2009-02-01 Program announcement  play >

2009-02-01 Program announcement

1/31/2009 | Download File (0.11 MB) - right click to download

2009-01-25 It's not like the suburbs  play >

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.

2009-01-18 Going it Alone  play >

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.

2009-01-04 Speech Is Silver, Silence Is Gold  play >

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.

2008-12-21 Dance! It's Never Too Late  play >

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.