| Program announcement |
| 1/31/2009 | Download File (0.11 MB) - right click to download |
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| 2009-02-01 Program announcement |
| 1/31/2009 | Download File (0.11 MB) - right click to download |
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| It's not like the suburbs |
| 1/24/2009 | Download File (13.92 MB) - right click to download |
The Narrabundah Longstay Caravan Park is a unique community tucked away on the urban fringes of Canberra who have pulled together over the last two years to save their homes.
A wide variety of mostly low-income residents live in a hotchpotch of dwellings, from miniature houses to caravans with annexes and even a double decker bus, with an annexe. Ninety per cent of them own their homes, despite the fact that you cannot get a home loan to buy in the caravan park. They are proud of their homes and well established gardens and there is a strong sense of community in the park—everyone helps the other out and watches over their neighbours' homes.
The park was originally established in 1975 to house the workers who built Canberra and the new Parliament House. In 2006 the park was sold to a developer and the residents were issued with eviction notices. Rather than move out, they all worked together, lobbying government and the community of Canberra to protect their homes. After many months of negotiations the developer has accepted a land swap offered by the ACT government, and the residents are awaiting the outcome of an environmental impact analysis on this new piece of land. When that is clear, the residents will no longer be in limbo and will be able to continue living in the park.
In the program you hear single dad David, retiree Gabbi, Frank and Norma who moved there from Harden, student and advocate Deb, and Pam who has lived there for 20 years, more recently with her husband Mark and their menagerie of pets.
Based on the experience of this community the longstay caravan park could be one solution to the current housing crisis, a place where it is possible for people on very low incomes to own their own homes and have a sense of security.
Since this story was broadcast the environmental statement on the landswap has been approved and the ACT Government has now taken over ownership of the park. The residents now feel safe as tennants of the ACT Government.
Watch a short presentation on the residents of the Narrabundah Longstay Caravan Park.
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| 2009-01-25 It's not like the suburbs |
| 1/24/2009 | Download File (13.92 MB) - right click to download |
The Narrabundah Longstay Caravan Park is a unique community tucked away on the urban fringes of Canberra who have pulled together over the last two years to save their homes.
A wide variety of mostly low-income residents live in a hotchpotch of dwellings, from miniature houses to caravans with annexes and even a double decker bus, with an annexe. Ninety per cent of them own their homes, despite the fact that you cannot get a home loan to buy in the caravan park. They are proud of their homes and well established gardens and there is a strong sense of community in the park—everyone helps the other out and watches over their neighbours' homes.
The park was originally established in 1975 to house the workers who built Canberra and the new Parliament House. In 2006 the park was sold to a developer and the residents were issued with eviction notices. Rather than move out, they all worked together, lobbying government and the community of Canberra to protect their homes. After many months of negotiations the developer has accepted a land swap offered by the ACT government, and the residents are awaiting the outcome of an environmental impact analysis on this new piece of land. When that is clear, the residents will no longer be in limbo and will be able to continue living in the park.
In the program you hear single dad David, retiree Gabbi, Frank and Norma who moved there from Harden, student and advocate Deb, and Pam who has lived there for 20 years, more recently with her husband Mark and their menagerie of pets.
Based on the experience of this community the longstay caravan park could be one solution to the current housing crisis, a place where it is possible for people on very low incomes to own their own homes and have a sense of security.
Since this story was broadcast the environmental statement on the landswap has been approved and the ACT Government has now taken over ownership of the park. The residents now feel safe as tennants of the ACT Government.
Watch a short presentation on the residents of the Narrabundah Longstay Caravan Park.
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| Going it Alone |
| 1/17/2009 | Download File (13.73 MB) - right click to download |
More and more Australian women are finding themselves single and childless in their mid to late 30s. Without Mr Right at hand, and with the biological clock ticking, many are choosing to go it alone.
One fertility clinic in Sydney has seen a 40 per cent rise in the number of single women seeking sperm donors. And expected changes to legislation in Victoria means single women no longer need to cross state borders to access fertility treatment in their quest for motherhood.
At the same time, strong demand for donor sperm, and laws giving children the right to know the identity of donor parents, have seen a dramatic decline in donor numbers.
So for some, adoption is an easier option. However, as a single parent, opportunities to adopt are restricted. The situations under which single people can apply vary for each state and territory, with most only accepting applications under special circumstances.
In this program we hear from women whose desire to have a child was so great that overcoming the many obstacles to become a single mum was their only option.
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| 2009-01-18 Going it Alone |
| 1/17/2009 | Download File (13.73 MB) - right click to download |
More and more Australian women are finding themselves single and childless in their mid to late 30s. Without Mr Right at hand, and with the biological clock ticking, many are choosing to go it alone.
One fertility clinic in Sydney has seen a 40 per cent rise in the number of single women seeking sperm donors. And expected changes to legislation in Victoria means single women no longer need to cross state borders to access fertility treatment in their quest for motherhood.
At the same time, strong demand for donor sperm, and laws giving children the right to know the identity of donor parents, have seen a dramatic decline in donor numbers.
So for some, adoption is an easier option. However, as a single parent, opportunities to adopt are restricted. The situations under which single people can apply vary for each state and territory, with most only accepting applications under special circumstances.
In this program we hear from women whose desire to have a child was so great that overcoming the many obstacles to become a single mum was their only option.
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| 2009-01-11 No Money, No Car |
| 1/10/2009 | Download File (13.74 MB) - right click to download |
There's a lot of everyday poverty going around among single parents. It's often felt by people who never expected to be poor but who find themselves sliding daily deeper into debt; buying the groceries on the credit card and moving into smaller houses or flats. Even doing the unthinkable and living without a car. They're mainly women. Some work outside the home; some don't but almost all struggle.
We're spending time with a mother of four who grew up in a middle-class family and works twenty hours a week. She feels she's doing well because she's found a flat to buy for $180,000 -- less than the fortnightly cost of many rentals -- but she's had to come to terms with making occasional calls for help to charities in order to survive.
Then there's the professional woman in her late thirties who unexpectedly fell in love, became a mother, and two and a half years later finds herself a single parent living in a cold, damp one-bedroom granny flat with her little daughter. Until she recently caught up with him, her ex had contributed nothing to their child's upkeep. She pays $200 a week rent, which leaves her $180 a week for all food and other expenses. She'd like to work part-time but can't afford childcare and is still on a waiting list. She can't afford a car.
