Pedal Power Finale

Its fast. Its franetic. And its tons of FUN! What is it? Its Pedal Prix.

What started out as a design and construction experiment for South Australian school children in the 1980′s, has grown into a racing series taken very seriously by some keen speed freaks.

Its no-long uncommon to see wind tunnel designed carbon fibre composite pedal powered vehicles tearing around at 70km/h plus worth several thousand dollars.

We spoke to Andrew McLachlan, chief of Australian International Pedal Prix, about the evolution of the Pedal Prix and its culminating event, the 24 hour endurance race this weekend in Murray Bridge.

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Speak Up gig for Mental Health @ The Gov

I don’t WANT to talk about it!

I don’t know HOW to talk about it.

I CANT talk about it.

I have no one to talk to.

 

Four sentences that turn up with horrible frequency.

Following on from World Suicide Prevention Day which was Monday, we spoke to Kylena Vigus, who lost three friends to suicide last year and is an organiser of this years Speak Up gig at The Gov.

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Mentally Ill Die Sooner

Living with mental health issues is hard enough, but new research has shown those suffering mental health issues live 25 years less.

Lack of exercise, poor diet and high stress leading manifesting in heart disease are common consequences of poorly managed mental health problems. The inappropriate prescribing of pharmaceuticals is also a rising problem.

Dr Joe Parks, Director of Psychiatric Services for the Missouri Department of Mental Health spoke to Tim Brunero less thought of impacts associated with mental health issues.

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State has too much control of civil life

Professor Niall Ferguson’s final Reith lecture is this weeks Public Domain feature. He argues that the greatest mistake of the past fifty years was to allow the state to encroach on civil life, assuming it could do a better job than the people themselves.

The fourth part of Professor Ferguson’s lectures series “The Rule of Law and its Enemies” is called “Civil and Uncivil Societies”.

This is an exert from the full lecture.

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14,000 sacked on one day.

Its about as Un-Australian as you can get: Being sacked by mass e-mail.

You’d expect something like that to happen in the USA, but never Australia.

But it has, n Queensland, by the newly elected Campbell Newman led LNP government.

Can Do Campbell says cuts won’t effect frontline services, but questions are already being asked about the future for the sunshine state.

Tim Brunero spoke to Jaqueline Maley from SMH about yesterdays protest and the repercussions of the mass sackings.

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CineJunkies: Life of a Funny Man

Jim Carey is a well known comedy actor, having played some brilliant, award winning roles, and some complete utter duds.

This week on CineJunkies, Chris and Cam are looking back at the work of one of Hollywoods kings of comedy!

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Patents: Intellectual Property or Stifling Innovation?

We hear a lot about how important Intellectual Property is to business, but are patents actually stifling innovation?

Also, the Indonesian government recognises the atrocities of the Suharto regime, but will it every make a formal apology to its victims?

And, some branches of the media have been giving The Greens a hard time since losing ground in NSW local elections on the weekend. But are The Greens really falling away like The Democrats did before them?

Tim Brunero spoke to Ben Eltham from New Matilda about their top three stories this week.

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1700 Jobs Out The Door

There’s been some recent news that is sure to make mining magnate Gina Rinehart happy – the federal government has approved the first Enterprise Migration Agreement. Put simply, this means as many as 1715 migrant workers will be hired to help with the multi billion dollar Roy Hill project.

Does this signal the beginning of the end for high paying mining jobs for Australians at the expense of cheap import labour?

Many Australian workers are outraged to see these opportunities handed elsewhere, though Rinehart is adamant that a shortage in skilled labour here in Australia has forced her to look overseas.

We spoke with Allen Hicks, Deputy National Secretary from the Electrical Trades Union, about the outcome for Australian workers.

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Produced by: Michael Roelink

Fly In, Fly Out, Shake It All About

The mining boom has provided undeinable benefits for the economy of late, but there’s been growing concern over the ramifications this places on residents of mining towns throughout Australia.

Among mining areas in QLD and WA there have been mounting concerns about the impact of “Fly in – Fly out” workers on rural communities. These under-resourced and now over-populated towns are struggling to cope with recent influx of these non-permanent workers as the crime rate rises, health services are squeezed and the roads become more and more dangeours.

Local residents are understandably upset. Though, these “Fly in Fly out” workers have had their own issues to overcome.

Breakfast spoke with Charles Firth from the CFMEU (miners union) this morning to learn more about the growing debate.

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Produced by:  Ashley Prigent

How can we paint the town GREEN?

Port Augusta may resemble the last stone left to turn in this chapter of Australia’s clean energy development.

Residents of the coastal town have been pushing the persistent goal of closing two old and aging coal stations in the area, with a local lobby group pushing for greener energy facilities around the Port.

Whether it be for Environmental or Health issues, the coal-fired power stations are just a menace.

We spoke with Port Augusta City Council CEO Mr. Greg Perkin about the residents green energy hopes for the future.

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Produced by: Ashley Prigent