In The Conversation
How much sport will you be able to watch for free under proposed new Australian broadcast rules?
12 Apr 2024
Watching sport on television and other screens is integral to the cultural lives of many Australians.This is why, in 1995, the anti-siphoning scheme was introduced to ensure sport “events of national importance and cultural significance” would not be captured exclusively by pay TV at the expense of free-to-air coverage.....Read more.
‘I’m home’: how co-operative housing could take pressure off Australia’s housing crisis
15 Mar 2024
At a time when everything from abolishing negative gearing to capping rents are being suggested as ways to reduce Australia’s housing crisis, little attention has been given to housing co-operatives.A housing co-op consists of a group....Read more.
Sydney Biennale invites us to celebrate our collective resistance in dark times
12 Mar 2024
The 24th edition of the Biennale of Sydney, titled Ten Thousand Suns, is an explosion of joy and creative energy across seven venues, including the sails of the Opera House and White Bay Power Station.This iteration, led by co-artistic directors....Read more.
Should you be checking your kid’s phone? How to know when your child is ready for ‘phone privacy’
05 Mar 2024
Smartphone ownership among younger children is increasing rapidly. Many primary school children now own smartphones and they have become the norm in high school. Parents of younger children may occasionally (or routinely) look at their child’s phone to check it’s....Read more.
When homes already hit 40°C inside, it’s better to draw on residents’ local know-how than plan for climate change from above
05 Mar 2024
Weather extremes driven by climate change hit low-income communities harder. The reasons include poor housing and lack of access to safe and comfortable public spaces. This makes “climate readiness” a pressing issue for governments, city planners....Read more.
A Fool in Love is delightfully ridiculous and sharp-witted: social satire at its finest
12 Feb 2024
Van Badham’s A Fool in Love at the Sydney Theatre Company lampoons the modern Sydney vibe: a city obsessed with wealth, status and, of course, love.Designer Isabel Hudson’s candy-coloured set, lolly-pop-esque orange trees and sherbet-coloured tinsel attire seem to vibrate the essence of the city as we move juggernaut-like towards the festivities of Valentine’s day and Mardi Gras.....Read more.
Renewable projects are getting built faster – but there’s even more need for speed
31 Jan 2024
How long does it take to build a solar or wind farm? It’s a simple question with wide implications. To reach our ambitious 82% renewable energy target by 2030, we have to build many new projects – and start them soon.In 2022, renewables hit a new high of 36% of Australia’s total electricity production, double that of 2017. That’s good – but there’s a long way to go....Read more.
When the heat hits, inland waters look inviting. Here’s how we can help people swim safely at natural swimming spots
08 Jan 2024
People love to hang out around water, especially on hot summer days. And, for those who aren’t near the ocean, Australia is blessed with beautiful inland waterways....Read more.
Half-watched TV and part-heard radio: summer Test cricket is steeped in nostalgia, but these ‘traditions’ have short histories
05 Jan 2024
As the old year passes and a new one arrives, three notable sport events occupy the languid vacation hours. Melbourne’s Boxing Day and Sydney’s New Year’s Test matches are spliced by the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race....Read more.
Perth’s Optus Stadium has drawn more consumer anger after the outage. Another case of the ‘stadium curse’?
10 Nov 2023
Looming over the Swan River in Perth, a shiny sporting structure boldly declares “OPTUS STADIUM Yes”. After the disastrously prolonged communication outage this week, many will have shouted “No”, or other words requiring asterisks in respectable media.Sport stadium naming rights are controversial at the best of times – so why do corporates pay so much for them? And what are the risks?....Read more.
Young Australians increasingly get news from social media, but many don’t understand algorithms
24 Oct 2023
Adults might assume young people are not engaged in current affairs.But our survey reveals most Australian children and teenagers have a significant interest in the news. There has, however, been a drop in interest from our 2020 survey, done at the start of COVID.....Read more.
How TikTok’s dating story time trend offers a glimpse into the sometimes weird world of modern romance
15 Sep 2023
In the ever-evolving realm of social media, TikTok has emerged as a dynamic platform that has reshaped how we engage with content and share our personal romantic stories. Within this vibrant ecosystem, one phenomenon has caught romance raconteurs’ attention: dating story time.The #DatingStoryTime hashtag has transformed into a virtual stage where users narrate their dating experiences, weaving a....Read more.
How hate speech during the Voice campaign can harm personal wellbeing, as well as democracy
06 Sep 2023
Last week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Australia will vote in the Voice referendum on October 14. When the proposal for a Voice to Parliament was first put forward in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, it was mostly welcomed as an invitation to Australians to come together. The subsequent announcement of a referendum brought hope and....Read more.
Penalties, passes, and a touch of politics: the Women’s World Cup is about to kick off
17 Jul 2023
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off this Thursday night, the first football world cup hosted by Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand opens the tournament by taking on Norway in Auckland, while Australia’s Matildas will play Ireland in front of an anticipated 80,000 fans at a sold out Stadium Australia in Sydney. Despite the persistent....Read more.
Why is it so hard for Local Aboriginal Land Councils to develop land when the public needs are huge?
12 Jul 2023
Some of the largest landowners across New South Wales are Local Aboriginal Land Councils. Given the acute need for housing and infrastructure, it’s time the state government enabled these land councils to play a greater role in development. According to the Greater Cities Commission’s....Read more.
