As the holidays progress, parents will no doubt be hearing a classic line from their kids: “I’m boooooored”, writes Trevor Mazzucchelli. We all get bored from time to time, and there is nothing particularly wrong with feeling bored. In fact, it is a useful emotion because...
Real-life impact, not diagnosis, should determine NDIS support, write researchers Nancy Sadka and Josephine Barbaro Ahead of the release of the government’s review into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the topic taking centre stage is the diagnosis of autism. Over one third of people accessing...
Tamara Heath wonders if liberation equals hyphenation – or is it just more complication? For want of a better solution, my daughters have a hyphenated surname. And I am the first to admit the ‘double banger’ name can be more than a little annoying. It takes careful...
What ‘psychological warfare’ tactics do scammers use, and can you protect yourself? by Mike Johnstone and Georgia Psaroulis Not a day goes by without a headline about a victim being scammed and losing money. We are constantly warned about new scams and staying safe from cybercriminals....
You should focus on these 3 things, write researchers Mihiri Silva, Elodie O'Connor, Rachelle Welti and Sharon Goldfeld One in three Australian children has tooth decay by the time they start school, and this number rises to more than 40% by the time they’re eight or nine. Teeth decay...
The media reporting of domestic violence is important and needs to be responsible if it is to avoid fuelling or excusing violence, write Kristin Diemer and Cathy Humphreys The shocking murders (19 February 2020) of Hannah Clarke and her three children, Trey, Laianah, and Aaliyah, by...
Controversial ‘forever chemicals’ could be phased out in Australia under new restrictions. Researchers Sarah Wilson and Rachael Wakefield-Rann look at why. There’s growing global concern about potential risks to human health and the environment from a group of industrial chemicals commonly known as PFAS, or “forever...
It’s time to change the shape of our packaged lives, argues Professor Rob Moodie. Quite a while ago, our family of four moved back from Switzerland to Australia, as I had changed jobs from the United Nations (where I was running the Division of Country Programs...
Kids have a tendency to give our language a whole new meaning, writes Donna Reis. At my children’s primary school back in 2011, maths lessons are gay. Salami sandwiches are gay. Ironically, boys playing with girls in the playground is gay. In the late seventies, when I...
Struggling students need early support, reports Anika Stobart, if we want more Australian students to learn to read When you send your child to school, you expect they will learn how to read. However, according to 2023 NAPLAN results, about one-third of Australian school students can’t...
