Questions for discussion
Gas Bonanza
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Briefly summarise the BtN story.
What percentage of Australia’s power comes from natural gas?
Where are the biggest reserves of natural gas in Australia?
How much natural gas is thought to be in the Gorgon gas field?
Explain how natural gas is made.
Which countries want to buy gas from the Gorgon project?
Why are some people opposed to selling the gas to other countries?
What are some environmental concerns about the gas project?
How has the company building the mine responded to these concerns?
What do you understand more clearly since watching the BtN story?
Create a plus, minus and interesting chart about mining natural gas.
Asbestos alarm
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Discuss the main points of the BtN asbestos story with another student.
What is asbestos?
Why was it described as the `wonder’ building product?
Over what time period was asbestos used in Australia?
How big are the fibres?
What diseases can asbestos cause?
When is it dangerous?
How long can it take for asbestos related diseases to develop?
What products were recently found to contain asbestos?
What are three facts about asbestos that you learnt watching the BtN story?
Send a message or tell us what you think on the BtN Guestbook.
Made in Australia
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
© ABC 2009
Explain the BtN story to another student.
What are imported goods?
Where does Australia import most goods from?
Complete the following sentence: `Buying imported products means that the
money…’
What effect does that have on Australia?
What does it mean when products are labelled `made in Australia’?
What does `product of Australia’ mean?
Why are Australian owned and made products good for local business?
EPISODE 24
1ST SEPTEMBER 2009
9. What are the benefits of buying products from overseas?
10. Do you think more should be done to promote Australian owned and made
products? Explain your answer.
`Should companies have to put more information on labels about where their products
are made?’ Vote in the online poll.
Venezuelan orchestra
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
What was the main point of the story?
What is an orchestra?
Describe the backgrounds of the kids in the orchestra.
What instrument does Genesis play?
What is her ultimate goal?
How does the project support disadvantaged kids?
How did the idea for the orchestra start?
Describe an average day for kids involved in the orchestra.
How has music changed their lives?
How did this story make you feel?
Find out more about the instruments used in an orchestra at
http://library.thinkquest.org/C005400/inst/index.html Create a quiz, crossword or word
search based on the information you find.
Lyrebird mimics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Illustrate an aspect of the BtN lyrebird story.
Why is the enclosure being built at the Adelaide Zoo?
What sorts of noises has Chook the lyrebird been imitating?
Apart from constructions noises, what else does Chook mimic?
Why do lyrebirds mimic?
Think of three adjectives to describe the behaviour of lyrebirds.
Where in Australia are lyrebirds found?
What does omnivorous mean?
At what time of the year do lyrebirds mimic?
How did the lyrebird get its name?
Test your knowledge in the online lyrebirds quiz.
© ABC 2009
Gas bonanza
Focus Questions
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Briefly summarise the BtN story.
What percentage of Australia’s power comes from natural gas?
Where are the biggest reserves of natural gas in Australia?
How much natural gas is thought to be in the Gorgon gas field?
Explain how natural gas is made.
Which countries want to buy gas from the Gorgon project?
Why are some people opposed to selling the gas to other countries?
What are some environmental concerns about the gas project?
How has the company building the mine responded to these concerns?
What do you understand more clearly since watching the BtN story?
Making gas
Discuss with students the main points of the BtN story. Brainstorm a list of uses for
natural gas both in the home and the wider community.
It is believed that natural gas is formed over millions of years from decaying marine
plants and animals. Explain to students that they will be investigating how natural
gas is produced. Students will be conducting an experiment that investigates how
decaying organic materials can form a gas (biogas in this experiment). Before
students begin the experiment, clarify their understanding of how natural gas is
formed.
EPISODE 24
1ST SEPTEMBER 2009
Learning Area
Science
Key learning
Students will
conduct an
experiment to
develop a deeper
understanding of
how natural gas is
formed.
Materials








Small amount of minced meat or a boiled egg
Vegetable scraps
Plastic bottle
Balloon
Sand
Funnel
Water (approximately 30 ml)
Duct/masking tape
Procedure
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Place the food in the plastic bottle.