And finally there's the solo dad with three daughters. The oldest is six. They live in a comfortable house with a nice car but since his ex-partner died (they were separated) and he became the sole carer for the girls, he's given up paid work. Right now he's eating into his superannuation, while clocking up $75 debt each week. He hopes the right woman will come along to be a mother to the girls so that he can get back out into the workforce before the debt gets much bigger.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that by 2026 there will be between 1.1 million and 1.4 million sole parent families. In 2001 there were 838,000 sole parent families living in the country.
Thanks to The Smith Family for their help with this story.
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| 2009-01-04 Speech Is Silver, Silence Is Gold |
| 1/3/2009 | Download File (13.65 MB) - right click to download |
Young people in Iraq are living through a dangerous war, resiliently maintaining a sense of humour and optimism. On their blogs they talk of the profound and the mundane; dodging bombs on their way to school and trying to study without any electricity.
March 20, 2008 marked the fifth anniversary of the allied military invasion of Iraq.
May 1, 2008 marked the fifth anniversary of US President Bush´s declaration that the war was over, yet fighting has continued and approximately a million people have been killed. Before the invasion Iraq was a country with high regard for education and moderate views towards women´s role in society. Now between 30% and 70% of schools across the country have been closed because of insecurity. Teachers and students have become targets for bombings and kidnappings.
Large percentages of students have chosen to discontinue their studies, or have left Iraq, yet there are those who have chosen to stay and continue. Their commitment to a strong, educated Iraq is what keeps them focused.
Rather than the standard tales of military operations this program is about living through the war and attempting to maintain normality in the face of adversity. Iraqi bloggers HNK, Sunshine and Bassam Sebti, a postgraduate student and former Iraqi correspondent for the Washington Post share their stories with us.
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| 2008-12-28 Mr Universe Mows My Lawn |
| 12/27/2008 | Download File (13.74 MB) - right click to download |
Henry West is 62 and for the past 15 years he has dedicated himself to the sport of amateur bodybuilding. He has been unrelenting in his devotion to this physical pursuit and his efforts have paid off.
In 2006 Henry travelled to Austria where he took out the Mr Universe Men Over 60 title. However, that wasn't enough, Henry is still at it and recently took part in the 2008 Southern Hemisphere Championships at the Southport RSL on the Gold Coast.
Street Stories spent time with him during his rigorous preparations at the gym and in the kitchen and we travelled with him for the big event.
Watch a Mr Universe video in MP4 [18.1MB] or Windows Media Video [17.1MB]
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| 2008-12-21 Dance! It's Never Too Late |
| 12/20/2008 | Download File (13.82 MB) - right click to download |
Aspire to dance: Dance to inspire. It´s never too late as we discover when we visit a small hall in a Masonic Centre in suburban Sydney. It has been the home of the Glyn and Moriarty Ballroom Dance Studio for 23 years. This is no ordinary studio though, Alan Glyn and Joan Moriarty have been teaching for 42 years. They have even taught teenagers who are now mothers, and their daughters are now learning as teenagers!
Alan began dancing at 16 and went on to become a competitive amateur for ten years. Joan was no stranger to the dance floor either, when she met Alan she had been dancing since her mid-teens, also in competition.
Joan said `If you can´t beat them join them´, so they began a professional dancing partnership and before they married they decided to start their own studio.
The studio attracts people from all walks of life, all ages, and a mix of nationalities. They come to gain medals, train for competitions or just learn for enjoyment.
Antonio grew up in Portugal. He wants to become a dance teacher and return to Portugal to teach. Antonio has always had a passion for music and in the program he plays the accordion, which he learned as a child.
Alicja left Poland about 20 years ago. She is now retired and has the opportunity to take up a beloved interest not explored since her childhood.
Brian has a South American wife who is his inspiration to learn the sensuous group of Latin dances. Brian is 70 and his wife is in her 60s. They have been married for 30 years, so it really is a case of `never too late´ to learn something new.
Craig had time on his hands, so he went to the studio and found that he just loved dancing and is working his way through his medal assessments.
Ken and Bev agree that a competition dancing partnership is harder than a marriage relationship. They are making it work and winning trophies in the process.
Watch the short film Silk 'n' Sequins.
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| 2008-12-14 Playing the Cancer Card |
| 12/13/2008 | Download File (14.05 MB) - right click to download |
Late one November night last year, as millions of Australians were either drowning their sorrows or wildly celebrating Kevin Rudd´s electoral victory, 22-year-old arts/law student, blogger and stand-up comic Luke Ryan was alone in a hospital emergency room being delivered crushing news. The cancer he had beaten as a child had come back.
At the age of 11 Luke had been diagnosed with an osteogenic sarcoma growing at the back of his left knee. Eleven years later, after being given the all-clear at 16, he´s been diagnosed with a malignant fibrous histiocytoma in his chest -- an extremely rare form of sarcoma in an extremely rare location and one which is particularly rare outside of childhood.
Playing the Cancer Card is the funny and touching story of how Luke has spent his extended convalescence blogging online and laughing onstage about his tumour and its treatment, facing it head-on with humour and wit. Most of the time.
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| 2008-12-07 The Final My Street Sampler |
| 12/6/2008 | Download File (13.81 MB) - right click to download |
The My Street project asked people to create a story about their street, using any available digital technology and then to upload it to the Pool website. Browsing through the stories you get a strong sense of place and the emotions that we feel about our neighbourhood and immediate surroundings.
In this final showcase of stories you will hear stories about the following:
a beautiful description of Life in a Pilbara Town,
a sad tale about a man who lost his eye in a work accident but still manages to play the violin as he awaits surgery for a glass eye,
a death in The Ukraine,
a charming story about a clash of rednecks and drug users in a country town,
a sharehouse progressive dinner,
first time sex in the red light district of Singapore and
a reflection on four generations who have lived in the same house.
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| 2008-11-30 The My Street Winners |
| 11/29/2008 | Download File (13.81 MB) - right click to download |
The My Street competition asked people to create a story about their street and upload it to the Pool website.
The winning story is MyStreet: 11 Ravenwood Place by Rusty Douglas.
Highly commended were The phonebooth by chikabo and H.O.G by Camilla Bonnici.