How Saudi Arabia came to be at the centre of a global golf merger
07 Jun 2023
Professional golf – and increasingly world sport – is caught in a sand trap. Not the familiar hazard between fairway and green, but the Middle Eastern desert producing enormous quantities of fossil fuels.The resulting riches are being diverted into sport, disrupting its traditional Western dominance.The latest example is....Read more.
From being mildly late to sucking on people’s tears – what is a ‘beige flag’ on TikTok?
06 Jun 2023
TikTok is one of the most prevalent social media platforms for trend-setting and trend-spotting – particularly within the relationship space. From trends and concepts like #DatingStoryTime to numbering the five stages of a relationship, TikTok is at the forefront of determining what’s hot and what’s not in the relationship world.The newest trend to hit TikTok from a relationship trend perspective: beige flags.....Read more.
Where have all the Luddites gone? Exploring what makes us human – and whether modern technology threatens to destroy it
24 May 2023
The great – if sometimes overlooked – 20th-century philosopher and cultural critic Günther Anders once proposed that our modern age is characterised by a dangerous and pervasive “Apocalypse-Blindheit”: a blindness to the apocalypse.....Read more.
School phone bans seem obvious but could make it harder for kids to use tech in healthy ways
28 Apr 2023
School phone bans may seem like the answer to reeling in young people’s technology use. But if we ban phones and bury this issue under the sand, when and how do our kids learn to have a healthy relationship with technology in a world becoming more tech-focused by the day?....Read more.
Can a machine be racist? Artificial Intelligence has shown troubling signs of bias, but there are reasons for optimism
31 Mar 2023
One day in mid-2013, four people, including two police officers and a social worker, arrived unannounced at the home of Chicago resident Robert McDaniel.McDaniel had only ever had minor run-ins with the law – street gambling, marijuana possession, nothing even remotely violent. But his visitors informed him that a....Read more.
Why peace negotiations haven’t gained any traction in the Ukraine war – and how the stalemate could be broken
23 Mar 2023
A year after Russia’s invasion, Ukraine is in ruins. At least 8,000 civilians have died, with millions displaced. Generations of infrastructure have been destroyed. Large tracts of the environment and agricultural land have been devastated. A world food shortage has been created. The global economy is in crisis mode. The world has drawn closer to the unspeakable catastrophe of a nuclear war.....Read more.
More than just risk: LGBTQIA+ young people use social media to sustain and make sense of family relationships
08 Mar 2023
Much of World Pride has been about the visibility of LGBTQIA+ people. This is important to affirming who we are, our place in the world, and celebrating ourselves as LGBTQIA+ individuals. Social media offers new opportunities to be visible, and many people have shared their celebrations of Pride during this time.....Read more.
As Western Sydney residents grapple with climate change, they want political action
08 Mar 2023
Western Sydney is being developed rapidly, increasing its already high vulnerability to climate change. One day in January 2020, Penrith was the hottest place on Earth. Residents who have endured searing heat, bushfires, heavy rain, floods and huge damage bills in recent years are now a political force.....Read more.
Are you living in a food desert? These maps suggest it can make a big difference to your health
17 Jan 2023
Public concerns about high food prices highlight how meeting basic human needs can’t be taken for granted, even in a country like Australia. Food prices are but one part of the equation that determines access to food – and healthy eating more generally. Just as poverty for some can be hidden within a relatively wealthy community, lack of access to fresh....Read more.
Ash Barty retires marching to her own beat. What’s next for the multi-talented, restless spirit?
16 Jan 2023
Ash Barty has always done things her own way.The shock retirement of the world number one women’s tennis player at the age of 25 was pure Barty in action.The razzmatazz of a major media conference with jostling journalists and clicking camera shutters was not for her. When basketball superstar LeBron James....Read more.
Another school has banned mobile phones but research shows bans don’t stop bullying or improve student grades
16 Jan 2023
This week, one Sydney high school made headlines for banning mobile phones during school hours. Phones can come to school but must stay in locked pouches allowing teachers to “focus on educating students”.This follows other recent phone bans at....Read more.
The exclusive dating app for celebrities and influencers – why Raya has been called ‘the Illuminati of the Tinder world’
16 Jan 2023
In 2020, Sharon Stone tweeted that her Bumble dating profile had been closed due to users reporting the account as fake. In less than 24 hours, Bumble had restored her account and apologised for the misunderstanding. You might be forgiven for thinking the Basic Instinct star couldn’t possibly be looking for love on a mainstream dating app like....Read more.
Half of Western Sydney foodbowl land may have been lost to development in just 10 years
16 Jan 2023
More and more farming land is being lost to other land uses such as housing on the outskirts of our cities. But how much land is being lost? And why does it matter?Our newly published research used the Western Sydney region as a case....Read more.
Can gaming ‘addiction’ lead to depression or aggression in young people? Here’s what the evidence says
16 Jan 2023
A Victorian coroner has cited problematic gaming behaviour as the driver of a mood disorder which contributed to the 2019 death of regional school boy Oliver Cronin. The findings from Coroner Paresa Spanos’s investigation were released on Wednesday. Spanos wrote in....Read more.
NDIS plans rely on algorithms to judge need – the upcoming review should change that
16 Jan 2023
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten has announced a review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme amid claims of a cost blowout heightened by budget forecasts. The review will look at ways to improve access to and delivery of the NDIS, including its....Read more.
Kids’ screen time rose by 50% during the pandemic. 3 tips for the whole family to bring it back down
16 Jan 2023
Has your child’s screentime increased since COVID? If you were to estimate by how much, would you say 20%, 30% or even a 50% increase? A newly released review comparing children’s screentime before and during COVID shows children’s screentime spiked by a whopping 52% between....Read more.
