Link to Original: http://3degree.cci.ecu.edu.au/articles/view/271
Fries with that, Japan?
By Glenn Knight
28 April 2006
New Australian research argues that Japanese scientific whaling is bogus.
The ten week research program reportedly gathered all the data Japan currently obtains using lethal research on whales.
Federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell has been highly critical of whaling nations in statements released late last month.
The statements are in response to new Australian research showing that no justification can be found in Japan’s so-called 'scientific' whaling in Antarctic waters.
"Australia remains opposed to commercial and scientific whaling. Both Japan and Iceland continue to conduct whaling under the guise of science while Norway, which will increase its kill of whales this year, simply defies a global ban on commercial whaling" said Campbell.
The ten week survey covered more than 10 million sqkm and according to Campbell: "gives us by far the most comprehensive assessment of the marine ecosystem in the whole eastern Antarctic area."
"Japan claims that the major objectives for its scientific whaling programs are to monitor the Antarctic marine ecosystem and to model possible competition for food among whale species."
The cold hard and very sad reality is that the slaughter of whales by Japan, Norway and Iceland does nothing to assist the quality of non-lethal marine ecosystem science,” he said.
The survey comes as Japan, Iceland and Norway continue to lobby for greater whaling rights. Japan in particular maintains that its position on the management of all marine living resources be based on scientific findings.
Commissioner Minoru Morimoto, Japan's representation at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) defended Japan’s commitment to its scientific research methods at last years whaling conference in Korea.
"We believe that science-based rule making and policy that is the broadly accepted paradigm for the management of living resources must consistently apply to whaling," said Morimoto.
Japan maintains that its objective in Antarctic waters is about the continuing need to monitor ecosystem changes.
The Japanese Whaling Association states that scientific information such as age structure, growth rates, maturity age, reproductive rates, nutrition and levels of contaminants, can unfortunately only be obtained through lethal research.
According to Morimoto, the research will form the basis of a new and improved management system for whales. A system that, based on the ecosystem approach, would allow for conservation, recovery of depleted species and sustainable use of existing abundant stocks.
The Japanese Whaling Association also points out that whaling is a cultural tradition in their country. They maintain that asking Japan to abandon this part of it culture would be akin to asking Australia's to stop eating meat pies.
They point out that attitudes towards animals are part of each nation’s cultures and that no nation has the right to impose their attitudes on others.
Environmentalist groups such as Greenpeace have also criticised Japan over the use of whale meat for human consumption in Japan as a result of the whaling. They point out that research carried out by Japanese newspapers shows that only 4% of the population eats whale meat.
The Japanese defence is that whilst the whale meat is indeed sold in markets, it is in accordance with the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling requirements. Article eight of the convention highlights that no part of the whale be wasted as a result of scientific research.
According to Greenpeace, Japan has secured the support of eight nations by offering fisheries aid to poor coastal countries in exchange for their support. As a result the Japanese have a blocking minority in voting. Last year this minority prevented the establishment of South Pacific Whale Sanctuary.
Campbell has vowed to take the new information to the next IWC meeting in St Kitts and Nevis in June. He aims to convey the research findings to the international whaling community and that whale research need not involve lethal practices.
“Making it very clear that under no circumstances can this continued slaughter of whales in the name of ‘science’ be justified,” Campbell said.
Campbell hopes that the new research will encourage change to an industry he sees as no longer justified.
“If the whaling officials of scientific whaling countries are serious about better understanding the role of whales in the Southern Ocean we encourage them to further develop long-standing scientific collaboration processes,” said Campbell.
The Southern Ocean ecosystem research consisted of visual and acoustic surveys to determine the distribution and abundance of whales. It also analysed krill populations, the main food source for whales. It is hoped that data collected will give scientists a better understanding of whale numbers and their interactions.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Friday, April 14, 2006
Schoolies: The dark side
Link to Original: http://3degree.cci.ecu.edu.au/articles/view/213
Schoolies: The dark side
By Glenn Knight
14 April 2006
It's seen as a right of passage, a celebration of the end of the teenage years and a welcoming of new adventures. But what happens when things go too far at Schoolies?