The more than 100 stories are poignant, funny, scary, racey and downright clever. They've come from streets right across Australia, some from overseas and from imagined streets also.
The My Street site now also has an interactive map to display most of the stories. So click through to the website and be surprised by the creativity of the Street Stories listeners and members of Pool.
Pool is a social networking site for creators of digital content, a place to share your stuff and get feedback from others about your work. So visit the Pool and do a bit of exploring.
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| 2008-11-23 Taking the Waters... in Moree |
| 11/22/2008 | Download File (13.81 MB) - right click to download |
There is an ancient tradition of taking the waters at natural hot springs. It continues today at Moree in flat, dry, north-western New South Wales. Each year hundreds of thousands of eastern Europeans journey to the hot pools of this very old style, Australian country town in search of health and rejuvenation.
The annual spring and autumn visits by the Europeans feel ritualistic; Hungarians, Croats, Serbs, Greeks, Bulgarians, Italians, Turks... The visitors immerse themselves each day, sometimes for hours, interweaving their lives and sharing tales about the miracles performed by the waters.
They are mainly old. Many of them have been living in Australia for more than forty years. They often speak little English and perhaps because of this, word of the wonders of Moree's waters have not permeated the wider Australian community.
The faces of the people taking the waters in this story are as marvellous as their voices and we have created an audio slideshow, as well as a separate photo gallery, to share them with you.
Watch our slideshow presentation. Download our slideshow presentation.
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| 2008-11-16 No Excuse Not To Know |
| 11/15/2008 | Download File (13.79 MB) - right click to download |
From within the Jewish Australian community voices of dissent are emerging, people who are challenging the mainstream version of the history of Israel and the current conflict the country is involved in. They speak about how they came to their understanding of history and the friends they have lost as a result.
Israel´s official history has been challenged for some time now by Israel´s New Historians and one of the latest books challenging Israel´s historical narrative has come from Israeli society itself. Avraham Burg´s The Holocaust Is Over argues that Israel´s use of the holocaust has created a nation with a self image of victimhood, which allows all sorts of atrocities against The Palestinians...
'be it fences, sieges ... curfews, food and water deprivation or unexplained killings. All is permitted because we have been through the Shoah (catastrophe) and you will not tell us how to behave.'
In Australia, where the largest community of holocaust survivors lives, it has been difficult to break through the grip of the belief that Israel is the solution to ending discrimination and persecution of Jews, and must always be defended.
But, this emerging voice among the Australian Jewish community is questioning the dominant story and actively supports Palestinian aspirations for justice and peace in their homeland.
We speak to three Australian Jews who have thoughtfully and courageously spoken out, acted in support of Palestinians and battled their own families and communities to live their lives with integrity and candour.
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| 2008-11-09 The Hard Road |
| 11/8/2008 | Download File (13.91 MB) - right click to download |
Since early this year homeless people across Australia have been going to soccer training each week in the build-up to the International Homeless World Cup. For many of them, playing soccer is the highlight of their week; a time to socialise, get some exercise, eat some of the free food and forget about the stresses of surviving on the streets.
The training program is run by the Big Issue, with support from local volunteer agencies and support services. They train and regularly play matches against local corporate teams.
This December Melbourne will play host to teams of homeless players from over 50 nations at the 6th annual Homeless World Cup.
The build-up to the inaugural National Championships took place in July, with teams from across the country heading to Melbourne for the games and a two-day training camp.
Street Stories followed the Sydney team, including Chad, Alex, Elmo, Garry and Mahad. These are their stories.
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| 2008-11-02 Half of me is missing |
| 11/1/2008 | Download File (13.90 MB) - right click to download |
Every year, across the country, around 55,000 older Australians enter nursing homes on a permanent basis. Of these, many will have a partner who's cared for their loved one over months and sometimes years, but exhaustion sets in, their own health suffers, and they can't continue. The result is that after a lifetime together, couples find themselves separated - at the very time that companionship and shared memories are so important.
Pauline, Bill, Nina and David are all experiencing this scenario. David still lives in the home he shared with his wife, Nina lives with her daughter, they both travel to the nursing home daily, a punishing schedule in itself, leaving them little time for other things. Pauline and Bill both live in the same retirement village as their partners, but in separate accommodation because of differing care needs.
They all express disappointment and sadness that at this time in their lives there's no real alternative for them but to live apart.
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| 2008-10-26 A Common Thread of Uncommon Courage |
| 10/25/2008 | Download File (13.87 MB) - right click to download |
The former gold mining town of Castlemaine, just over one hour's drive from Melbourne, hasn't seen an influx of immigrants since the Chinese 150 years ago. This industrial and historically attractive arts-based town is now the home of around 80 Sudanese and Burundi refugees.
On the outskirts of town is KR Castlemaine, one of the major industries in the Mount Alexander Shire. The East African newcomers were encouraged to move to Castlemaine because of employment with the smallgoods meat company.
They've been gradually settling here since September 2006 with the assistance of the New Hope Foundation and the Bendigo Regional Ethnic Communities Council.
The Sudanese and Burundi elders have formed the East Africa Community of Castlemaine. This group deals with problems within its community. It's also a mechanism for the long-term residents of Castlemaine to have formal access to this new community and vice versa.
The program gives an insight into developing relationships between a broad range of people who are determined to make this resettlement a success. We also hear some extraordinary stories of courage and survival.
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| 2008-10-19 Despite What They Say |
| 10/18/2008 | Download File (13.81 MB) - right click to download |
Babies born with HIV 22 years ago were expected to die, but Shaynon has gone on to live a fairly normal life with a young family, and to enjoy unprotected sex. Despite the odds, his female partner Jessica remains HIV negative.
Twenty-two years ago, in the city of Perth, baby Shaynon was born HIV positive. At the time nobody knew if this little boy would survive and doctors could only guess how long he might live. Medics concluded that if Shaynon lived to the age of ten he would have done well in the longevity stakes.
The public were afraid of people like Shaynon, and the media misrepresented his condition, making people fearful not only of the HIV virus but also of people carrying it. Fear, confusion and misinformation abounded.
At the age of 10 Shaynon believed his time had come. He began to act out and ran away from home, spending time in squat housing and eventually foster care. He also questioned his fate and the expertise of the medical fraternity regarding what they told him about HIV and AIDS.