Coastal property prices and climate risks are both soaring. We must pull our heads out of the sand
16 Jan 2023
Australians’ well-documented affinity with the sun, surf and sand continues to fuel coastal property market growth. This growth defies rising interest rates and growing evidence of the impacts of climate change on people living in vulnerable coastal locations.People in these areas are....Read more.
Qatar World Cup: Socceroos’ best ever performance, and what it means for the game in Australia ahead of hosting the Women’s World Cup
07 Dec 2022
Before the men’s FIFA World Cup commenced, the Socceroos’ most noteworthy contribution seemed likely to be their pre-emptive video campaign on human rights in host country Qatar. The political debate receded somewhat once the action on the field kicked off. After losing their....Read more.
‘You have to beg for help’: how our welfare system pressures people to perform vulnerability
07 Dec 2022
People who rely on welfare payments to survive are often required to repeatedly tell stories of their personal hardships. In a conditional welfare system, many must regularly attend compulsory appointments, job search training courses, and self-development and treatment programs simply to receive their payments. People in extreme hardship often tell their stories....Read more.
You’ve got a friend: young people help each other with their mental health for 3.5 hours every week
30 Nov 2022
Young people experience mental health difficulties at a higher rate than any other age group. While there’s an ongoing discussion about the formal supports they need, young people say they’re most likely to speak with peers and friends – particularly when mental health care is difficult to access.....Read more.
A Vietnam veteran anthropologist and an Arnhem Land community have worked together for over 40 years. Don Watson tells their story.
24 Nov 2022
With The Passion of Private White, Don Watson has written a witty and compassionate book about friendship, Indigenous self-determination and people under stress.“Private White” is Neville White, an anthropologist and Vietnam veteran who has spent two months a year....Read more.
First Nations women are 69 times more likely to have a head injury after being assaulted. We show how hard it is to get help
11 Nov 2022
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 69 times more likely than non-First Nations women to go to hospital with a head injury because of an assault. But not all First Nations women get the support they need. Our new study shows how health....Read more.
Moving beyond the media’s ‘deficit lens’ is essential for racialised peoples to claim belonging. Here’s how they’re doing it
09 Nov 2022
Australia’s mainstream media has long viewed refugees, migrants and Indigenous communities through a “deficit lens”. That’s where these populations – in all their glorious complexity – are framed simply as a “problem” that needs to be “fixed”. Never achieving enough.....Read more.
The Right Stuff: the new conservative dating app which has unsurprisingly, failed to attract women
14 Oct 2022
The Right Stuff is a new conservative dating app, recently launched in the US. Not yet available in Australia, the app was apparently created “for conservatives to connect in authentic and meaningful ways.” It offers to bring people together with shared values and similar passions,....Read more.
The retirement of Roger Federer is the abdication of tennis royalty
20 Sep 2022
This is a time of endings. In the midst of the all-consuming media spectacle surrounding the death of Queen Elizabeth II, “tennis royalty” in the form of Roger Federer will retire in the same week and in the same city that she is laid to rest.When the career of a sporting celebrity concludes, it is widely represented as if they have died, in what journalists call “sports obituaries”.....Read more.
Census data shows we’re more culturally diverse than ever. Our institutions must reflect this
29 Jun 2022
Initial data from the 2021 census released this week shows Australia continues to become more culturally diverse.
Almost half of us have at least one parent born overseas (48.2%), and almost a quarter of us (24.8%) speak a language other than English at home.....Read more.
Paul Daley’s Jesustown: a novel of lurid, postcolonial truth-telling
28 Jun 2022
How can fiction contribute to the “truth” that the Uluru Statement asks us to tell? Allen and Unwin’s answer to that question is, in part, one of paratext. By composing a book’s paratext, a publisher addresses the reader about how to experience the book. The paratext of Paul Daley’s Jesustown includes 12 signed commendations on the first four pages and a four-page “Author Note” at the end of the story.....Read more.
Climate change hits low-income earners harder – and poor housing in hotter cities is a disastrous combination
16 May 2022
Cost of living is a major focus in this election campaign, and yet political leaders have been unacceptably silent on the disproportionate impact of climate change on Australians with low incomes. This is particularly true for Western Sydney, home to around 2.5 million people. Over the last half century, the balance of Sydney’s social housing has....Read more.
‘It’s not work-life balance, it’s work-work balance’ Politicians tell us what it’s like to be an MP
16 May 2022
We are currently watching candidates battle night and day to win a spot in federal parliament. Many put their lives on hold trying to become an MP. What is it like when they get there? In recent years, Australian politicians have been under immense pressure, responding to COVID-19, floods, fires and international war. Yet, research repeatedly shows Australians’ trust of political leaders is at an all-time low.....Read more.
‘High maintenance’ is a red flag on dating apps. Women are still expected to shrink themselves
04 May 2022
The term “high-maintenance” is part of everyday speech, and usually refers to a woman who places a high value on her personal image, wants or needs. Often uttered within the context of dating, the implication is the woman in question is too much hard work; an easier, more relatable mate would be preferred.Rarely, if ever, do we come across the term “high-maintenance man”.....Read more.