Sun filled days spent relaxing on white sandy beaches, with the cool of the ocean easing yesterday's sunburn. Nights filled with laughter and partying, flirtatious smiles and a sense of freedom. That’s what schoolies is supposed to be, it's a celebration of the end of high school, a time for creating new memories and meeting new friends.
Unfortunately for some, the memories are anything but great. Each year, school leaver’s hotspots around the country are the sites for a number of sexual crimes.
Young, often very drunk, women are being preyed upon by their fellow leavers and the ‘toolies’ – the name given to older people who attend school leaver celebrations to prey on young women.
Making matters worse, Police are often left powerless to prosecute, as the teenage victims are often too drunk to be reliable witnesses.
It has been reported that Western Australian police were aware of eight alleged rapes during schoolies celebrations last year. Of that figure, only five were officially reported and only one is part of an ongoing investigation.
Police from Queensland’s Gold Coast reportedly received five complaints of sexual assault, including three rape allegations, from last year’s festivities.
Officer in Charge of Rottnest Police, Sargent Paul Van Noort has seen this type of behaviour first hand.
“We had a sexual assault after the leavers period, involving a 15 year-old girl and again she was that drunk she really can’t remember too much and had no control over what was going on,” said Van Noort.
“She really can’t remember what happened and certainly with the forensic examination there has been some sexual activity that’s taken place. But was it consensual, wasn’t it consensual, who knows and she can’t really tell us,” he said.
The consent issue remains a difficult one for Police and Prosecutors.
“Even if we did know who the offender was, there would certainly be a defence there in say a court room scenario that you could say it was consensual,” said Van Noort.
“These girls are in no position to say they were really aware of what was going on in the first place, because they’re that drunk they don’t know,” he said.
Also of great concern to Police is the emerging trend of younger groups taking part in schoolies celebrations.
“What we are finding too, is the year 10s and 11s are now starting to develop that culture where they think they can have end of year celebrations as well,” said Van Noort.
Part of the problem, according to the experts, is the culturally sanctioned behaviour of using alcohol to lower inhibitions.
Professor Steve Allsop, Director of the National Drug Research Institute, says many are aware of the risks associated with such behaviour, but still continue with the practice. This practice can lead to very dangerous behaviour according to Allsop.
“Some people use alcohol as a ‘passport’ or excuse towards certain types of behaviour, that otherwise they would not have engaged in,” said Allsop.
“Many people who know the risk, will still take the risk."
“The problem is, of course, their memory of events may be partially or totally impaired and so it does affect the ability of the police to prosecute such behaviour.”
Allsop is quick to point out that alcohol isn’t solely to blame.
“We also need to tackle attitudes and values around violence and sexual consent. A small number of young men have values and actions that result in them acting as ‘predators' around young women, irrespective of alcohol,” he said.
Van Noort is quick to add that it is a misconception that the girls are a completely innocent party.
“Lots of girls leave themselves very vulnerable, but at the same time they are out there, preying on the boys,” said Van Noort.
“It's nothing unusual for us to come across girls boasting about the tally of boys they’ve had that particular night,” he said.
Allsop and Van Noort agree that a change in behaviour is the best way to tackle the problem.
“We also need to build a process of ‘looking after your mates’ and teaching young people how to avoid risk and also equipping parents with knowledge and skills,” said Allsop.
He also says that greater warnings should be given about the predatory behaviour of some of the people who go to schoolies celebrations.
This view is echoed by Van Noort: “Come over and have a good time by all means, that’s not a problem, but just be aware of what you’re getting into and look after your mates.”
Rottnest Police have been praised for their successful handling of schoolies celebrations with a lot of schoolies sites around Australia now modelling the Rottnest approach.
