EASYPRINT TRANSCRIPTS
Episode 6
06/03/07
Hello I'm Kerry Staight welcome to Behind the News, on today's show

Should smoking outdoors be stamped out

Are rabbits out of control

And surfing history at 18
Also on the program today... meet the kids who are turning out tunes fit for a symphony orchestra.
That item later... but first to our top story this week...
Conflict of Interest
Sarah Larsen, reporter
INTRO:
Politicians are pretty powerful. They make a lot of decisions that affect us. But they also have to follow some strict
rules. One of those rules that's been in the news lately is all about conflict of interest. Those three words may not
sound that interesting, but as Sarah explains they can cause plenty of conflict.
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Politicians behaving badly. It's been a bit of a theme in the news lately.
TONY ABBOTT, HEALTH MINISTER: We're starting to get a sense of this guy...
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Several members of state and federal parliaments have been caught breaking
rules. It's cost some of them their jobs.
Like this guy here.
Senator Santo Santoro used to be the Minister for Ageing but he's resigned because he broke a rule of parliament
that’s says politicians have to say where their money is invested. The rule's there to prevent what's called a conflict
of interest
Anyone in a position of responsibility and trust can have a conflict of interest - politicians, lawyers, or even sports
coaches.
COACH: "Alright, I'm the coach, so I get to choose who plays where. Who wants to be goal attack?"
Team: "I do, I do, I do"
"Hmm… I think I'll give it to….my little sister..."
TEAM: "That's not fair!"
COACH: "I'm the coach. I don't care if it's not fair."
(Whistles) "Everyone on the court."
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: The problem here is the coach hasn't made the best decision for the team. He's
used her position to help his little sister.
The coach has a conflict of interest because his sister is in the team.
And a conflict of interest isn't just when you can use your job to help someone unfairly. It can also be when you can
use your job to unfairly help yourself; if your decisions can make you money.
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That's why politicians are always in the spotlight
Government ministers give out huge amounts of taxpayer's money for all sorts of things like roads, nursing homes,
defence, construction.
The danger is they could do their friends favours and give them some of those jobs.
So when they're elected, politicians have to promise to be fair and they must give parliament a list of things they've
invested money into that belong to them and their families.
It's called a register of interest and it's there so everyone can see if there might be a conflict of interest so they can
make sure there's no favouritism.
Mr Santoro got into trouble because he didn't list all his financial investments.
He says he just forgot about them and there was no conflict of interest.
But Senator Santoro was in charge of aged care services that means he looks after nursing homes.
And as well as his investments, the opposition is asking questions about why a friend of Mr Santoro's got a
government OK to build nursing homes.
Mr Santoro says he's really sorry for the mistake and last week he quit politics altogether saying he was really
embarrassed.
The opposition says he quit to save damage to the Government. And it's not often that you hear the Prime Minister
talk like this.
John Howard, Prime Minister: "It's a (setback) for the government, of course it is. We need something like this like a
hole in the head."
The PM says there was no conflict of interest but he's asked for Mr Santoro's actions to be completely investigated.
Zoom
Other stories in the news this week.. and you'll remember we told you a few weeks ago about David Hicks - an
Australian locked up by the United States because he might be a terrorist.
David Hicks supporters say it’s unfair he's been locked up for 5 years without facing court.
Well on the weekend his father Terry flew to Cuba because Hicks will go before court this week.
It's just the start of the process and it could be months before any decision is made.
A strong earthquake has hit central Japan killing one person and injuring around two hundred.
It triggered landslides, buckled roads and caused at least 25 houses to collapse completely.
And authorities in Germany have decided to keep a polar bear cub alive despite calls for it to be put down
The cub called Knut and it's twin bother were born three months ago but they were rejected by their mother..
The twin died but Knut was kept alive by a keeper who even slept with it.
Some animal rights campaigners think this will humanise the bear too much and make it emotionally dependent
They wanted the zoo to stop keeping the bear cub alive because it was a serious violation of animal rights."
Lead Poisoning
Annabelle Homer, reporter
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INTRO:
Lead is probably something you've heard of. It's a metal, it's very heavy and can be quite handy... for example it's
used in car batteries. But something you might not know is that it's poisonous, which is why it can be very
dangerous for kids. And as Annabelle found out it's not just people who are affected.