Cover with sand.
Slowly pour in water.
Attach balloon to the neck of the bottle.
Secure with tape.
Move bottle to a warm place.
Students will need to make daily observations over a 5-7 day period and record any
changes.
© ABC 2009
.
Ask them to predict what they think will happen.
Record daily observations (write and illustrate).
What do you think caused the changes to the balloon?
Discuss with students the results of their experiments and possible reasons for the
changes observed. What are the similarities and differences between the formation
of gas in their experiment with the formation of natural gas?
Further investigation
Research the differences between biogas and natural gas (composition, production and
uses).
 Related Research Links
ABC News – WWF outraged by $50b Gorgon project
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/30/2640643.htm
ABC News – Gorgon gas project a step closer|
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/17/2658543.htm
ABC News – Oil spill emergency off WA coast
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/21/2663062.htm
ABC News – Green groups up in arms over oil spill
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/24/2664260.htm
ABC News – Garrett gives Gorgon gas go-ahead
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/26/2667209.htm
The Gorgon Project
http://www.gorgon.com.au/01gp_project.html#frames(content=01gp_project_body.
html)
Energy Australia – Natural gas
http://www.energykids.energyaustralia.com.au/natural_gas
© ABC 2009
Made in Australia
Focus Questions
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
Explain the BtN story to another student.
What are imported goods?
Where does Australia import most goods from?
Complete the following sentence: `Buying imported products means that the
money…’
What effect does that have on Australia?
What does it mean when products are labelled `made in Australia’?
What does `product of Australia’ mean?
Why are Australian owned and made products good for local business?
What are the benefits of buying products from overseas?
Do you think more should be done to promote Australian owned and made
products? Explain your answer?
What is made in Australia?
Watch the BtN story again, asking students to pay close attention to the part of the
story where Nathan explains the three main types of labels found on food. Clarify
students’ understanding of the following:



EPISODE 24
1ST SEPTEMBER 2009
Learning Area
Society and
Environment
Key learning
Students will
critically analyse
food labelling in
relation to
Australian and
imported products.
Made in Australia
Product of Australia
Australian owned and made
Some organisations promote Australian products by placing their logo on the
product. Examples of these logos can be found at the following websites
http://www.australianmade.com.au/faq_s
http://www.ausbuy.com.au/faqs.html#c53.
Ask students to:
 Draw the different logos and write an explanation of what they mean.
 Find out how companies get the logo on their products?
 What do the logos mean for the owners of the product and the consumer?
Students will need access to a
range of food packaging for
this activity.
Working in groups of 3-4, students will be analysing a range of food packaging to
determine which category they fit into. Ask them to record the name of the product,
the wording on the label and any words or graphics that suggest that the product is
Australian.
Product
© ABC 2009
Additional words or
graphics
.
Information on label
Wording on label
(including logo if used)
For example
Australian flag,
map, animals
Made in Australia
Product of Australia
Australian owned
and made
Discuss what each group discovered about the labels on the products they analysed.
Focus the discussion on:

Was it clear on the label where the ingredients were from, ownership of the
company, production/manufacture of goods?

Were there any additional words or graphics that suggest the product is
Australian?

Is the labelling clear for consumers? Could it be improved? How?
Going further
Design a survey and interview people who are responsible for purchasing food to
find out about what influences their decisions and choices about what they buy.
This could include taste, price, packaging and where the product is from. Do they
look for Australian made and owned products? Why or why not?
 Related Research Links
ABC News – Community back `Buy Australian’ push: Unions
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/26/2636546.htm
ACCC – Australia Made campaign
http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/286933/fromItemId/815972/qui
ckLinkId/815429/whichType/org#
Australian Made – Frequently asked questions
http://www.australianmade.com.au/faq_s
Ausbuy – Frequently asked questions
http://www.ausbuy.com.au/faqs.html#c53
© ABC 2009
BtN: Episode 24 Transcripts
On this week's Behind the News:
 Why families are being warned about some deadly bags.
 The push to make Australians buy Australian.
 And the bird that thinks it’s a construction worker.