Now we know the flaws of carbon offsets, it’s time to get real about climate change
02 May 2022
Last month former carbon market watchdog Andrew MacIntosh blew the whistle on Australia’s carbon offset market. He described the scheme as a “rort” with up to 80% of carbon offsets “markedly low in integrity”.While these allegations reignited debate over carbon offsets, the issues are not new. Integrity issues have plagued carbon trading....Read more.
‘I always have trouble with forms’: homeless people on how poor literacy affects them – and what would help
14 Apr 2022
Homelessness remains a huge problem in Australia and an important contributing factor is low literacy levels. We interviewed 23 people who were homeless or had experienced homelessness to find out how they viewed literacy and participation in literacy classes. We wanted to know what would help or hinder them in attending literacy classes. Our report found low literacy levels....Read more.
Preselection and parachuting candidates: 3 reasons parties override their local branch members, despite the costs
06 Apr 2022
Allegations emerged over the weekend that Prime Minister Scott Morrison used a racist slur in a preselection battle in 2007. Morrison strongly denies the allegations, which were detailed in two statutory declarations and have been backed by Michael Towke, who was his rival for the seat of Cook at the time. The issue has brought into focus preselection processes and minority representation in Australian politics.....Read more.
Distance, dispassion and the remaking of Australian History
06 Apr 2022
Anna Clark could have titled her book “Remaking Australian History”, for that is its narrative arc. She celebrates a change in the stories Australians can tell of their nation: from a heroic tale of white male achievements (populating and fructifying an empty land, establishing a variant of western civilisation) to stories that acknowledge the continent’s ancient human past, the brutalities of colonisation, and the diversity and increasing self-doubts of the usurping newcomers.....Read more.
Under-resourced and undermined: as floods hit south-west Sydney, our research shows councils aren’t prepared
10 Mar 2022
Thousands of people in south-western Sydney have been ordered to evacuate as extreme rain pummels the region and floodwaters rise rapidly. The downpour is expected to continue for days. This region, particularly Western Sydney, is no stranger to climate-related disasters. Rain is falling on catchments already sodden from severe floods in March last year.....Read more.
Vale Shane Warne: a cricketing genius who lived a life of ‘no regrets’
10 Mar 2022
When the news broke it was tempting to conclude swiftly that Shane Warne died as he had lived. On holiday in Thailand, nudge nudge. The tabloids, especially in Britain where he lived much of his life, had luridly chronicled his life. Many may have speculated that he died living life to the fullest. As it turned out, Warne, who was just 52, had declared he was on....Read more.
From ‘Vladdy daddy’ to fake TikToks: how to guide your child through Ukraine news online
02 Mar 2022
Much of what tweens and teenagers know about the Russia-Ukraine conflict comes from TikTok, Snapchat or Instagram.Their social media feeds contain images of tanks, bombs and propaganda. Our kids could stumble across extreme footage and we’ll likely never know. They will also have seen spam and memes about “Vladdy daddy” – the nickname of Russian president Vladimir Putin....Read more.
What is a ‘soft’ or ‘hard’ relationship launch? Explaining the celebrity-led trend
21 Feb 2022
The days of speedily updating your Facebook status the moment a new relationship is made official are long gone. In fact, the Facebook relationship update could be described as somewhat passé, replaced instead by a new form of social media relationship documentation....Read more.
Here Out West: a film that centres Western Sydney through tales of marginality
09 Feb 2022
Produced by Western Sydney-based company Co-Curious and Emerald Productions, Here Out West doesn’t follow the traditional anthology film formula, and it doesn’t showcase the glamorous post codes of Sydney, or assemble the works of big name creatives and cast. Nonetheless Here out West, a film that intertwines eight distinct interconnected scenarios set in Western Sydney, is as....Read more.
What the Ash Barty and ‘Special K’ tennis triumphs say about Australia and the buttoned-up sport industry
02 Feb 2022
The lead-up to the 2022 Australian Open was dominated by the unvaccinated top-ranked male tennis player Novak Djokovic’s ignominious deportation from Australia.Djokovic’s absence prompted claims this would be an inferior Grand Slam. Enter the contrasting Australian tennis characters of Ash Barty and her supporting cast of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis to fill the vacuum.....Read more.
‘Disappointment and disbelief’ after Morrison government vetoes research into student climate activism’
19 Jan 2022
Between 2019 and early 2021, we developed a research proposal asking for funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC). The project was to investigate the mass student climate action movement and its relationship to democracy.A few weeks ago, on Christmas Eve, we learnt via Twitter that the ARC had recommended our research proposal for funding, but acting Education Minister Stuart Robert....Read more.
Pat Cummins becomes Australian men’s test captain
01 Dec 2021
Australian men’s test cricket captain Tim Paine’s sudden resignation due to a sexting scandal meant a rapid search for a suitable new captain. The most obvious choice was Pat Cummins, the current vice-captain and the world’s best fast bowler. Cricket Australia has today confirmed Cummins will step into the role ahead of the Ashes series starting on December 8. Steve Smith will be the deputy.....Read more.
After a bombshell day at ICAC
27 Oct 2021
A few days into the current Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) proceedings in NSW, and it appears two relatively popular former NSW premiers and Cabinet colleagues – Gladys Berejiklian and Mike Baird – might hold markedly different views on integrity in public office.In fact, Baird, who is not accused of any wrongdoing,....Read more.
Howzat? The Ashes are on, but so is the pandemic
14 Oct 2021
Although yet to be confirmed officially, men’s Ashes cricket in Australia seems certain to commence in December. A women’s Ashes test and other matches are also scheduled for early 2022 with much less fanfare. The relief of cricket authorities and fans is palpable.Negotiations over the tour between the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB),....Read more.