It’s like something out of science fiction - scientists in suits test a whole town for a mystery killer.
They're testing the town of Esperance in Western Australia because four thousand birds have just dropped out of
the sky.
But its not a virus from outer space that's the killer, its lead poisoning
The finger is pointing at the town's port which is used to export lead overseas.
Local people are worried they might be poisoned. Tests have shown some of their rainwater tanks have high lead
levels.
"They recommend we empty our rainwater tanks and clean it out"
So what is lead?
Well it's a naturally occurring metal that's mined in quite a few places, in fact Australia is the biggest producer of lead
in the world.
There are 11 mines across the country. The main ones are Broken Hill, Mt Isa, and McArthur River in the Northern
Territory.
ANNABELLE HOMER, REPORTER: Lead used to be used all over the place, pipes like this were made out of it, it
was in house paint, toy soldiers were lead, at one stage it was used in pencils as well.
Petrol used to contain lead, but it was banned in 1986, that's why it's called unleaded. But you can still find lead
under the bonnet of your car - in the battery!
The reason why lead isn't used as much now is because it can be bad for your health.
Small particles can be taken into the body by breathing in lead dust or swallowing water containing lead.
Studies suggest children under four are most at risk.
If you take in a lot of lead it can kill you like the birds in Esperance, but smaller amounts can also cause damage.
It can cause learning and development problems for children.
Luckily problems with lead aren't very common, but there can be problems where lead is mined or processed
because that can create dust.
RUSSEL BOYD, JOURNALIST: Two years ago Eric Riley had more than five times the recommended amount of
lead in his blood.
ANNABELLE HOMER, JOURNALIST: Eric lives in Broken Hill - it's mine is the largest lead producer in Australia.
This town has a lead problem, so does Mt Isa and the same goes for Port Pirie in South Australia, the home of the
largest lead smelter in the world.
SIMON ROYAL, JOURNALIST: This is the lifeblood of Port Pirie and for years controversy has raged about what
lead is doing in the blood of Port Pirie's children.
ANNABELLE HOMER, JOURNALIST: All these places have problems with high lead levels in children.
It's acceptable to have some lead in our body but in Mt Isa, Port Pirie and Broken Hill some kids have blood lead
levels which are above the World Health standard.
Doctors are also worried those levels are rising in some places after they managed to reduce them over the past
twenty years
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Peoples lead levels are checked with a simple blood test - if their levels are high they have to reduce dust around
their homes and their workplaces or move.
Mining companies and the government are also trying to reduce lead dust.
Back in Esperance, lead shipments in the port have been stopped until the source of the bird deaths has been
found.
But the one thing puzzling everyone is that the pigeons which live right in the port itself, seem alive and well.
So is the port to blame? The mystery continues....
True or False?
Gold is heavier than lead
And that's TRUE
If you had a piece of gold and a piece of lead both the same size, the gold would be heavier.
Smoking Bans
Helen Gray, reporter
INTRO:
Now to smoking - we all know that it's bad but it's not illegal, so people still have a right to puff. But should people
have the right to tell smokers where they can and can't smoke? Helen has more.
HELEN GRAY, REPORTER: It's hard to imagine that ever happening, trying to watch your favourite movie, and
having someone smoking next to you.
Yuck!
Well it wasn't all that long ago, that people could smoke in cinemas, on planes, in hospitals, at work - pretty much
anywhere they liked.
But then things changed, researchers worked out that smoking isn't just bad for smokers, it's bad for other people as
well.
Passive smoking means breathing in someone else's cigarette smoke, which can make you quite sick.
The chemicals in the smoke can cause cancer, heart disease and lung problems, like asthma.
So governments have begun banning smoking in a whole lot of places to protect people from passive smoking, and
also help smokers themselves give up.
Each State has its own set of rules.
Tasmania was the first off the mark - it introduced a total ban on smoking indoors in public places. You can't light up
in concert theatres, hotels, restaurants, anywhere there's a group of people.
And by the end of this year, most States will have followed their lead - apart from the Northern Territory .
Now some people want to take the bans further.
South Australia is about to become the first State to ban adults smoking in cars when there's children with them.
If the adult does decide to light up with some under 16 sitting next to them , they could be fined.