Birthday after birthday rolled around and at the age of 16 Shaynon took an interest in Jessica, whom he met while she was working at Hungry Jacks. They started dating. It wasn´t long before Jessica´s parents learned about Shaynon´s condition and her father told the love-struck Shaynon to stay away. But they were determined not to let Jessica´s parents get between them, and snuck around behind their backs.
Today Shaynon and Jessica have been together for six years and now have two young children. We are aware Jessica is HIV negative, as are the couple´s two children.
What´s intriguing is that Shaynon and Jessica conceived their little ones naturally and without practising safe sex procedures. Nor did Shaynon `wash his sperm´ -- a precaution usually taken by HIV infected individuals wishing to conceive.
Having lived with HIV for 22 years, Shaynon has invested a lot of time into researching the virus. He has developed some pretty radical views about the ways in which HIV is transferred and how to avoid infection.
Shaynon´s story is unique and confronting. The medical profession will not support his challenging stance about HIV but he is OK with this. An HIV free partner and healthy children are testament to his belief that there are a lot of misunderstandings about HIV. His lifespan has more than doubled the predicted time it was said he would live. Despite the odds, this is Shaynon´s story.
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| 2008-10-12 Losing Erin - Part Two |
| 10/11/2008 | Download File (13.83 MB) - right click to download |
Erin Berg´s family panic when they discover she´s skipped out on the clinic where she´s being treated for post-natal depression. And then comes the call -- she´s been found in a coma in a public hospital in Tijuana, Mexico.
Her family cannot understand why Erin has gone to Mexico but it eventually becomes clear that during her illness Erin become fixated on the ideas of voluntary euthanasia campaigner Dr Philip Nitschke, who campaigns for the availability of a 'peaceful pill' for terminally ill people who choose to end their lives.
In the absence of such a pill, Dr Nitschke suggests the next best thing is Nembutal, a veterinary drug available only to vets in Australia for euthanasing animals but readily available over the counter in Mexican pet stores.
Part two of Losing Erin takes us into the streets and hospitals of Tijuana, as Erin's sisters continue to try and save her.
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| 2008-10-05 Losing Erin - Part One |
| 10/4/2008 | Download File (13.81 MB) - right click to download |
When Perth mother Erin Berg sinks into the black hole of post natal depression, her sisters battle her and the mental health system to stop her falling through the cracks.
Erin Berg was a happy, funloving, bohemian mother of four with a passion for her children, an organic lifestyle, Tom Cruise and bands The Foo Fighters and the Hilltop Hoods. But in the months after the birth of her last child her world starts falling apart. Her relationship is over, she has to move house and she sinks into a deep depression.
Erin is from a loving and close-knit family. Her three sisters are social workers and they all recognise the signs of post natal depression -- a condition suffered by almost one in six Australian women after giving birth. They push for Erin to get help but she's not interested.
Losing Erin is the story of a mother watching her world slip through her fingers and a family struggling to keep their mother, sister and daughter from slipping through the cracks of the mental health system.
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| 2008-09-21 Telling Barry's Story |
| 9/20/2008 | Download File (13.83 MB) - right click to download |
Alzheimer's is a disease that generally strikes the elderly -- but not always. Barry Cook was just 49 when he started to experience classic symptoms -- memory loss, disorientation, behavioural changes, and difficulty with familiar tasks. His diagnosis confirmed Barry and his wife Dianne's worst fears; he had Alzheimer's.
Today is World Alzheimer's Day, and Alzheimer's organisations around the world are working hard to raise awareness about a condition that most of us hope we never have to deal with. Worldwide, there are extimated to be 18 million people with the disease, with the number expected to double in 25 years as populations age in developed countries.
Barry Cook's diagnosis was four years ago, and his life now is a world away from his life prior to diagnosis. No longer able to continue working as an explosives operator on the mines, Barry now does some voluntary work, looks after the chooks and the dog at home, and does the best he can to be active and participating. Some days are better than others, and he admits that on a bad day he struggles to remember how to tie his shoe laces. On a good day, Dianne encourages him to talk about the old days -- their life together, the various jobs they've done, and she keeps a journal of 'Barry's stories' because she says 'if anything happened to me, those stories are gone, because Barry can't remember them any more'.
For Dianne, who's the sole and full-time breadwinner in the household, there's the constant worry that while she's at work, Barry may get lost walking the dog, or worse. And she acknowledges that the day may come when she can no longer care for her husband of 30 years.
In the meantime, they take each day as it comes, and try not to think about what the future holds.
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| 2008-09-14 Kevin Wirri - Artist |
| 9/13/2008 | Download File (13.80 MB) - right click to download |
This is the story of a great artist who lives with his family in one of the town camps that dot the dusty bed of the Todd River in Alice Springs. The producer, Kate Finlayson, is an old friend of Kevin's who returns after living away from Alice Springs for ten years to find her friend's young son, Elton Wirri, has become a famous Aboriginal artist.
Planning Map of Abbots Camp, Alice Springs
Rejected: Application for Declaration of a Restricted Area, Northern Territory Liquor Commission - 1999
Rejected: Application for a Restricted Area, Northern Territory Licensing Commission - 2000
Accepted: Application for a Restricted Area, Northern Territory Licensing Commission - 2005
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| 2008-09-07 God Knows Why Part 2 |
| 9/6/2008 | Download File (13.92 MB) - right click to download |
When the Pope came to Sydney recently for World Youth Day, Sister Johanna of the Cross came out of her 45 years of seclusion in a Carmelite convent to recruit new postulants for the order and to visit her family.
Aunty Janny, as she is affectionately known by the Lawson family, has spent most of her life inside the enclosed order of the Catholic Carmelite Nuns in Lismore, northern NSW.
Once a popular and beautiful young Sydney woman, she now spends her days praying for the salvation of all souls. Whenever family or friends pay her a visit there is a set of steel bars dividing them.
She had never been allowed to visit the homes of her brothers and sister before and had not met many of her extended family. So when she came out of seclusion for the ten days, she did a lot of catching up.
She also found that technology had advanced since she had gone into the convent; she was amazed by automatic hand dryers and doors that opened by themselves. The shape of Sydney was completely unrecognisable to her also.
In God Knows Why Part 2 Julie Kimberley, Janny's niece, accompanies her as she meets, greets, visits and explores the outside world for the first time in 45 years.