Hi I'm Nathan Bazley welcome to another week of Behind the News.
Also on the show today – kids making music to change their lives.
But before we go to our features, let’s check the breaking news.
The Wire
Bushfires in New South Wales have burnt one house and threatened
many others.
Fire fighters are worried it means we're facing a really dangerous fire
season because the fires were so early.
The high danger season normally doesn't start for a few months.
*************
Across in the United States there are also major fires in California.
More than 10 thousand homes have been evacuated there.
© ABC 2009
01/09/09
Gas Bonanza
Reporter: Sarah Larsen
INTRO: Let's go to our features now.
Energy is crucial - just think of how many times you use it in a day.
To make all that power you need enormous amounts of raw
materials, but imagine how much more they need in countries like
China and India where they have massive populations.
They need so much they have to buy from overseas and one place
they come to is Australia.
Sounds like a good thing, but as always, there is another side to the
argument. Here's Sarah to explain.
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: There's something Australia's got and
the world wants it. Australia has gas.
REPORTER: Of course, we're talking about natural gas; the stuff that
cooks dinners, warms showers and powers generators that make
electricity.
Almost 20 percent of the power used in Australia comes from natural
gas. The biggest reserves in the country are here; under the sea bed
near Barrow Island in Western Australia. They're known as the
Gorgon gas fields. They reckon there's enough down there to power a
city of a million people for more than 800 years. Gas is a fossil fuel,
which means it probably came from the remains of ancient plants and
animals that lived on the earth and in the ocean. When they died they
were covered by earth and with millennia of heat and pressure and
became either oil or coal or gas. There's oil under Barrow Island as
well and these nodding donkeys have been pumping it out for
decades. But now, there's a plan for a much bigger project to tap the
© ABC 2009
gas in the Gorgon fields nearby. It could end up being the most
expensive thing ever built in Australia. It'll mean a lot of jobs and a lot
of money. A few weeks ago China agreed to pay 50-billion dollars for
20-year's supply of gas from the Gorgon project. That's the biggest
business deal ever done in Australia! India's also signed up for 25billion dollars worth. But hang on. Not everyone's celebrating!
Let's go back to Barrow Island. It's an important place for some rare
plants and animals like the Flat Backed Turtle which breeds there. It's
been a nature reserve for almost 100-years. And even though drilling
has gone on the plants and animals are still thriving. But some worry
the Gorgon Project will change that. There will be a processing plant
here so the gas can be turned into liquid and sent overseas. That'll
mean a lot of ships and thousands of workers who might bring pests
that could ruin the environment. The company says it's working with
environmentalists to make sure that doesn't happen. But some say it
would be safer if the plant was built on the mainland. And last week
another issue came up.
In the Timor Sea a rig sprung a leak. It's owned by a different
company but some people reckon the same thing could happen to the
Gorgon Project. But the company in charge says it's not fair to
compare oil with gas. It says the chances of something like this
happening are really low. There is another issue. While other
countries are ready to pay big bucks for Aussie gas, some reckon we
should keep it here. They say it doesn't create as much pollution as
coal so Australia should be using the gas instead of coal to make
electricity. The government's looked at all these issues but last week it
decided the project should go ahead, which means that pretty soon a
lot more people in distant parts of the world will be powering their
lives with Aussie gas.
Presenter: That's an incredible amount of money - and all for some
gas.
Now Sarah told you there that it's made into a liquid to be
transported, so we might make that our quiz.
© ABC 2009
Quiz 1
The question is 'What is natural gas called when it is a liquid?'
1. LPG
2. LNG
3. Kerosene
Answer: LNG
LNG stands for liquefied natural gas, LPG is something which is used
in lots of cars and stands for liquefied petroleum gas.
Asbestos Alarm
Reporter: Catherine Ellis
INTRO: Let's talk about another raw material now - this one is called
Asbestos. It was a substance that was used in the building of many
homes and by many industries - but it was dangerous and could kill
people.
For that reason it was banned, but now experts are warning us of
another way that it could threaten Australians. Catherine's got all
the info.
