Questions for discussion

Copenhagen

TV Ban

iPod inattention

EPISODE 29

20TH OCTOBER 2009

Wombats

Cadet camp

Focus Questions

Climate change

EPISODE 29

20TH OCTOBER 2009

Learning Area

Society and

Environment

Key learning

Students will

develop an

understanding of

what climate

change is - the

causes, effects

and actions

individuals can

take to reduce

their impact.

Further investigations

Related Research Links

Focus Questions

TV ban

What are the pros and cons of kids watching TV?

EPISODE 29

20TH OCTOBER 2009

Learning Area

Society and

Environment

Key learning

Students will

investigate the

pros and cons of

children watching

TV.

Further investigations

Related Research Links

BtN: Episode 29 Transcripts 20/10/09

On this week's Behind the News:

Should young kids be banned from TV?

Could listening to tunes get you in trouble with the law?

And we check in with some very weary wombats.

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

Also on the show today – Sarah sees if she is cut out for cadet camp.

Those stories all in a sec. but first, it’s been a big week in news, so let’s

check out the headlines. Here’s Kirsty.

The Wire

There was a big time panic in the United States last week when

everyone thought a six year old boy had climbed in to this giant

balloon and was trapped alone in there when it took off.

All America watched as it floated along, but when the balloon

eventually came down the boy was nowhere to be found.

He eventually turned up after and said he was hiding at home.

But now police want to charge his parents with wasting their time

because they think it was just a publicity stunt!

********

A kid who is definitely in the good books is Abby Wootsler in New

Zealand.

She saved dozens of lives during last month’s tsunami in Samoa, so

she was given a certificate of appreciation in front of her school.

The 10 year old was on a beach holiday with her family when she saw

the water all disappear out to sea.

She knew that was a danger sign so she ran along the beach warning

people.

ABBY: I think it's ok I guess. Yeah. I guess everyone who survived is a

hero at the end of the day.

She'd studied tsunamis in class.

********

And the police have told off some parents in Victoria for smacking

their kid with a wooden spoon.

It all started when the girl told her school that she had been smacked

with the spoon at home.

The case has sparked a lot of debate about whether parents should be

allowed to discipline their kids.

Presenter: What do you think about punishment at home? Let us

know what you think on the guestbook.

Copenhagen

Reporter: Sarah Larsen

INTRO: Alright now for our features.

If you've been watching the news lately you would have seen heaps

of stories with our pollies getting worked up about something called

Copenhagen.

But no, they're not fighting over ice-cream - Copenhagen is a place

in Europe.

But it's what's happening there in a few months that's got everyone

talking. Sarah's been finding out why.

SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Welcome to Copenhagen; city of

canals, cobbled streets, copper spires and cyclists! It’s the capital of

Denmark which is in Europe. It was the home of the Little Mermaid's

author Hans Christian Anderson. It's where Australia's very own

princess lives. It's also the birthplace of Lars Ulrich from Metallica

and it’s a brand of ice-cream.

REPORTER: All very good reasons to know about Copenhagen but

none of them explain why it’s been on everyone's lips

ABC PRESENTER: Copenhagen

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Copenhagen

ABC PRESENTER: In Copenhagen

REPORTER: Something very big is brewing in the Danish city.

KOFI ANNAN, FORMER UN SECRETARY: Tick, tick, tick. In

December in Copenhagen our leaders will have an opportunity to

come up with a robust post-climate change agreement.

They're singing about the 15th International Climate Change

Conference which will be held in Copenhagen in December. Leaders

from 192 countries will come to the city and some say the fate of the

world could rest on what happens there.

Kid: So what's so important about it?

Climate change. While there's still some debate about whether or not

humans are causing it, many now agree the possible consequences are

too scary to ignore. And since it’s a problem facing the entire world,

the world is looking for solutions. Since 1992 world leaders have been

meeting to talk about it. In a place called Kyoto in Japan they came up

with an agreement to cut carbon emissions by 2012 but now the UN

wants a new plan get carbon emissions down even more. But getting

190 countries to agree will be difficult.

Kids: So if it is so important why would they be arguing about it?

The plan to reduce greenhouses gases will make it more expensive to

burn fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels has helped many countries

become big, bustling modern economies. Less developed countries

haven't produced as much in the past but they're starting to catch up.