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| 2008-08-31 God Knows Why Part 1 |
| 8/30/2008 | Download File (13.79 MB) - right click to download |
Julie Kimberley takes us inside the cloisters of one of the few remaining Catholic Carmelite Convents to meet her Aunty Janny, or Sister Johanna of the Cross, as she is formally known.
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| 2008-08-24 Turban |
| 8/23/2008 | Download File (13.81 MB) - right click to download |
The headscarf has cut a swath through Turkish society, like a sharp edged knife. The debate about whether women should be allowed to wear 'turban' to university has threatened the very core of the Turkish secular state.
When Kemal Ataturk founded modern Turkey he discouraged women from wearing this symbol of Muslim belief. Today it is illegal for teachers, public servants and university students to wear it. For years some students have got around this ban by wearing wigs to uni.
Since the 1970s students have been agitating to lift the ban and earlier this year the ruling AK Party, a religious party, did just that. However in June the Constitutional Court upheld the ban, saying that the Turkish Consitution is secular and so Turkish society should remain secular.
In this program we hear from women who choose or choose not to cover their heads about this decision and their lives in contemporary Turkey.
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| 2008-08-17 No Money, No Car |
| 8/16/2008 | Download File (13.70 MB) - right click to download |
There's a lot of everyday poverty going around among single parents. It's often felt by people who never expected to be poor but who find themselves sliding daily deeper into debt; buying the groceries on the credit card and moving into smaller houses or flats. Even doing the unthinkable and living without a car. They're mainly women. Some work outside the home; some don't but almost all struggle.
We're spending time with a mother of four who grew up in a middle-class family and works twenty hours a week. She feels she's doing well because she's found a flat to buy for $180,000 -- less than the fortnightly cost of many rentals -- but she's had to come to terms with making occasional calls for help to charities in order to survive.
Then there's the professional woman in her late thirties who unexpectedly fell in love, became a mother, and two and a half years later finds herself a single parent living in a cold, damp one-bedroom granny flat with her little daughter. Until she recently caught up with him, her ex had contributed nothing to their child's upkeep. She pays $200 a week rent, which leaves her $180 a week for all food and other expenses. She'd like to work part-time but can't afford childcare and is still on a waiting list. She can't afford a car.
And finally there's the solo dad with three daughters. The oldest is six. They live in a comfortable house with a nice car but since his ex-partner died (they were separated) and he became the sole carer for the girls, he's given up paid work. Right now he's eating into his superannuation, while clocking up $75 debt each week. He hopes the right woman will come along to be a mother to the girls so that he can get back out into the workforce before the debt gets much bigger.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that by 2026 there will be between 1.1 million and 1.4 million sole parent families. In 2001 there were 838,000 sole parent families living in the country.
Thanks to The Smith Family for their help with this story.
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| 2008-08-10 No podcast because of copyright restrictions |
| 8/9/2008 | Download File (0.12 MB) - right click to download |
Because of copyright restrictions this week's Street Stories is not available as podcast.
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| 2008-08-03 Someone's Waiting For You In The Lobby |
| 8/2/2008 | Download File (13.73 MB) - right click to download |
Women who will pay for sex or the company of a charming male stranger are rare, but as more women have access to their own money and independence they are giving it a try.
There are only a handful of men in Australia who work as heterosexual male escorts. This is in contrast to the huge industry of female escorts for heterosexual men and the reasonably large male homosexual escort industry.
There is also a non-sexual male escort service based in Queensland—for those who want an escort who is literally only an escort.
So why are some women paying for it and some men happy to be paid? What actually happens in the bedroom? And if sex is not involved what does the man actually do?
In this program we talk to two of these women and the men who service them.
The women originally interviewed for this program wanted to remain anonymous, so their actual words have been read by actors Rebecca Havey and Rebecca Massey.
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| 2008-07-27 Always on my mind |
| 7/26/2008 | Download File (13.83 MB) - right click to download |
No-one knows why a significant number of service men and women develop post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of their experiences of conflict, and others do not. But for these veterans of the Gulf War and East Timor, the impact on their lives has been profound.
The onset of symptoms often means the end of their military career, and their ability to adapt to other employment is limited. Some days, motivation returns -- and on others they can barely get out of bed in the morning. They feel isolated and worthless, and it affects every aspect of their lives. Some turn to alcohol to blur the memories, but it doesn't fix the problem. Relationships are a likely casualty; post-traumatic stress disorder wreaks havoc on families and loved ones, and for the young partner of a soldier who served in Afghanistan, the consequences were devastating.
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| 2008-07-20 Mr Universe Mows My Lawn |
| 7/19/2008 | Download File (13.81 MB) - right click to download |
Henry West is 62 and for the past 15 years he has dedicated himself to the sport of amateur bodybuilding. He has been unrelenting in his devotion to this physical pursuit and his efforts have paid off.
In 2006 Henry travelled to Austria where he took out the Mr Universe Men Over 60 title. However, that wasn't enough, Henry is still at it and recently took part in the 2008 Southern Hemisphere Championships at the Southport RSL on the Gold Coast.
Street Stories spent time with him during his rigorous preparations at the gym and in the kitchen and we travelled with him for the big event.
Watch a Mr Universe video in MP4 [18.1MB] or Windows Media Video [17.1MB]
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| 2008-07-13 Transient Tales |
| 7/12/2008 | Download File (13.82 MB) - right click to download |
Tonight, while many of us are tucked snugly in our beds, countless numbers will be seeking refuge under a car, a railway station bench, or a public park. These are the people with no fixed address, learning to live on the streets.
In this program we hear tales from the homeless. Ex-military men explain how they ended up without shelter, while another individual reveals that his family have no idea that he has dropped out of the rental market.
Jhyimy makes the cliffs of Bondi his home. He shares his stories of surviving without charity. We hear how he feeds himself and his seagull companions, and why a set of golf clubs can be the most important possession in the world.
Watch a short film Bondi Beach dweller, Jhyimy.
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| 2008-07-06 Life Beyond Death |
| 7/5/2008 | Download File (14.24 MB) - right click to download |
In a remarkable gesture of peace and humanity Palestinian and Israeli families talk about the decision to donate the organs of their dead family members to patients on the other side of the Middle Eastern conflict.
'My son was dead, but six Israelis now have a part of a Palestinian in them, and maybe he is still alive in them.'