Rottnest Police are speaking to school leavers months prior to the event and letting them know what kind of experiences they can expect. They also assign an area specifically for leavers on the island and provide activities for them. Police also make themselves approachable and mingling with the crowds has seen a positive response.
“You can set up the best policing, the best security and the best information, but if people aren’t looking after each other and not looking after themselves, well they’re going to get into strife,” said Allsop.
Schoolies: The dark side
By Glenn Knight
14 April 2006
It's seen as a right of passage, a celebration of the end of the teenage years and a welcoming of new adventures. But what happens when things go too far at Schoolies?
Sun filled days spent relaxing on white sandy beaches, with the cool of the ocean easing yesterday's sunburn. Nights filled with laughter and partying, flirtatious smiles and a sense of freedom. That’s what schoolies is supposed to be, it's a celebration of the end of high school, a time for creating new memories and meeting new friends.
Unfortunately for some, the memories are anything but great. Each year, school leaver’s hotspots around the country are the sites for a number of sexual crimes.
Young, often very drunk, women are being preyed upon by their fellow leavers and the ‘toolies’ – the name given to older people who attend school leaver celebrations to prey on young women.
Making matters worse, Police are often left powerless to prosecute, as the teenage victims are often too drunk to be reliable witnesses.
It has been reported that Western Australian police were aware of eight alleged rapes during schoolies celebrations last year. Of that figure, only five were officially reported and only one is part of an ongoing investigation.
Police from Queensland’s Gold Coast reportedly received five complaints of sexual assault, including three rape allegations, from last year’s festivities.
Officer in Charge of Rottnest Police, Sargent Paul Van Noort has seen this type of behaviour first hand.
“We had a sexual assault after the leavers period, involving a 15 year-old girl and again she was that drunk she really can’t remember too much and had no control over what was going on,” said Van Noort.
“She really can’t remember what happened and certainly with the forensic examination there has been some sexual activity that’s taken place. But was it consensual, wasn’t it consensual, who knows and she can’t really tell us,” he said.
The consent issue remains a difficult one for Police and Prosecutors.
“Even if we did know who the offender was, there would certainly be a defence there in say a court room scenario that you could say it was consensual,” said Van Noort.
“These girls are in no position to say they were really aware of what was going on in the first place, because they’re that drunk they don’t know,” he said.
Also of great concern to Police is the emerging trend of younger groups taking part in schoolies celebrations.
“What we are finding too, is the year 10s and 11s are now starting to develop that culture where they think they can have end of year celebrations as well,” said Van Noort.
Part of the problem, according to the experts, is the culturally sanctioned behaviour of using alcohol to lower inhibitions.
Professor Steve Allsop, Director of the National Drug Research Institute, says many are aware of the risks associated with such behaviour, but still continue with the practice. This practice can lead to very dangerous behaviour according to Allsop.
“Some people use alcohol as a ‘passport’ or excuse towards certain types of behaviour, that otherwise they would not have engaged in,” said Allsop.
“Many people who know the risk, will still take the risk."
“The problem is, of course, their memory of events may be partially or totally impaired and so it does affect the ability of the police to prosecute such behaviour.”
Allsop is quick to point out that alcohol isn’t solely to blame.
“We also need to tackle attitudes and values around violence and sexual consent. A small number of young men have values and actions that result in them acting as ‘predators' around young women, irrespective of alcohol,” he said.
Van Noort is quick to add that it is a misconception that the girls are a completely innocent party.
“Lots of girls leave themselves very vulnerable, but at the same time they are out there, preying on the boys,” said Van Noort.
“It's nothing unusual for us to come across girls boasting about the tally of boys they’ve had that particular night,” he said.
Allsop and Van Noort agree that a change in behaviour is the best way to tackle the problem.
“We also need to build a process of ‘looking after your mates’ and teaching young people how to avoid risk and also equipping parents with knowledge and skills,” said Allsop.
He also says that greater warnings should be given about the predatory behaviour of some of the people who go to schoolies celebrations.