Australia’s housing laws are changing
29 Sep 2021
New South Wales recently became the latest state to end blanket bans on pets in apartments, joining Queensland and the ACT.Other housing regulations on pets are also shifting nationally, with Victoria last year following the ACT with reforms that....Read more.
What this collaboration between artists and health-care leaders teaches us
29 Sep 2021
A new project that spotlights the strain from COVID-19 on our health systems and the people who work in them has invited health-care leaders and artists to create artworks that illuminate what it has been like leading, working and living through the pandemic.The culmination of this collaboration is Topsy Turvy, an interactive digital exhibition initiated by the....Read more.
Technology is key for refugees starting new lives in Australia.
14 Sep 2021
As evacuees and refugees from Afghanistan start their new lives in Australia, their ability to navigate the digital world will be crucial. Our research, published today, reveals how newly arrived refugees use digital technologies as they begin this new chapter. Importantly, new arrivals will need some level of digital know-how to participate in QR code-based contact tracing,....Read more.
China’s new rules allow kids on video games just 3 hours a week – but gaming addiction isn’t about time, it’s about attitude
08 Sep 2021
People in China under the age of 18 will only be allowed to play video games between 8pm and 9pm on Fridays, weekends and on public holidays, under new rules introduced this week. China’s state media service says the rules aim to curb gaming addiction.China has a history of making dramatic....Read more.
I turned to The Secret Life of Us for warm nostalgia.
02 Sep 2021
In the throes of lockdown, the desire for certainty is unequivocal. The pandemic has shattered the predictability of our everyday lives, making the future precarious. Where to seek solace? In nostalgia, perhaps. The sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past.....Read more.
Brad Hazzard is wrong about multicultural western Sydney
13 Aug 2021
With COVID numbers surging in Sydney’s multicultural western suburbs, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard speculated that migrant and refugee communities in the region “haven’t built up trust in government”, which might make them reluctant to engage with health authorities.And yesterday, Hazzard made another oblique reference to residents in western Sydney by saying,....Read more.
The Brisbane Olympics are a leap into an unknowable future
23 Jul 2021
There’ll be two types of Australian high jump in Tokyo this month. The first, most likely scripted, was Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s front row leap after Brisbane was awarded the right to host the 2032 Olympics.The second will be in response to Australia winning any medals. Palaszczuk’s leap is also a plunge into an uncertain future.For the next 11 years there will be much debate about whether it’s worth it.....Read more.
Getting ready for climate change is about people, not spreadsheets. Let’s use our imaginations
14 May 2021
Measures in this week’s federal budget to help Australians withstand and adapt to climate change are sorely needed, after years of cuts in this policy area.The Morrison government has funded a raft of initiatives, including A$600 million to establish a National Recovery and Resilience Agency and A$210....Read more.
Ghana’s new rental scheme won’t fix the real problem: a housing shortage
06 May 2021
Ghana’s government has announced a loan scheme to help tenants pay the hefty advance rent (often covering two years) to private landlords. Advance rent is also prevalent in several other African countries.Scholars have highlighted several problems this advance rent payment poses to renters.....Read more.
It’s not surprising Indian-Australians feel singled out. They have long been subjected to racism
06 May 2021
In the past five years, the number of overseas-born migrants from India grew more than any other group in Australia, increasing from 449,000 to 721,000. Indian residents leapfrogged New Zealand-born and China-born migrants in the 2020....Read more.
Planning shake-up needed to help those whose job it is to make NSW a healthy place
06 May 2021
You’d be forgiven for asking if living in some parts of New South Wales is actually good for your health. In the past 18 months Australia’s most populous state has been challenged like never before. Unprecedented bushfires, a global pandemic and recent flooding have posed huge questions, which sit alongside other 21st-century.....Read more.
Less than half of Australian adults know how to identify misinformation online
15 Apr 2021
For most of us, it’s hard to imagine a media-free day.Understanding what’s happening in the world, maintaining our social media profiles, staying in touch with family, being entertained, making new friends, engaging with governments, and with our democracy, are all activities that usually require media participation.....Read more.
How young LGBTQIA+ people used social media to thrive during COVID lockdowns
18 Mar 2021
During COVID-19 lockdowns, a major concern for LGBTIQ+ communities, mental health professionals and academics was that young lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and questioning, intersex and asexual+ people may suffer from being stuck in transphobic, biphobic or homophobic households.....Read more.
From veggie gardening to op-shopping, migrants are the quiet environmentalists
11 Mar 2021
The organised environmental movement is largely a white, middle-class space. But our research shows migrants care for nature in other ways – including living sustainably in their everyday lives.....Read more.
How new design patterns can enable cities and their residents to change with climate change
25 Feb 2021
Our cities, designed for one set of climatic ranges, are increasingly “out of place” as average temperatures rise. The days above 40℃ and nights above 30℃ are increasing, especially in the expanding suburbs of Australian cities. This presents us with a massive redesign project.....Read more.
Can I have a pet and be housed, too? It all depends
23 Feb 2021
Six housing experts spanning five Australian universities undertook the study of animal-inclusive housing and options for reform, the first of its kind internationally. It assesses state and territory housing and legislative reforms in the private rental sector, social housing, homelessness services, strata title, aged care and caravan parks. Here they explain what they found.....Read more.
You can’t have a Hollywood meet cute on a dating app — but is that such a bad thing?