They say it’s not fair to make them pay for a problem they haven't

caused when they're trying to improve the lives of their people. But

some developing countries are becoming massive polluters so it’s

really important they're involved. The UN wants the richer countries

to help out the poorer ones with money and by cutting their own

emissions even more. Back home, cutting back emissions could affect

a lot of people so there's been a lot of arguing about what Australia

should be doing. So you can see why Copenhagen is bracing itself. It’s

possible nothing will be decided and it’s possible we'll see a decision

that could change the way we live.

Presenter: One important meeting – and we’ll let you know how it

goes.

Quiz 1

As well as being part of Europe, Denmark is part of Scandinavia so we

might make that a quiz.

Which country is not in Scandinavia?

1. Sweden

2. Finland

3. Norway

Answer: Finland

Presenter: Most people agree Norway, Sweden and Denmark make

up Scandinavia, but there's argument about Finland and Iceland.

TV Ban

Reporter: Kirsty Bennett

INTRO: When you turn on the TV there are loads of programs to

choose from; cartoons, documentaries, sport and news.

But are all those programs out there good for you?

Some people say it's bad for young kids and they want childcare

centres to ban TV for kids under two. Why? Here's Kirsty.

KIRSTY BENNETT, REPORTER: As we watch television, all of the

information, jokes and gossip flow into our minds. It's a one-way

communication, which means you don't talk back like you would if

you were with friends or family. And while this might be OK for you in

small doses, for really young kids it might not be good for their future.

In the first two years of life, kids learn a lot of very important things.

The way your mum sang songs or your Dad hugged you has had a

huge impact on the growth of your brain. You see there are about 100

billion nerve cells in your brain which connect to each other as you

experience the world, and the way they connect shapes the way we

feel or act as we get older.

REPORTER: Kids around this age learn by touching things, tasting

things and hanging out with their parents. But researchers are

concerned if kids like Ollie here, are plonked in front of the television

they won't be learning and getting the experiences like this.

And they reckon that affects a lot of important skills kids need when

they grow up. They say they don't improve language skills because

they're not talking with friends. They're also worried that watching TV

can stop kids from paying attention for long periods of time, which is

pretty important when you're at school. Watching TV is also a bit of a

health concern, and researchers want the ban so kids have more time

to run around outside and stop the rise of obesity.

So they've made some suggestions to the Federal Government. They

want childcare centres to ban children under two years old from

watching television and they want kids between 2 and 5 to be limited

to just one hour of TV a day. They want parents to cut back at home as

well.

But some other experts disagree. They say TV can grow the

imaginations of young kids and be entertaining. They say it all comes

down to balance, that is, watching TV and then doing something

active like playing soccer with your mates outside. As for the final

decision, the Federal Government isn't keen on a ban. It thinks

parents should make the decision on how much TV kids watch. So

what do you reckon?

GIRL: Cos ABC Kids, I used to watch it and like cos when I was really

new here I didn't really know how to speak their language so I like

sort of learnt how to speak English and like learnt new stuff from

watching TV.

BOY: It's alright in moderation I guess but if they're like stuck in front

of the TV all day then that's a bit - should probably change it.

GIRL 2: I think the TV is kind of boring sometimes they don't have

many like interesting TV shows or new things to yeah watch.

BOY 2: It's probably a good idea. Some kids are on it too much.

GIRL 3: I think it's sort of also the child's choice, whether like if

they're bored then they can watch a bit of TV or something.

Presenter: A few different opinions there, but not too many in

favour of a complete ban.

Poll

Let’s see what you think in this week’s poll.

The question is ‘Should kids younger than 2 be banned from watching

TV?’

If you want to vote go to our website at abc. net.au/btn

iPod Inattention

Reporter: Nathan Bazley

INTRO: Another debate around at the moment also has to do with

entertainment and technology.

In NSW, police have decided using MP3 or mobiles while crossing

the road can be a big hazard and if you get hit by a car - you could

be held responsible.

Let's check out how inattention can lead to serious injury.

NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: It's easy to get wrapped up in your

favourite track.

Sometimes it might mean doing something a little embarrassing.

But what about something a lot more serious?

