Dangers of being a paramedic
Did you know that a paramedic is assaulted in Victoria every 50 hours? Paramedicine is one of the most dangerous jobs in Australia. Paramedics witness trauma regularly but it is violence committed against them that makes it so dangerous. The profession needs to change, and rapidly. Here’s why.
Billion-dollar home project
It’s the type of social housing investment the Vocal Minority has been calling for. Victoria’s Big Housing Build project will kick-start the economy post-COVID and go a long way to ending the housing crisis. Now it’s time for the rest of Australia to follow.
US election win pushes climate agenda
The Biden presidency will push Australia into taking more action on climate change – regardless of what our prime minister says. Even if Morrison decides to take a final stand on coal and gas, it is inevitable corporate Australia will force his hand.
Lockdown takes toll on New Zealanders
Mental wellbeing of New Zealanders plummeted during the early stages of the pandemic. Lockdown successfully eliminated COVID from the community but it came at a significant psychological cost. Nearly one in three Kiwis reported experiencing moderate to severe psychological distress.
Royal commission report delivers stark warning
The bushfire royal commission has issued a stark warning. Its final 579-page report tells us how bushfires will affect Australia in the coming years. And, foreseeing a future marked by extreme weather, the commissioners are not mincing their words. Here are the report’s key points.
Fixing the aged care crisis
Australia has the knowledge, skills and capability to deliver a world class aged-care system. Instead, a royal commission uncovered systemic abuse, neglect and substandard care. Fixing residential aged care is a priority. But how can we do this?
Aussies care about climate change
It’s been a big news week for the climate. Among images of celebrating Melburnians, Europe heading back into lockdown and the non-stop footage of the US election, we discovered both heartening and downright infuriating reports. Here, we look at the biggest stories.
Food banks’ struggle to meet demand
A new report has found that 65 per cent of young Australians are experiencing food insecurity and go without food at least once a week. Each year, Foodbank releases a report into food insecurity in Australia, and as you can probably imagine 2020 paints a dire picture.
Fight not over for Daintree
While Far North Queensland is one of the most popular ecotourism destinations in the world, the threat to the Daintree lower rainforest is ongoing. The area is under threat of housing development proposals and a gas-fired power plant. The Daintree is UNESCO heritage listed so why this is even possible?
Great Barrier Reef loses half its coral
The Great Barrier Reef has lost more than half of its corals since 1995 due to warmer seas driven by climate change, a study has found. Small, medium and large coral populations have all declined, largely because of bleaching events in 2016 and 2017.
Opportunity missed for green recovery
In the year of Australia’s worst bushfire crisis, the just-announced budget provides little in the way of new funding for environmental protection while throwing a lifeline to coal. Our world is facing irreversible destruction and still there’s no urgency in Australian climate policy.
Charities’ challenge to keep data secure
In light of the ransomware attack on cloud software provider Blackbaud – which has many not-for-profits as its clients – legitimate questions are asked about data protection and privacy, and how well protected the social good community is.