11 Feb 2021
The “meet cute” is the moment in which two unlikely people encounter each other while going about their ordinary lives, and something extraordinary begins. In the romantic comedy The Holiday (2006), Arthur (Eli Wallach) describes it thus to Iris (Kate Winslet):....Read more.
On an Electric Car Road Trip Around NSW, We Found Range Anxiety (and the Need for More Chargers) is Real
08 Feb 2021
Replacing cars that run on fossil fuels with electric cars will be important in meeting climate goals – road transport produces more than 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But there are obstacles to wider uptake, particularly in Australia.....Read more.
No, Education Minister, We Don’t Have Enough Evidence to Support Banning Mobile Phones in Schools
16 Dec 2020
Last week, South Australia announced a mobile phone ban in primary schools. Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan endorsed the ban. Despite claims students’ use of mobile phones at school is connected with lower academic performance, we actually don’t have sufficient data to back the policy.....Read more.
Custodians of Antarctica: How 5 Gateway Cities Are Embracing the Icy Continent
16 Dec 2020
Our work over the past four years has made clear the benefits of developing strategies to foster international co-operation among the five so-called Antarctic “gateway” cities rather than international competition.....Read more.
Young People Are Exposed to More Hate Online During COVID. And it Risks Their Health
10 Nov 2020
COVID has led to children spending more time on screens using social networks, communication apps, chat rooms and online gaming. While this has undoubtedly allowed them to keep in touch with friends, or connect with new ones, during the pandemic, they are also being exposed to increased levels of online hate.....Read more.
When it Comes to Heritage, Family History Trumps Museums
15 Oct 2020
Heritage has significance. It’s evident in the furor over the mid-year beheading of Christopher Columbus statues in the US and the spraying of graffiti on Captain Cook statues in Australia. But heritage — collections, buildings, archaeological sites, cultural traditions and other intangible traces of the past — matters in different ways to different people.....Read more.
Jane Austen, Monet and Phantom of the Opera – Middlebrow Culture Today
22 Sep 2020
Culture has long been stratified as “high” or “low”, or perhaps “high” and “popular” to soften the blow. But what about the in-between? We asked almost 1500 Australians about their cultural preferences and participation, and mapped their responses on a spectrum.....Read more.
The Sydney Olympics: How Did the ‘Best Games Ever’ Change Australia?
15 Sep 2020
On Tuesday, it will be 20 years since the Olympic opening ceremony in Sydney, kicking off the “best games ever”. Our newspapers and TV screens are now awash with nostalgia about great sporting moments and the spectacle and ceremony of the Olympics.....Read more.
Cashless Payment is Booming, Thanks to Coronavirus. So is Financial Surveillance
10 Sep 2020
A banknote has been sitting in my wallet for six months now. As time ticks on, it burns an ever greater hole in my pocket. At first I felt uneasy spending it, following COVID-19 warnings to pay more attention to hand hygiene and the surfaces we all touch on a daily basis.....Read more.
COVID-19 Cases are Highest in Young Adults. We Need to Partner with Them for the Health of the Whole Community
28 Aug 2020
Australian data confirms coronavirus is more common in younger adults. People aged 20-29 have continually had the highest rates of COVID-19 cases. To reduce these rates and support young people to play their part in stemming community transmission, we need to understand their experiences during the pandemic.....Read more.
Australians’ Favourites Show Aboriginal Art Can Transcend Social Divisions and Art Boundaries
24 Aug 2020
New analysis shows landscape art is the most popular visual art genre among Australians, with Aboriginal art coming in second place, followed by portraits and modern art. But Aboriginal art is more likely to bridge social divides and can dissolve personal prejudices between different kinds of art.....Read more.
TikTok Can Be Good for Your Kids if You Follow a Few Tips to Stay Safe
21 Aug 2020
The video-sharing app TikTok is a hot political potato amid concerns over who has access to users’ personal data.The United States has moved to ban the app. Other countries, including Australia, have expressed concern. But does this mean your children who use this app are at risk?....Read more.
State Arts Service Organisations Effective, Engaged But Endangered
21 Aug 2020
This week the NSW government’s arts funding arm, Create NSW, removed or significantly reduced funding to arts service organisations including Writing NSW, Playwriting Australia, the National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA) and Ausdance NSW. This short-sighted trend of cutting funding to arts organisations began several years ago.....Read more.
‘Uprooting, No Matter How Small a Plant You Are, Is a Trauma’: Older Women Renters Are Struggling
04 Aug 2020
In a report released today, single older women living on low incomes describe to Dr Emma Power how high and rising rents left them struggling to meet day-to-day costs. Many paid rent before they bought food or paid power bills because the alternative was eviction.....Read more.
We Live in an Age of ‘Fake News’. But Australian Children Are Not Learning Enough About Media Literacy
06 Jul 2020
Today we release the findings from our new research into how young Australians consume and think about news media. Following a summer of bushfires and during the COVID-19 pandemic, young people have told us they consume news regularly.....Read more.
‘The Neighbours Were Always Very Welcoming and Warm’: Little Things Count to Help Refugees Belong
18 Jun 2020
Successful settlement and integration are shared goals of refugees and the communities where they settle. Research shows the importance of simple everyday encounters and experiences for newly arrived refugees to feel welcome in Australia. We also found refugees’ strong social bonds with family and community do not prevent them developing connections with the broader Australian community.....Read more.