CATHERINE ELLIS, REPORTER: It's a mineral found underground
and was once described as the 'wonder' building product.
Asbestos made stuff fireproof, waterproof and strong - it was light and
a great insulator.
© ABC 2009
So from the 30s to the 80s it was widely used to make everything
from water pipes, to roof insulation, floor coverings, cement and paint
in homes, schools and other buildings.
There was huge demand for it around the world and it all seemed
fabulous until people realised how dangerous it could be.
The tiny fibres - which can be up to 200 times thinner than a human
hair - are toxic.
If you breathe them in, they can cause a range of lung diseases,
including cancer.
CATHERINE: Many buildings including schools and homes still
contain asbestos because they were built between the 30s and 80s,
but if you're sitting in your classroom or living room you've got
nothing to worry about because the stuff is only dangerous when it
becomes airborne.
So it has to be broken up and the fibres released before people can
breathe it in.
Before it was banned miners and other workers got it all over them and it could even spread to the rest of their family when they came
home with it on their clothes.
Many victims have spent years fighting for compensation from
asbestos companies - angry that they knew about the dangers but
didn't tell the workers or the public ‘til years later.
Mums and dads have become sick from renovating homes built with
asbestos.
And because the lung diseases can take forty years to develop, some
people are only finding out now that they've been affected.
© ABC 2009
ROSE MAIRE, ASBESTOS DISEASES SOCIETY: A lovely young man
who is an accountant has just died and his exposure was as a 14-yearold helping his older brother build a fence -and there are a lot of cases
like that.
These days asbestos isn't used because it's been banned and old
buildings that do contain it often have warning signs like this one.
Also builders renovating old homes now know what to look out for
and there's specially trained workers in protective suits that can be
called in to safely take it away.
But now there's a new worry.
It's been revealed the hessian bags used by an asbestos company to
transport the deadly fibre were recycled.
So fruit sellers, banana plantation workers and wheat farmers, who
used the bags, have been exposed.
Kids used them for sack races - four of the children at this carnival
died from asbestos illnesses.
Another huge worry is the bags also went to carpet factories to make
underlay - so many thousands of homes could contain it.
Experts say it's okay if it's left alone, but those wanting to rip up old
carpet should get advice before unknowingly exposing themselves to
the deadly fibre.
Buy Australian
© ABC 2009
Reporter: Nathan Bazley
INTRO: During the tough economic conditions a lot of people have
put forward plans to help local businesses hold off the recession and
continue to make money.
One of them put to the government a few months back was the 'Buy
Australia' campaign, which aimed to give preferential treatment to
Aussie companies when the government buys all its goods and
services and encouraged you to do the same.
It sounds like a good idea, but how do you know which companies
are actually Australian?
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: Products, products, products.
Every day we are faced with something being sold to us.
There are so many options out there and the supermarket is where
most of us make the choice of what we'd like to buy.
NATHAN: But how do you decide on what you want? Is it taste?
Price? Or maybe how bright the packaging is? Well one thing that
probably hasn't crossed your mind is where a product comes from.
Products brought in from overseas are called imports.
USA is where most of our imports come from, followed by China, then
Japan.
We pay them money and they sell us their stuff.
But what you might have noticed is by doing that, our money is
heading overseas.
© ABC 2009
NATHAN: But some Australians have a problem with that. They
reckon money that heads overseas can't help our economy - it'll help
theirs instead.
If you spend your money on something Australian, then the money is
more likely to stay here.
So it’s a pretty good thing for local businesses, who need to hire more
staff, who spend more money; which is all awesome for our economy.
NATHAN: So how do can you tell which products are Australian and
which aren't? Well there are three main types of labels you can find
on your food at home.
The first says 'Made in Australia', like on this Vegemite, and while this
might sound good, all it means is that more than half of the cost of
producing it was spent here.
The company that makes Vegemite is actually owned overseas, so
that's where some of the profits could go.
The second label is 'Product of Australia', like on this long life milk.
This means it's mostly made here and at least some of the ingredients
are from Australia too. But the company still doesn't have to be owned
here.
The third label is 'Australian Owned and Made', like on these
cornflakes, and it's the best of all the labels for local businesses.