This view is echoed by Van Noort: “Come over and have a good time by all means, that’s not a problem, but just be aware of what you’re getting into and look after your mates.”
Rottnest Police have been praised for their successful handling of schoolies celebrations with a lot of schoolies sites around Australia now modelling the Rottnest approach.
Rottnest Police are speaking to school leavers months prior to the event and letting them know what kind of experiences they can expect. They also assign an area specifically for leavers on the island and provide activities for them. Police also make themselves approachable and mingling with the crowds has seen a positive response.
“You can set up the best policing, the best security and the best information, but if people aren’t looking after each other and not looking after themselves, well they’re going to get into strife,” said Allsop.
Friday, April 7, 2006
Government in drug haze
Link to Original : http://3degree.cci.ecu.edu.au/articles/view/186
Government in drug haze
By Glenn Knight
07 April 2006
The Federal Government has released figures they say show the National Drugs Campaign is a success.
But the experts are not so sure that the $1Billion the Government has poured into campaigns since 1997 has been well spent.
The Federal Government has been congratulating itself on its perceived success of a campaign to educate Australian youth about illicit drug use. Since 1997, over $1 billion has been committed to the government’s drug strategy.
Statements released earlier this month by the Office of the Minister for Health and Aging report that Australian youth is now more reluctant to take drugs.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister, Christopher Pyne, welcomed the findings of an independent evaluation of Phase Two of the National Drugs Campaign saying: “The research showed that 97 per cent of young people surveyed found the campaign’s television commercials believable.”
While the television commercials are being perceived correctly, is the message getting through? According to Pyne, it is.
“About two-thirds of the young people surveyed reported that the campaign had influenced them, primarily to avoid using drugs and situations where they are used, and to think about the consequences of using them,” he said.
Associate Professor Wendy Loxley of the National Drug Research Institute, who has 20 years of professional experience in the field, disputes this view saying: “One of the issues, I think, about the National Drug Campaign is that it is unlikely to impact very heavily on regular drug users."
She adds: “My hunch is that this campaign, if it impacts at all, impacts on mainly people who haven’t either used drugs very much, or at all."
Pyne also points out that the campaign has made it easier for parents to discuss the subject matter with their children. However, analysis of the report’s findings show that only 40 per cent of parents surveyed would actually do so.
Loxley points out that even though parents may be talking to their children about drugs, the effectiveness of that should be under scrutiny.
“I think what these campaigns do is they raise awareness, they make people inclined to take some action, but the action people usually take is probably confused,” said Loxley.
Phase Two of the campaign, launched in April 2005, consisted of a series of hard-hitting advertisements through television and print media. They were designed to focus on the harmful effects of the most commonly used drugs: cannabis, ecstasy and methamphetamine.
The research behind the campaign had found that more than 50 per cent of Australian youth had experiences involving one or more of the drugs. Most often they were unaware of the impact on health and social consequences.
While the public become increasingly aware of the consequences of drug use, it doesn’t seem to be stopping their use.
Government figures show that while 65 per cent of surveyed respondents said that they had been influenced by the campaign, many were still likely to use and/or experiment. Of that percentage, only 36 per cent said that they would avoid using drugs and only 19 per cent said they would think about the consequences of them.
Groups within the community feel that more can be done than just education. The Salvation Army, through its drug treatment and rehabilitation programs, sees the other end of the drug spectrum. National spokesman Michael Coleman would like the Government to place more investment and emphasis on treatment programs.
He said: "The National Drug Strategy is good, is appropriate, but more resources need to be applied."
He also pointed out that for every dollar spent on treatment, several are saved in the cost to the community. Calling for what he refers to as 'a smorgasbord of approaches', he says more investment is needed in the treatment side.
“Essentially, the area we feel that is under resourced and overlooked is that of treatment, because treatment delivers far better dollar value in savings of cost to the community,” said Coleman.
The government reports that overall the proportion of Australians who had or currently used illicit substances has fallen. In 2004, 15.3 per cent reported use, down from 16.9 per cent in 2001.