With so many people using ipods and other electronic devices while

strutting around, police have become worried about how much

attention we're giving our music and how little we're giving to the cars

ahead of us.

NATHAN: A study in the US looked into it and found some scary

stats. Kids are much more likely to get hit by a car or come very close

when using a mobile. Wearing headphones has caused pedestrian

deaths overseas as well.

Last year, NSW police launched an ad campaign aimed at kids which

show what could really happen if they aren't careful around roads.

But this year, they have noticed a big surge in pedestrian deaths - so

police are cracking down.

Anyone who causes an accident while listening to an ipod or using a

mobile can now be fined.

That's exactly what happened in NSW a few months ago. A man was

hit by a car but he was fined instead of the driver because he wasn't

paying attention.

So what do police suggest to make sure you're safe?

Well the first step is to take out your headphones as soon as you get to

any road.

They also recommend hanging up your phone and not answering text

messages anywhere near a crossing.

That way you should be right to hear that favourite track over and

over again!

Wombats

Reporter: Nathan Bazley

INTRO: If there is one animal that takes life pretty easily, it's got to

be the wombat.

They move pretty slowly, eat pretty slowly and generally spend a lot

of their days just chilling out.

But a few factors are making their cruisy lives all the more difficult.

In some areas drought and disease are reducing numbers and some

farmers are also allowed to cull them.

Needless to say, it isn't easy for them to relax with all that on their

hairy shoulders!

But there is one place where they can breathe a sigh of relief.

NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: The sun is shining, the birds are

singing and these wombats are still fast asleep!

But there's no need to whisper; these guys aren't waking up for

anyone!

It might look like these southern hairy-nosed wombats are just

sleeping but in actual fact they are recovering from all sorts of

different injuries and illnesses.

And they get the chance to do that here, in the intensive care unit of

the Wombat Awareness Centre.

Here they have two carers, Brigitte and Frank, and they'll go to almost

any lengths to make sure they feel at home.

REPORTER: What is it like, having wombats in the bed with you?

BRIGITTE STEVENS, WOMBAT AWARENESS ORGANISATION:

Embarrassing. No, it's - Frank won't do it. Frank sleeps on the top

bunk now. But I'm so used to it, I just love it. I hate going to bed

without them now. But I would just like them not to keep me up all

night.

Now that's dedication - but I suppose you need that to treat the 400

or so wombats that have come through this hospital in the past year.

Right now we're in South Australia, which is the habitat of the

Southern Hairy-Nosed wombat. But there are other types around

Australia. There are common wombats on the south-eastern coast

and a tiny pocket of Northern Hairy-Nosed wombats is found just in

one national park in Queensland. They are critically endangered,

while the other types are found in healthy numbers in most areas.

When wombats do finally get moving, they love to dig and they make

huge burrows like this.

But their digging escapades annoy farmers quite a bit because it ruins

their land, so in some areas they are allowed to shoot them.

This little one came in with a gun-shot wound.

BRIGITTE STEVENS: He came in last week and basically he was just

wandering around looking for somewhere to go. He's in really poor

condition and he also had a huge abscess on his back as well, so that

needed antibiotic treatment.

But farmers aren't these guys only concern. A disease called mange is

also taking its toll.

It's caused by a bug that lives under their skin and can eventually kill

wombats that aren't treated.

So that's what these guys do - give them their medicine and release

them back into the wild.

That's the result for a vast majority of the wombats that come through

this centre - a quick recovery, but some require much longer care.

And that's the problem this centre has now hit. They just don't have

room for so many wombats!

Their solution is a grand one. They want to buy a big property and

turn it into a special wombat refuge.

But in the meantime, these two are just going to have to get used to

their houseful of wombats. After all, they don't seem to make the

worst housemates.

As long as you don't mind snoring, anyway.

Presenter: They are noisier than my dad!

Quiz 2

While they are still snoring away, we might do a quiz about them.

Does a wombat have a pouch?

Answer: Yes

Presenter: The pouches actually face backwards - probably so their

babies don't get hit with dirt when they're digging.

Meanwhile Kirsty has been digging around for some sports news.

The Score

Jessica Watson's dream of becoming the youngest person to sail

around the world on her own has begun.