It means that the product is made here AND the company is mostly
owned here, so the profits will hopefully stay put!
© ABC 2009
This is the basis of the campaign to 'Buy Australian' and unions here
spent a lot of time trying to convince the government to do as much of
its spending here as possible.
But originally, they said no.
Wait. Why would they say no to something that seems so good for the
country?
Well there are some benefits to buying things overseas.
Things made in bigger countries can often be made much, much
cheaper than here at home; and if we buy lots of things from other
countries, they're often more happy to buy things off us.
So it's a complicated argument!
Eventually, the government agreed to try to buy Australian and it will
set up a campaign to convince us to do the same.
It's hoping that extra money bouncing around the country will result
in a healthier economy and healthy smiles from producers too.
Presenter: As we touched on, there are quite a few Aussie labels that
you'll see on products.
Some are by organisations that promote Australian companies
making Australian products - others are not as straightforward.
They can be a bit confusing, so we've put more info on our website to
help you work out what to look for.
© ABC 2009
Poll
We'll also make that this week's poll.
The question is 'Should companies have to put more information on
labels about where their products are made?'
If you want to vote go to our website at abc.net.au/btn
Venezuelan Orchestra
Reporter: Nathan Bazley
INTRO: A few weeks ago we brought you the story of some talented
Aussie kids who were chosen to play in the Australian Youth
Orchestra.
Well this week we have a similar story, but from a completely
different perspective.
In it we travel to Venezuela where kids from poor and violent
neighbourhoods have a similar dream - to play classical music.
But despite their disadvantage, there is a program helping them to
do just that.
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: This orchestra has one of the best
reputations in the world.
On tour, they play with passion and skill for some of the richest and
most powerful classical music lovers around.
© ABC 2009
But the backgrounds of the kids that make up this group couldn't be
more different.
Most have come from areas of crime, violence and poverty; on the
streets of Caracas in Venezuela.
But music has become their ticket out.
Caracas is the capital of Venezuela which is east of Australia.
13 year old Genesis lives there in a part of the city known for its
violent gangs and poor residents.
Her building doesn't have a lift, so each day she climbs twelve floors
to her small apartment, where she lives with her mother, step-father,
grandmother, two brothers, two aunts and two cousins.
GENESIS DA SILVA: It's very dangerous. People are very involved...
it's always to do with the gangs. No-one is really taking care of their
life. It's very difficult.
But despite all this, Genesis knows exactly what she wants to do with
her life. She wants to play music.
GENESIS DA SILVA: My ultimate dream is to be part of an orchestra.
My goal has been to get there and I think that with the effort and the
desire that I put in, I can achieve it.
Her family wouldn't come close to having the money to pay for her
chosen instrument, the Clarinet, let alone lessons.
But here in Venezuela that doesn't matter because of a special
government project.
© ABC 2009
It all started as an idea to steer kids away from a life of crime. Free
music lessons and instruments for kids willing to put in the effort.
From that idea it's grown into 220 youth orchestras, with over
400,000 kids lining up for lessons each day.
Most are from some of the poorest areas of the country, and they can't
get enough of it!
REPORTER: Most kids in the West like to go home from school and
play on the computer. I mean do you have to force these kids to play
music?
RAFAEL ELSTER, MUSIC SCHOOL DIRECTOR: They are poor
people. They don't have computers. They don't have toys. They don't
have anything. This is the most valuable thing for them, their
instruments, the orchestra.
It's so valuable to kids like Genesis that they put huge amounts of
time and effort into their lessons.
After sitting in school classes from seven to one, they play music ‘til
six before finally heading home for the day.
RAFAEL ELSTER: So these kids work like 14 hours a day. When they
don't, they just go home and sleep. That's no time for getting in
trouble.
Genesis is hoping that ultimately, all that practice will lead to this, the
nation's top youth orchestra.
Today, she is playing after their rehearsal for friends and family.
© ABC 2009
But one day, she hopes to be one of them; who leave the slums on the
back of a songbook.
The Score
Now we’re about to meet another special kid in The Score.