Tonight We Riot? What Nintendo’s ‘Revolutionary’ Video Game Misses About Worker Liberation
25 May 2020
“In a world where the wealthy elite control the media, elections and lives of working people, we’re faced with two choices – accept it or fight for something better.” That’s the premise of Tonight We Riot, a new video game for touted as a leftist response to the “neocon fantasies” like Call of Duty.....Read more.
Five Years on From the Earthquake in Bhaktapur, Nepal, Heritage-led Recovery is Uniting Community
04 May 2020
Since the Gorkha earthquake killed almost 9,000 people in April 2015, Nepal has been on a slow and arduous route to recovery. Nepal’s vibrant cultural heritage of monuments, religious places, crafts, festivals and traditional practices has been key to this process.....Read more.
Forget Old Screen ‘Time’ Rules During Coronavirus. Here’s What You Should Focus on Instead
14 Apr 2020
COVID-19 has left parents grappling with the challenges of online learning, entertainment and work. It’s natural the amount of time children spend using screens will now increase. But that’s OK. Screen time recommendations we’ve enforced for so long no longer apply to our situation. There are ways to make the best of kids’ increased use of screens.....Read more.
Young People Are Anxious About Coronavirus. Political Leaders Need to Talk With Them, Not at Them
03 Apr 2020
Young people in Australia are among the fastest-growing group to contract COVID19. According to the Department of Health, there are now more cases in Australia among people aged 20 – 29 years than any other age group. Our research has found that, contrary to popular belief, many young people in Australia are seriously concerned about the virus.....Read more.
1 in 10 Children Affected by Bushfires is Indigenous. We’ve Been Ignoring Them for Too Long
03 Apr 2020
The catastrophic bushfire season is officially over, but governments, agencies and communities have failed to recognise the specific and disproportionate impact the fires have had on Aboriginal peoples. Addressing this in bushfire response and recovery is part of Unfinished Business the work needed for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to meet on more just terms.....Read more.
The Safest Sex You’ll Never Have: How Coronavirus is Changing Online Dating
03 Apr 2020
When Tinder issued an in-app public service announcement regarding COVID-19 on March 3 we all had a little laugh as a panoply of memes and gags hit the internet. Two weeks later the laughter has subsided, but the curiosity continues. How will singles mingle in the time of Corona?....Read more.
Lessons From the Great Depression: How to Prevent Evictions in an Economic Crisis
26 Mar 2020
The queues of unemployed people outside Centrelink offices in recent days are reminiscent of the dole queues seen across Australia during the Great Depression of the 1930s. At that time, most states provided inadequate food vouchers rather than cash to people in the form of income support payments.....Read more.
Why Housing Evictions Must Be Suspended to Defend Us Against Coronavirus
24 Mar 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic is a double crisis affecting public health and the economy. And both aspects are playing out in our housing system – in our homes. More and more of us are being directed to stay home, to work from home, or to socially isolate at home.....Read more.
3 Ways to Help Children Think Critically About the News
25 Feb 2020
Like adults, children use the news to learn about what’s happening in the world. But the circulation of misinformation, such as the recent spread of fake news about COVID-19 (the disease caused by coronavirus), blurs our understanding of events and issues. In 2017, we conducted the first nationally representative survey of how Australian children, aged eight to 16, consume news.....Read more.
Looking for Love on a Dating App? You Might be Falling for a Ghost
14 Feb 2020
Love requires imagination: a shared vision, narrative or trajectory. In our connected world, this imagination is fostered from the very start of the interaction. It happens from the moment we pick up our phones, tap on an app and consider swiping right.....Read more.
How to Cope With Extreme Heat Days Without Racking Up the Aircon Bills
29 Jan 2020
Summer in Australia is getting hotter. Extreme heat events, with daytime temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius, are becoming more common and we are getting more of these days in a row. We all need to prepare ourselves, our homes and our neighbourhoods for hot and very hot days.....Read more.
Australia’s Bushfire Smoke Is Lapping the Globe, and the Law Is Too Lame to Catch It
24 Jan 2020
Smoke from Australia’s bushfires has travelled far beyond its origins. As climate change takes hold and global temperatures rise, bushfires are set to increase in severity and frequency. The underlying cause of the fires and resulting smoke haze are often numerous. Legal and policy frameworks - local, national and international – fail to capture these diffused responsibilities.....Read more.
The Olympics Have Always Been a Platform for Protest. Banning Hand Gestures and Kneeling Ignores Their History
17 Jan 2020
It is the year of the Tokyo Olympics, and the International Olympic Committee was quickly out of the blocks with new guidelines regarding athlete protests.....Read more.
Strength from Perpetual Grief: How Aboriginal People Experience the Bushfire Crisis
10 Jan 2020
How do you support people forever attached to a landscape after an inferno tears through their homelands: decimating native food sources, burning through ancient scarred trees and destroying ancestral and totemic plants and animals?....Read more.
The Government Wants to Privatise Visa Processing. Who Will Be Held Accountable When Something Goes Wrong?
05 Dec 2019
The Department of Home Affairs has begun taking steps to outsource its visa processing to private service providers. This move has sparked an important national debate on transparency, accountability and profiteering in the immigration system.....Read more.
What Do Sydney and Other Cities Have in Common? Dust
22 Nov 2019
Sydney and its suburbs have been enveloped in haze over the past few days. The haze is a mixture of bushfire smoke and dust blown in from western New South Wales. As particles move from rural locations, like Gospers Mountain in this case, they make grey cities. In Australia, dust blurs the distinction between the bush and the city.....Read more.