She left Sydney yesterday, weeks after having to return home early

when her yacht collided with a ship off the Queensland coast.

Lots of people say she shouldn't be making the attempt because it's

too dangerous and she's only 16.

Not all you guys agree though, you've flooded our website with

comments.

*******

In bike racing, Casey Stoner has won the Aussie GP - his third in a

row.

He hasn't raced much this year because he's been sick, but he started

on pole and held off World Champion Valentino Rossi right to the

end.

******

There was also good news for the Aussies on four wheels.

Mark Webber won his second grand prix in Brazil.

But Englishman Jensen Button did enough in the race to make sure

he was crowned World Champion.

******

And it wasn't all soccer skills but a loose beach ball which helped

Sunderland beat Liverpool one-nil in the English Premier League.

It was thrown onto the pitch by a Liverpool supporter - the real ball

hit it and went into the goal.

The referee allowed the score because he said the goalkeeper should

have got rid of the beach ball.

Presenter: Ha – what are the chances?

Quiz 3

Let's do a quiz.

Which rank is higher in the army?

1. Colonel

2. General

3. Major

Answer: General

Presenter: General is the highest active rank - only a Field Marshall is

higher, but they are usually only appointed during times of war.

Cadet Camp

Reporter: Sarah Larsen

Cadets aren't quite as senior but they're still an important part of the

defence forces.

Kids between the ages of 12 and 20 can join up to get a taste of life in

the navy, the air force or the army.

They're also designed to help kids gain skills and self-confidence and

have a lot of fun.

During the school holidays a group got together for a special camp, so

Sarah thought she'd see if she could join in.

SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Cadets are an important part of the

defence forces. Kids between the ages of 12 and 20 can join up to get a

taste of life in the navy, the airforce or the army. They're also designed

to help kids gain skills and self-confidence and have a lot of fun.

During the school holidays a group got together for a special camp. so

Sarah thought she'd see if she could join in.

SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: They could be watching TV. They

could be still in bed! But these are cadets and that's not how cadets

roll!

RHIANNON: We're out in the open, in the bush, with all our friends,

having life experiences. Its memories we'll never forget.

MITCHELL: We learn everything from navigation skills to first aid

skills. You get lots of personal skills.

For some kids, Cadets is a fun activity - kind of like after-school

sports. For others, its a pathway to a military career.

MITCHELL: I've always been interested in the army so basically I had

the idea to follow it up and join the cadets.

REPORTER: So is it just kids who want to join the army that join

cadets?

MITCHELL: Absolutely not! I'd say, about, only half actually want to

be in the army. Most come for friends.

KID: BtN have reached the vehicle check point.

REPORTER: We're on army ground now and I'm coming up to a

check point. I hope I get through!

KID: This is a check point we're checking for some smuggled goods

can I please check your ID?

REPORTER: Is this it?

KID: Is it a green card? Thankyou ma'am.

We made it! Others weren't so lucky.

NICHOLAS: If you can just step out of the car

NICHOLAS: Pretty much we're going to question them on their

reason for being here, why they're travelling down this road, as well as

searching the vehicle for any suspicious items.

REPORTER: Now this all looks very serious and authentic. Is this the

sort of thing they do in the adult army?

LINDSAY: Yeah we try to keep it as close to it as we can.

This sort of thing help kids develop self-confidence and management

skills and that's what cadets is all about.

Kids can also rise through the ranks and end up with some serious

responsibilities. At 16, Maddie's become the most senior cadet in her

state.

MADELINE: My position is I'm the regional cadet underofficer for

South Australia so I'm the senior cadet representative for the state

and I represent the opinions of all the cadets around South Australia.

REPORTER: So all these guys answer to you?

MADELINE: Yes they do

Some even get the chance to go overseas on exchanges. There's also

an annual competition between teams of cadets from throughout

Australia. It all looked like way too much fun, so I thought it was time

for a bit of friendly competition of our own

This is way harder than it looks!

MADELINE: Good job!

It was a huge victory for the ABC!

MADELINE: Good job!

But then came the ropes

REPORTER: Na, not going to happen. Not even close.

Closer

Disgraceful effort there Sarah - drop and give us twenty!

And that brings us to the end of another show!

We'll catch you back here for all the latest next week. See you then!