The words of the Palestinian father Ismail Khatib, who donated his son Ahmed's organs to Israelis after the 12-year-old, while holding a toy gun, was shot dead by Israeli soldiers.
This is not the first time victims of the conflict have given life to people on the other side of the Arab-Jewish divide.
This year is the 5th anniversary of the death of Yoni Jesner, a 19-year-old Jewish religion student murdered in the bombing of a Tel-Aviv bus. Part of his body went to save the life of a Palestinian girl from East Jerusalem.
In this moving program we take a closer look at the generosity and faith of these two families, the Jesners and the Khatibs. Can a person live on in some way through organ donation?
This is a production of the BBC World Service and is part of the Crossing Boundaries program exchange.
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| 2008-06-29 Tricks of theTrade |
| 6/28/2008 | Download File (13.81 MB) - right click to download |
New technology is increasingly breaking down barriers for the blind community. Global positioning systems, mobile phones with scanners and cameras, screen-reading software, as well as less sophisticated but equally useful stuff like talking kettles and measuring jugs - they've become the 'tricks of the trade' for people who are visually impaired.
Even shopping on the internet creates new opportunities - as Jenny explains "I've never been able to browse before, and now I can". And there's a website where folk share information about how to use new consumer items - things the manuals don't tell you, like whether the 'on/off' switch is at the top or the bottom!
Five people who have no vision talk in this program about their lives, and about the way new technologies are making a difference.
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| 2008-06-22 My Street Sampler |
| 6/21/2008 | Download File (13.82 MB) - right click to download |
Welcome to the launch of 'My Street'. Every street has a story and we want you to tell the story of your street. This launch is no red carpet affair; more pavements, darkened rooms and unexpected watery vistas, as we present our first My Street Sampler. It's a collection of stories told by young men and women about their streets.
My Street is a user generated content project, based on the web, where we´re inviting you to tell a story of your choosing, whether in slideshow, video - it could be recorded on your mobile phone - in audio or text... The choice is yours. No more than 7 minutes or 700 words long. Create it and upload your story on the new My Street website: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/streetstories/features/mystreet/
Street Stories has always told diverse stories from across the country and in My Street we hope you´ll be sharing stories that take us to places we´ve never been... or perhaps we may have passed there but never knew what was going on behind the blinds.
In our first My Street Sampler selection we hear about life in a squat on Harris Street in Pyrmont, where one young woman sings her avocado tree to fruitfulness; there's also the ripping detective story of the search for the trolley nappers of Frederick Street, Hornsby; then there are the romantic seaplanes of New South Head Road, Rose Bay; and finally, the mysterious Kastle of Abercrombie Street in Chippendale.
Thanks to the students and lecturers of the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) for making this first sampler possible.
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| 2008-06-15 Bicycle Heaven |
| 6/14/2008 | Download File (13.82 MB) - right click to download |
There are many cities that could aspire to the title of 'bike heaven', cities where cycle paths abound and where governments and car users alike regard bicycles as a solution to traffic problems rather than a cause of them. Sydney isn't one of them.
Visit Amsterdam or Copenhagen... even Adelaide and Canberra have kilometres of cycle paths in their city centres, while Brisbane is planning many more. But it's still a distant dream in huge, sprawling, car-mad Sydney, where it's said one-third of all land lies under roads and car parks. It takes a lot of nerve to cycle in Sydney but, for those who do, it becomes a passion they want to share.
'Happy cycling!' Photo courtesy of Moz.
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| 2008-06-08 Abrolhos Island life |
| 6/7/2008 | Download File (13.82 MB) - right click to download |
For three-and-a-half months every year, 150 lobster fishermen, their families and deckhands leave the mainland and make the trek across the waters to live and work on the Abrolhos Islands. It is a unique, albeit very isolated, lifestyle much relished by the islanders.
Seven days a week they pull up their pots, searching for the valuable and delicious crustaceans. It is a major industry -- 1.5 million kilos (worth $40 million) of Western Rock Lobsters, or better known locally as crayfish, are fished here and exported across the world.
The Abrolhos Islands are situated 60 km off the coast of Western Australia, near Geraldton. The 122 rugged and isolated coral atolls extend north to south over 100 km of pristine waters rich in biodiversity. As a result of the Leeuwin current sweeping warm, low-nutrient, tropical water from the Pacific Ocean down along Western Australia's continental shelf, corals and tropical fish can thrive here in latitudes where they would not normally survive.
The name Abrolhos is thought to have been derived from the Portuguese expression Abre os olhos, meaning 'keep your eyes open'. It is a suitable name for this A-class reserve, known not only for its crayfish but also for shipwrecks like the Batavia.
But as both crayfish numbers and prices go down, it is a lifestyle under pressure to change. Producer Mia Lindgren spent time with some of the lobster fishermen and their families on the tiny Roma Island.
Watch the short film on Abrolhos Island life.
Meet some of the fishermen and their families who take up temporary residence at the Abrolhos Islands during the Western Rock Lobster fishing season (15 March - 30 June):
Caroline and Paul Pettet; John Newby, Kel Pirrottina; and Cherrie and Pinny Pirrottina.
A special thanks to photographers Peter Dameon, Geoff Towler and Bjorn Westerberg. Producer: Mia Lindgren. (Dur: 3:50)
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| 2008-06-01 Who will look after me? |
| 5/31/2008 | Download File (13.82 MB) - right click to download |
We spend a day with aged-care worker Tash Prendergast as she visits four of her elderly clients. They live alone and depend on her help for many of the most basic tasks of daily life.
Together they´ll take you on a journey through the unique relationship between carer and cared-for, as Tash and her clients open up the doors to their homes, hearts and minds -- and offer a glimpse into life for some elderly people in Australia today.
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| 2008-05-25 Out-foxing the fox |
| 5/24/2008 | Download File (13.82 MB) - right click to download |
On the 'mainland' it is generally accepted that Tasmania is fox free, however this may not be necessarily so. Franz Docherty went and spent a couple of days with the members of the Fox Eradication Program and an hour or two with a true blue sceptic, to find the answer to the ongoing question, 'Are foxes in Tasmania?'
In getting to know the people on the front line of this fight against the fox, we will get an insight into the work being done to protect Tasmania from a potential environmental nightmare, as well as discover what drives this dedicated group of people. We find out how they feel about the dilemma and give them the chance to answer the critics who question the need for the Fox Eradication Program's existence.