But smoking isn't just being banned indoors or inside cars, it's also being banned outdoors.
Councils like Mosman in Sydney say smoking is a no go in their parks, playgrounds, and on the beach.
So, for example, if one of your parents smoked while they were watching you play a game of football on the local
oval they could get fined.
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If some anti-smoking campaigners have their way, smoking would even be banned in streets and places like this outdoor malls.
But smokers and even some non smokers says its all going too fast .. its time to slow down and take a breath.
VOX POP: They have gone a bit too far. I mean you've got to see it from both points of view - just like people that
are non-smokers, so it's good for them.
VOX POP: I think the minority groups, like the wowsers and the do-gooders in the country have actually taken over and who are they to tell me what I can do with my life.
HELEN GRAY, REPORTER: They think the bans are going too far - and as long as a smoker is standing far enough
away from other people, it should be ok to smoke in outdoor places.
Smokers feel they can't do things they would normally do because of the bans.
There's no doubt these kinds of arguments will continue, but one thing is certain, the push is on to get people to butt
out.
***
And we'd like to know what you think
Should smoking be banned in all outdoor public areas?
We're running an online poll this week and the question is - should smoking be banned in all outdoor public areas?
If you want to vote go to our website at abc.net.au/btn
***
Rabbit Virus
Annabelle Homer, reporter
INTRO:
They may be cute and cuddly - but rabbits are considered Australia's worst introduced pest. They damage the
environment and make life very difficult for native animals. There've been many attempts to wipe them out and
scientists thought they had the answer when they found a special virus. But as Annabelle reports, it looks like the
rabbits have won again.
This is Tess with her pet rabbit - Mr Stinky - Tess has to really look after Mr Stinky because he's at risk of catching a
deadly virus.
A virus that was introduced into Australia to wipe out rabbits - because believe it or not - these furry little animals are
really a pest.
Rabbits cause all sorts of problems for farmers and the environment.
They eat plants before they have a chance to grow and their digging causes soil erosion.
Rabbits were introduced from Europe a hundred and fifty years ago for hunting, but there weren't many natural
predators here so they began breeding like...well rabbits.
A rabbit can start breeding when it’s just three months old, a male can mate seven times a week and a female can
have as many as 40 babies a year.
So you can see why they quickly became Australia's number one pest.
To try and control them farmers ripped their warrens, laid poison, built rabbit proof fences and shot them...but still
they spread.
So in the 1950s the scientists got involved.
It was decided to use biological control - that's when something like a virus is used to control a pest.
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A virus from Spain was released that causes a disease called myxomatosis.
It's a disease that kills rabbits - but don't worry it doesn't affect other animals or humans.
At first it was a big success. It wiped out millions, but eventually rabbits became resistant and numbers grew to
around 300 million.
So scientists decided to have another go - and brought in the calicivirus from Europe nine years ago.
The calicivirus is another type of biological control.
It also kills rabbits but doesn't affect humans.
But like myxomatosis it only worked for a while and the number of rabbits has started increasing again
Scientists are trying to find out what's gone wrong, but they think rabbits might have developed a resistance to the
disease - so they don't get sick
Its estimated rabbits can cause 300 hundred million dollars worth of damage every year, so farmers say we need to
find a new rabbit killing virus as quickly as possible.
In the meantime they're doing anything they can, ripping up their warrens, using carrots laced with the virus, and
even explosives.
Of course that might leave you worried about what could happen to Mr Stinky and other pet rabbits.
ANNABELLE HOMER, REPORTER To keep stinky safe - you have to keep him in a suitable enclosure or on a tight
leash so he doesn't run away and meet other rabbits who could have the disease. If you take him to the vet he can
also get vaccinated against calicivirus.
And while having a pet rabbit is popular, we should point out that if you live in Queensland, it’s illegal to own one - if
you get caught - the fine is up to 30 thousand dollars.
That's a lot of lettuce leaves.
***
How big is the world's biggest rabbit?
Is it
a. 6 kilos
b. 11 kilos
c. 19 kilos
The answer is c. 19 kilos.
***
Zoom
To sports news now....and Australia has moved into the next stage of cricket's world cup without losing a game.
On the weekend it beat South Africa by 83 runs and opener Matthew Hayden knocked up the quickest century in the
tournament's history.