Cannabis remains the most commonly used drug, but it also has shown a decline, with figures showing the lowest usage in the 13-year period of the survey.
The campaign was carefully crafted by the Government through extensive research into young people’s knowledge and attitudes towards illicit drugs. The research identified a need to target the distinct sub-groups that teenagers and young adults occupy.
Government in drug haze
By Glenn Knight
07 April 2006
The Federal Government has released figures they say show the National Drugs Campaign is a success.
But the experts are not so sure that the $1Billion the Government has poured into campaigns since 1997 has been well spent.
The Federal Government has been congratulating itself on its perceived success of a campaign to educate Australian youth about illicit drug use. Since 1997, over $1 billion has been committed to the government’s drug strategy.
Statements released earlier this month by the Office of the Minister for Health and Aging report that Australian youth is now more reluctant to take drugs.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister, Christopher Pyne, welcomed the findings of an independent evaluation of Phase Two of the National Drugs Campaign saying: “The research showed that 97 per cent of young people surveyed found the campaign’s television commercials believable.”
While the television commercials are being perceived correctly, is the message getting through? According to Pyne, it is.
“About two-thirds of the young people surveyed reported that the campaign had influenced them, primarily to avoid using drugs and situations where they are used, and to think about the consequences of using them,” he said.
Associate Professor Wendy Loxley of the National Drug Research Institute, who has 20 years of professional experience in the field, disputes this view saying: “One of the issues, I think, about the National Drug Campaign is that it is unlikely to impact very heavily on regular drug users."
She adds: “My hunch is that this campaign, if it impacts at all, impacts on mainly people who haven’t either used drugs very much, or at all."
Pyne also points out that the campaign has made it easier for parents to discuss the subject matter with their children. However, analysis of the report’s findings show that only 40 per cent of parents surveyed would actually do so.
Loxley points out that even though parents may be talking to their children about drugs, the effectiveness of that should be under scrutiny.
“I think what these campaigns do is they raise awareness, they make people inclined to take some action, but the action people usually take is probably confused,” said Loxley.
Phase Two of the campaign, launched in April 2005, consisted of a series of hard-hitting advertisements through television and print media. They were designed to focus on the harmful effects of the most commonly used drugs: cannabis, ecstasy and methamphetamine.
The research behind the campaign had found that more than 50 per cent of Australian youth had experiences involving one or more of the drugs. Most often they were unaware of the impact on health and social consequences.
While the public become increasingly aware of the consequences of drug use, it doesn’t seem to be stopping their use.
Government figures show that while 65 per cent of surveyed respondents said that they had been influenced by the campaign, many were still likely to use and/or experiment. Of that percentage, only 36 per cent said that they would avoid using drugs and only 19 per cent said they would think about the consequences of them.
Groups within the community feel that more can be done than just education. The Salvation Army, through its drug treatment and rehabilitation programs, sees the other end of the drug spectrum. National spokesman Michael Coleman would like the Government to place more investment and emphasis on treatment programs.
He said: "The National Drug Strategy is good, is appropriate, but more resources need to be applied."
He also pointed out that for every dollar spent on treatment, several are saved in the cost to the community. Calling for what he refers to as 'a smorgasbord of approaches', he says more investment is needed in the treatment side.
“Essentially, the area we feel that is under resourced and overlooked is that of treatment, because treatment delivers far better dollar value in savings of cost to the community,” said Coleman.
The government reports that overall the proportion of Australians who had or currently used illicit substances has fallen. In 2004, 15.3 per cent reported use, down from 16.9 per cent in 2001.
Cannabis remains the most commonly used drug, but it also has shown a decline, with figures showing the lowest usage in the 13-year period of the survey.
The campaign was carefully crafted by the Government through extensive research into young people’s knowledge and attitudes towards illicit drugs. The research identified a need to target the distinct sub-groups that teenagers and young adults occupy.
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