We also meet a doubter, someone who doesn´t believe all is as it seems, and find out the reasons for their scepticism. It is not the first argument in Tasmania over a creature´s existence, as many still believe the Tasmanian Tiger is out there in the wilderness. In the end this program will expose the real situation: are there foxes in Tasmania? Have a listen and find out.
* Watch a Short Film of Peter Darke, the hunter co-ordinator for the Fox Eradication Program
Windows Media (19.5MB)
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| 2008-05-18 Still Life with Parrots |
| 5/17/2008 | Download File (13.79 MB) - right click to download |
The relationship between tame parrots and their humans is an intense one. Some people regard their parrot as the last descendant of dinosaurs or simply as a bit of friendly colour in a cage, but for many this is an obsessive love affair that raises questions like, 'Should I sleep with my bird?'
Few have problems showering with them or taking them to the supermarket. But dealing with your parrot deciding you are their mate and challenging your partner is harder. What does the relationship with captive birds offer that makes its pull to humans so powerful? And how do the people who do love them reconcile keeping them captive?
We hear from Shelley, Mike (Michael Archer), Eb, Annie, Tony and Annie's mum on the answering machine, Pam, Patricia and her daughters Stephanie and Sarah, as well as their various birds. Special thanks to Rod from the Birdroom at Kellyville Pets for sharing his knowledge.
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| 2008-05-11 Sticks and Stones |
| 5/10/2008 | Download File (13.77 MB) - right click to download |
Claude Ranger was a legendary Canadian jazz drummer who disappeared into thin air seven years ago. Through his friends and admirers we piece together the remarkable journey that led to this talented but tortured musician's demise.
Claude Ranger is probably the finest jazz drummer Canada has ever produced, he played with the country's best musicians, and visiting jazz greats from the United States asked for Claude by name. He had his own band full of young, talented, untried players who were willing to put it all on the line to play with their hero.
But there was nothing smooth or maninstream about his life; as a composer and a player he pushed the envelope. His burning no-compromise dedication to music gave him his sweetest moments, but the price in real life was high. He entered re-hab a little while before he vanished, leaving his friends and fellow musicians mystified yet somehow not surprised.
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| 2008-05-04 It's not like the suburbs |
| 5/3/2008 | Download File (13.74 MB) - right click to download |
The Narrabundah Longstay Caravan Park is a unique community tucked away on the urban fringes of Canberra who have pulled together over the last two years to save their homes.
A wide variety of mostly low-income residents live in a hotchpotch of dwellings, from miniature houses to caravans with annexes and even a double decker bus, with an annexe. Ninety per cent of them own their homes, despite the fact that you cannot get a home loan to buy in the caravan park. They are proud of their homes and well established gardens and there is a strong sense of community in the park—everyone helps the other out and watches over their neighbours' homes.
The park was originally established in 1975 to house the workers who built Canberra and the new Parliament House. In 2006 the park was sold to a developer and the residents were issued with eviction notices. Rather than move out, they all worked together, lobbying government and the community of Canberra to protect their homes. After many months of negotiations the developer has accepted a land swap offered by the ACT government, and the residents are awaiting the outcome of an environmental impact analysis on this new piece of land. When that is clear, the residents will no longer be in limbo and will be able to continue living in the park.
In the program you hear single dad David, retiree Gabbi, Frank and Norma who moved there from Harden, student and advocate Deb, and Pam who has lived there for 20 years, more recently with her husband Mark and their menagerie of pets.
Based on the experience of this community the longstay caravan park could be one solution to the current housing crisis, a place where it is possible for people on very low incomes to own their own homes and have a sense of security.
Watch a short presentation on the residents of the Narrabundah Longstay Caravan Park.
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| 2008-04-27 From Russia with love |
| 4/26/2008 | Download File (13.72 MB) - right click to download |
For Australian men looking for love, and disillusioned with the pub and club scene, Internet dating has become more and more popular. And an increasing number of these men are choosing women from the former Soviet Union.
Many of the dating websites make bold claims about the qualities a Russian wife would bring to a relationship — that family is their priority and that feminist ideals have not affected their view of traditional family values.
There are pitfalls — for the men who are looking and for the women who make the journey here to start a new life. Sometimes the men part with serious amounts of money in their pursuit of happiness in the form of a Russian bride — and find they've been 'scammed'. And sometimes the women come here to men who treat them appallingly and exploit the vulnerability that financial dependence and isolation cause. But sometimes, despite language and cultural differences, and often a wide age gap too, successful and happy relationships are forged.
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| 2008-04-20 On The River's Edge: the life and soul of the Clarence River |
| 4/19/2008 | Download File (13.80 MB) - right click to download |
The quest to find enough water to sustain a bulging coastal population on Australia´s east coast has thrust an untouched wild river in northern NSW into the politics of water sharing.
What starts as a trickle in the wilderness near the Queensland border ends 400 kilometres away as a broad and majestic river system flowing into the Pacific Ocean. The Clarence River channels five million megalitres of water out to sea each year. A federal government proposal is on the table to dam its flow and pipe its fresh water resource to south east Queensland, to ease water shortages there. There are also demands on Clarence water from the west of NSW, which continues to face the dilemmas of drought.
Along the banks of the Clarence are generational fishermen and farmers, Indigenous elders, tourism operators and lifestyle retirees who make their income and draw inspiration from its flow.
In the upper reaches of the river system Steve and Sharon Ross have carved out a living from a remote property that boasts five kilometres of river frontage. They earn their income guiding tourists down the flow of the Clarence in canoes and plan to have their ashes cast across its surface when they die.
Russell Farmer is a third generation cattle and timber producer. He remembers chasing turtles, catching eels and racing corrugated iron canoes down the river at Cangai. He has also worked on the Snowy Mountains scheme as a teenager and cannot help but compare the health of the two river systems; one managed and one wild.
Many of the Indigenous elders along the Clarence grew up on one of 109 islands that are nestled within the flow of the Clarence River as it transforms from a mountain stream to a broad estuary. They reminisce about raking prawns from the shallows, chiselling oysters from the mangroves and the dramatic evacuations during floods.
Vince Castle grows sugar cane on the edge of the Clarence estuary. He is predicting that water sharing will be a feature of the future and that the community will be disappointed if it wants to claim the Clarence water resource as its own.