In the swimming world championship in Melbourne, the women's four-by-100 metre freestyle relay team won the first
gold for Australia.
The locals were the underdogs, but Jodie Henry came from behind to edge out the Americans in the final.
***
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The bunny's name is Amy and it lives in England. While a lot of sources say Amy is number one it is a bit hard to be
sure because the Guinness Book of Records has stopped taking entries. It was worried people were overfeeding
their bunnies. Whatever the case, it's still a lot of rabbit.
Dale Richards
Sarah Larsen, reporter
A young Queenslander has surfed his way into the history books. Dale Richards is the first Aboriginal Australian to
get into a world championship tour. As Sarah reports he hopes his achievement will inspire other aboriginal people.
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: A day at the beach might be relaxing for most of us .. but not if you're a professional
surfer.
The world tour is as competitive and intense as any sport and it takes a huge amount of dedication and practice to
make it
This month Tweed Heads teenager Dale Richards battled his way through trials to compete in his world
championship event
His progress was set back by three-time-world champion Andy Irons, but there was little disappointment.
DALE RICHARDS, SURFER: "The first comp I ever won was actually the trials so lucky enough to win that one
and surf up against Andy, surf against all my heroes really, so stocked"
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: To make it into the competition he practised eight hours a day .. but while he's
dedicated now .. his career in surfing began by accident.
DALE RICHARDS, SURFER: "I started when I was ten when we moved down here pretty much because I had
nothing else to do here really and the surf was there so I guess I started and never gave up. I used to play football
but hurt my knee and that's when I started surfing."
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Now he's finding out there are no limits.
He'll continue on the junior pro circuit and maybe one day soon he'll be in the championships again
He wants his success to inspire other aboriginal people to try surfing.
DALE RICHARDS, SURFER: "I hope so, definitely. There needs to be more indigenous surfers. Yeah, it keeps
them off the streets really and plus there's not enough of us surfing. They're normally always good at football or
something so why not try surfing, why not try something different?"
Kid Symphony
Sean Maynard, reporter
Now from the surf to some symphonies. They may not be Beethoven’s just yet, but eight young classical composers
are hitting all the right notes thanks to a bit of help from a professional orchestra. Sean has been tuning in.
SEAN MAYNARD, REPORTER: This is a dream come true for these young musicians
SAM: "This morning I came in and heard the violinist rehearsing and I said I'd recognise that music anywhere. He'd
only played a few bars but I just picked it out immediately...it was an amazing feeling just to hear it.''
SEAN MAYNARD, REPORTER: Sam is one of eight high schoolers hearing the notes he wrote practised by
professional musicians.
All the students had to write a 10 minute symphony.
They composed pieces for every instrument, using computers, pianos, pencils and their imagination
PERRY: I write most of my stuff on the computer…this is the first time I've heard real instruments and obviously you
can't play them all….
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SEAN MAYNARD, REPORTER: Music teacher Richard ... says writing symphonies used to be a popular past-time
RICHARD, MUSIC TEACHER: "....now everybody listens to music but nobody writes"
SEAN MAYNARD, REPORTER: So this project was set up to revive the dying art
Some of the most famous composers started when they were kids.
Mozart was writing music when he was only five years old!
That's how old Camilla was when she started playing the cello.
CAMILLA: "I've kinda started struggling between whether I'm going to become a performer or composer now and it's
hard to let go performing because I was doing it since I was 5”.
"People actually joke about how much music I do and say that's all I can ever think about."
SEAN MAYNARD, REPORTER: That's something most of the musicians have in common - a passion for music and
a one track mind.
SAM: "During Maths I get a bit bored - I just have a little doodle."
"I get so much fulfilment out of music - sitting down at the piano, I don't have to watch TV - just playing with other
people and everything it's just fantastic..."
SEAN MAYNARD, REPORTER: And composing is a way of sharing that passion with other people
CAMILLA: "I just, I want to make a difference to music, basically. That's what I want to do."
It’s planned to run the project every year so if you think you're a budding Beethoven start writing.
To apply for next year's competition, visit the Sydney Symphony website at:
http://www.sydneysymphony.com/sinfonietta/
Closer:
That's it for another BTN. If you want to see any of the stories from today's show go to our website at abc.net.au/btn.
See ya next week.
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