************
Mia Lines is only four years but she is already training three hours a
day to become a tennis star.
MIA: I want to win all of them
REPORTER: So you want to win a grand slam?
MIA: Yeah
Her dad quit his job and took her to the United States to learn from
the coach who produced the Williams sisters and Andy Roddick.
He introduced her to the game just after she was born.
Some people say it’s too much.
MIA’S DAD: I’m going to let Mia decide how she goes . Some say 3
hours is too long – a lot of people let kids play 3 hours on play
stations.
He says she still gets the chance to be a kid.
© ABC 2009
************
Presenter: What do you think about that? Drop us a line in the
Guestbook.
Lyrebird Mimics
Reporter: Catherine Ellis
INTRO: Now to Adelaide Zoo where builders are busy constructing a
huge enclosure for the arrival of two pandas from China.
But something quite amusing has been happening - one of the zoo’s
long time residents 'chook' has been imitating the sound of their
tools!
No doubt you've heard birds sing and say basic stuff like "polly
wants a cracker", but this bird is absolutely insane! Catherine went
to check out 'chooks' amazing party tricks!
CATHERINE ELLIS, REPORTER: You can see everyone is hard at
work turning this, into this, getting ready for the arrival of WangWang and Funi in October.
But even when the workers down their tools, often the noise keeps
going.
And here's where it's coming from! 'Chook' can do the drill, the
hammer and whole range of building site sounds.
BRETT: We think that one of the car starting noises that he does is
one of the tractors starting up sounds a lot like a diesel starting up. As
well when they did the roof he's learnt how to do some of the roofing
screws getting put into place which is quite interesting.
© ABC 2009
He can also - okay not sure what that is but he can do the Kookaburra
and mimic dozens of other birds.
So what type of bird is he? Chook is no chook, he's a lyrebird whose
natural sound is (LYREBIRD SOUNDS).
But all lyrebirds have this amazing ability to mimic.
BRETT: It's just to attract a mate really he's trying to attract a female
and I think the bigger repertoire they have, the better chance they've
got of getting a mate as well as scaring away potential males that
could get in their way.
Chook may have an impressive repertoire plus some cool dancing
moves, but at 30 years of age he's still single and living alone.
Lyrebirds have beautiful feathers, but they rarely fly - they're runners!
BRETT: I've seen them in the wild and they're incredibly fast and very
good at running through the undergrowth. If you ever see a lyrebird
in the wild if you can follow them you've done very well.
Lyrebirds are found in rain forests along the East Coast of Australia
and Tasmania.
But there's a place we can all spot them - on the ten cent piece!
Lyrebirds are omnivorous creatures, which means they eat animals
and plants, like insects, fruit and berries. Their strong feet are
designed to dig and Chook loves digging for worms!
BRETT: This is a digging machine.
CATHERINE: Yeah he's sort of digging my arm to pieces.
© ABC 2009
BRETT: He's mating with you.
CATHERINE: Are you serious!
Well he's certainly keen.
Not so keen on my cameraman, though!
And I caught more of that on my camera.
It's not really Ben though, it's the camera mic. chook doesn't like. He's
really pretty friendly.
CATHERINE: I can teach you some songs maybe some Britney Spears
or something.
CHOOK: “Oh baby baby.”
Okay that didn't really happen, but the other sounds are amazing. You
may have to wait ‘til next year, to see it for yourself because lyrebirds
only mimic during the mating season which ends around September
and doesn't start up again until April.
Presenter: Ha- you have no idea how relieved I am that there isn't a
bird imitating Britney - although probably better than imitating
Catherine singing.
Quiz 3
That's nearly it for today, but just before we go let’s see how much you
know about lyrebirds.
© ABC 2009
Lyrebirds are called lyrebirds because:
1. They are telling lies when they mimic other animals
2. When they spread their tails they look like a musical
instrument called a lyre
3. They were discovered by a botanist called Thomas Lyre
The answer is - their tails look like a musical instrument called a lyre.
Closer
Hope you got that one right - it was an instrument used a lot in
ancient times.
Now that's it for another show. See you next time!
© ABC 2009