Judith Melville has no car and describes the river as her road. She lives in Yamba, a coastal community on the southern edge of the Clarence River. The community of Iluka sits on the northern bank where the Clarence flows out to sea.
Renee du Preez followed the course of the Mighty Clarence to bring us the story of a river.
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| 2008-04-13 Speech Is Silver, Silence Is Gold |
| 4/12/2008 | Download File (13.78 MB) - right click to download |
Young people in Iraq are living through a dangerous war, resiliently maintaining a sense of humour and optimism. On their blogs they talk of the profound and the mundane; dodging bombs on their way to school and trying to study without any electricity.
March 20, 2008 marked the fifth anniversary of the allied military invasion of Iraq.
May 1, 2008 will mark the fifth anniversary of US President Bush´s declaration that the war was over, yet fighting has continued and approximately a million people have been killed. Before the invasion Iraq was a country with high regard for education and moderate views towards women´s role in society. Now between 30% and 70% of schools across the country have been closed because of insecurity. Teachers and students have become targets for bombings and kidnappings.
Large percentages of students have chosen to discontinue their studies, or have left Iraq, yet there are those who have chosen to stay and continue. Their commitment to a strong, educated Iraq is what keeps them focused.
Rather than the standard tales of military operations this program is about living through the war and attempting to maintain normality in the face of adversity. Iraqi bloggers HNK and Sunshine and Bassam Sebti, a postgraduate student and former Iraqi correspondent for the Washington Post share their stories with us.
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| 2008-04-06 What My Mother Taught Me |
| 4/5/2008 | Download File (13.81 MB) - right click to download |
We follow the closely woven threads of relationships between grandmothers, mothers and daughters. There are stories of survival of domestic violence, of dance lessons from the Rumba Queen of Milan and a Vietnamese grandmother's revenge.
We also meet the producer´s banner wielding, slogan chanting, abortion-on-demand-demanding mother and her fiercely Mexican-Catholic grandmother.
This feature is dedicated to the producer's mother and grandmother, Carmelita Mallea Steinke and Aurora Mallea, who both died last year.
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| 2008-03-30 Going it Alone |
| 3/29/2008 | Download File (13.70 MB) - right click to download |
More and more Australian women are finding themselves single and childless in their mid to late 30s. Without Mr Right at hand, and with the biological clock ticking, many are choosing to go it alone.
One fertility clinic in Sydney has seen a 40 per cent rise in the number of single women seeking sperm donors. And expected changes to legislation in Victoria means single women no longer need to cross state borders to access fertility treatment in their quest for motherhood.
At the same time, strong demand for donor sperm, and laws giving children the right to know the identity of donor parents, have seen a dramatic decline in donor numbers.
So for some, adoption is an easier option. However, as a single parent, opportunities to adopt are restricted. The situations under which single people can apply vary for each state and territory, with most only accepting applications under special circumstances.
In this program we hear from women whose desire to have a child was so great that overcoming the many obstacles to become a single mum was their only option.
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| 2008-03-23 Port to Paradise |
| 3/22/2008 | Download File (13.72 MB) - right click to download |
Port Adelaide is a working class, suburban region that contains one of the last working, historic ports in Australia. It sits on the Port River and it is this waterfront that has attracted developers to the area.
South Australia´s State Government has sold a swathe of riverfront land to a consortium of developers who are building many multi-storey, high-density residential apartments, expected to attract a further 8,000 people into the region.
With half a dozen buildings, up to six storeys high, already complete and plans for buildings of up to 12 storeys, there are mixed feelings about what will happen to the Port and its people.
Hundreds of millions of dollars of capital investment, environmental cleanup, new marinas, an influx of 'outsiders', higher housing prices and the loss of heritage are in the mix that is dividing locals. Some are against the developers and government while others are celebrating the change in lifestyle and population mix.
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| 2008-03-16 Simple Pleasures Happen Here |
| 3/15/2008 | Download File (13.70 MB) - right click to download |
Holidaying in New South Wales, Bill Johnstone had a chance encounter with a men's community shed in Nambucca. He was struck by the potential a community shed might have in his own home town, the historic port town of Fremantle, Western Australia -- particularly as Fremantle's property boom has squeezed out many a backyard workshop.
Two years later, the Fremantle Men's Community Shed measures its success by an ever-increasing membership of guys who take pride in sharing their skills and passing them on to the wider Fremantle community.
Left: The Jook Joint Band.
Right: The Fremantle Men's Community Shed.
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| 2008-03-09 Green Tea and Landmines |
| 3/8/2008 | Download File (13.95 MB) - right click to download |
We´re heading to the Thai-Burma border to the highly politicised town of Mae Sot. The streets of Mae Sot are full of stories of loss and death and flight. Some Burmese people crossed the border into Thailand illegally and have been living here for twenty years, many for more than ten, while thousands are arriving right now.
Another fifty thousand people live in Mae La, the nearest refugee camp. And there are a hundred thousand more refugees in other camps in Thailand. But possibly the most overwhelming fact is that about two and a half million Burmese have fled their country for Thailand, many simply in search of work. Burma remains one of the poorest countries in the world and the protests against the military dictatorship last year did little to change the lives of people.
While we´re in Mae Sot we visit the extraordinary Dr Cynthia Maung´s Mae Tao Clinic. It´s as much haven as clinic. Funded mainly by foreign donations, Mae Tao Clinic runs the training centre for the Backpack Medical Teams and the Free Burma Rangers, both of whom illegally cross the border back into Burma to help the ethnic minorities survive the onslaught of the Burmese military.
The clinic is also where people come to vaccinate their babies, to be treated for malaria or cholera, or to receive a prosthetic leg when they´ve lost theirs to a landmine. Many of the villagers who come to the clinic are fleeing the Burmese military after being forced to act as porters, or even as human landmine detectors.
We also meet long-time political prisoners from Aung San Suu Kyi´s National League for Democracy party, as well as Karen and Shan, ethnic Burmese working to help their own people in their struggle against the military inside Burma. Over the last ten years the Burmese army has destroyed around ten thousand ethnic villages. Some of the people from those villages are now living in hiding inside Burma; some are in Thailand. Many of them are children who have crossed the border alone.
Watch the short documentary Steps to Freedom.
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