Natural History on TV: How the ABC Took Australian Animals to the People
20 Nov 2019
Most of us will never see a platypus or a lyrebird in the wild, but it’s likely we’ve encountered them on television. Our new research looks at the vital role early ABC television played in making Australian animals accessible to audiences.....Read more.
Affordable Housing Lessons from Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore
20 Sep 2019
Affordable housing is a critical problem for Australia’s biggest housing markets. Five Australian cities are in the top 25 with “severely unaffordable” housing in a 2019 Demographia survey of 91 major metropolitan markets. Sydney was ranked the third least affordable of the 91.....Read more.
Keeping the City Cool Isn’t Just About Tree Cover – It Calls for a Commons-based Climate Response
18 Sep 2019
A recent report by the Greater Sydney Commission singles out urban heat as one of four priority areas given our coming climate. It identifies tree canopy as the top response for reducing city temperatures and delivering amenity. However, the public conversation about urban heat often misses the complex relationship between trees, people and the built environment, which challenges this response.....Read more.
On an Average Day, Only 1% of Australian News Stories Quoted a Young Person
03 Sep 2019
On one unremarkable day in April this year, just over a third of news stories were about issues likely to impact young people, such as policies to address climate change, school teacher training, the impact of automation on future employment and proposed social media regulation.....Read more.
Ben Stokes: England Cricketer’s Triumph Over Adversity is a Classic Hero’s Tale
03 Sep 2019
In August last year, England cricketer Ben Stokes stood with head back and eyes closed as he was found not guilty of affray in a Bristol court. On Sunday, Stokes stood in a similar pose with his head back and his eyes closed. But now he was roaring in triumph having pretty much single-handedly won the third Ashes Test match for England against the old enemy Australia.....Read more.
Australia’s Art Institutions Don’t Reflect Our Diversity: it’s Time to Change That
03 Sep 2019
For most of us, it is easy to pass judgement on others while finding it difficult to reflect on ourselves.Diversity Arts Australia recently undertook a research project, Shifting the Balance, with the assistance of Western Sydney University and BYP Group. We investigated representation of culturally and/or linguistically diverse (CALD) Australians in leadership positions within our major arts, screen and cultural.......Read more.
Will time tear us apart? Exploring the Appeal of Joy Division 40 Years On
03 Sep 2019
In a previous century, I conducted doctoral fieldwork among the abandoned warehouses, smoky pubs and crumbling squats of the British post-punk, independent rock scene. How strange that I should become re-acquainted with that scene at the shimmering Sydney Opera House.....Read more.
Most Migrants on Bridging Visas Aren’t ‘Scammers’, They’re Well Within Their Rights
03 Sep 2019
Recent articles in the media have raised concerns about the rapid rise in migrants living and working in Australia on bridging visas, whose numbers have more than doubled in the last four years.....Read more.
Our National Anthem is Non-inclusive: Indigenous Australians Shouldn’t Have to Sing It
06 Jun 2019
It is traditional at major sports events to begin with a rendition of the national anthem. At the State of Origin rugby league clash between New South Wales and Queensland on Wednesday, however, at least four Indigenous rugby league players have vowed to remain silent – a protest against an anthem they feel doesn’t represent them.....Read more.
How to Know If Your Child Is Addicted to Video Games and What to Do About It
06 Jun 2019
If your child spends long hours playing video games, you might be worried they’re addicted.“Gaming disorder” is real, and has now been classified as a disease in the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD). The new ICD will be adopted in 2022.....Read more.
Is This a Housing System That Cares?
30 May 2019
Growing numbers of Australians are locked out of home ownership or struggling in insecure and unaffordable private rental markets. There are concerns about home owners drowning in debt. And for lower-income earners, high housing costs mean that paying for food, energy bills and health costs is an ongoing challenge.....Read more.
Don’t Fall for It: A Parent’s Guide to Protecting Your Kids from Online Hoaxes
19 Mar 2019
It’s a parent’s responsibility to protect their children from harm, no matter where that threat of harm comes from. But what if the threat is a hoax?We’ve seen recently a rollercoaster of panic from parents trying to protect their kids from a supposed online threat known as the Momo challenge, that has for months been debunked as a hoax.....Read more.
Young Voters May Hold the Key to the NSW State Election: Here’s Why
14 Mar 2019
Young Australians are more connected, educated and informed than previous generations. They are also more likely to have higher debt and less economic independence into their 30s. Many feel excluded from traditional politics and policy making and are turning to local action and global issues to express their political views.....Read more.
More Can Be Done for Housing in Western Sydney
11 Mar 2019
Housing affordability, a woe not simply for the rich. A great deal has been made of the ongoing investment into infrastructure in Greater Western Sydney – the recently-named Nancy-Bird Walton airport and the Metro West spring to mind. While these investments and the jobs they bring are welcome, it is perhaps time to focus on the most critical infrastructure of all, our communities and how people can live well in them.....Read more.
Rugby League May Finally Have Reached Its Tipping Point on Player Behaviour and Violence
11 Mar 2019
St George Illawarra and NSW State of Origin player Jack de Belin has become the first player to be banned under a new “no fault stand down” policy introduced by the National Rugby League (NRL).....Read more.
One Infinity Explores Tension and Connection Between China and the West
07 Feb 2019
In an age of growing mistrust, the Chinese-Australian artistic collaboration One Infinity demonstrates the ability of dance and music to navigate tensions between different cultures.....Read more.
