost during that fire, but at the same time, it's easy to forget that countless wild animals had their lives turned upside down too.
Many lost their habitats and some, like that poor koala, were injured.
Luckily this one was taken to a local vet for a check-up.
But the news wasn't too good.
He had some pretty nasty burns, so the decision was made to airlift him, along with three other burnt koalas, to Adelaide for specialist help.