BTN: Episode 30 Transcript 30/10/18
Hey. Amelia Moseley here. Welcome to BTN.
Here's what's coming up.
• We find out why thousands of people are walking thousands of kilometres towards the US.
• Meet the wonderful kid who spends his free time taking care of his dad.
• And bats get a bad wrap around Halloween, but are they really as creepy as they seem?
Minority Government Reporter: Emma Davis
INTRO: You can see all that soon. But first, let’s turn our attention to Canberra. We told you last week the Government is now one seat down in the House of Representatives after losing a by-election in the seat of former PM, Malcolm Turnbull. But will one fewer seat make any difference here? Let's find out.
Meet Kerryn Phelps. She's a doctor, former deputy lord mayor, a member of the Order of Australia and a pretty great dancer. She's also about to be Australia's newest federal Member of Parliament. She was chosen by people in the electorate of Wentworth, that's here in Sydney by the way, to replace Malcolm Turnbull who quit the seat when he was kicked out of the prime minister job.
But while Kerryn's jumping for joy, the Government isn't. See, Kerryn Phelps is an independent which means she isn't a member of a political party. So, in one by-election, the Government didn't just lose a seat, it lost its majority. Not sure what that means? Well, let’s take a journey into outer space to find out.
This crew's job is to explore the far reaches of the galaxy. It's a pretty democratic crew but unfortunately its members are split at the moment. These guys are in the majority so ship rules say they choose the captain.
CAPTAIN: Ok guys, I am your new captain, I will be leading all of you and you are very, very welcome.
When a spaceship crew, or a political party, have a majority they don't just get to choose the leader, they also have an easier time getting their ideas approved.
CREW MEMBER: Hey captain why don't we explore that galaxy over there?
CAPTAIN: Sounds like a good idea. All in favour? Onward.
While the minority, not so much.
CREW MEMBER: Captain, I was wondering about a planet that I’ve seen.
CAPTAIN: Maybe next time.
But just like the Australian parliament, things can change.
CREW MEMBER: You know what, I kinda miss Earth. I'm gonna go.
CAPTAIN: Wait, what? But you're my majority.
CREW MEMBER: Hey guys, looking forward to working with you.
An independent isn't a member of a party so they change who they vote with depending on the idea in front of them.
CREW MEMBER: How about we attack that enemy ship over there. All in favour?
CREW MEMBER: Yep, I agree.
But that can make things difficult when the group in charge really wants something to pass.
CAPTAIN: OK guys, how about we restock the toilet paper in the bathrooms? All in favour?
INDEPENDENT: Nah.
So their only choice is to work with the independents and find a way to get their agreement.
CAPTAIN: Listen, do you want a different brand or colour or scent maybe?
INDEPENDENT: Scent, yeah.
CAPTAIN: OK, if we make the toilet paper bubble gum scented you’ll agree?
CREW MEMBER: Yep.
It's a similar story back on Earth. In the House of Representatives, that's the green one, there's 150 seats. With Dr Kerryn Phelps in parliament, the Government will have 75 votes - exactly half. Labor has 69. So, including Dr Phelps there are 6 others who are independents or part of a smaller party. One of them will need to vote with the Government for anything to pass. For some bills, that might not be a problem. But for others it could be tricky. So, a lot of people reckon the Government could have a hard time getting things done. In the meantime, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens to this crew as they explore what it's like to be a minority government right here on Earth.
This Week in News
The Government has announced it's going to save up for Australia's not-so-rainy days. You see, there have been nine really bad droughts in the past century and there are likely to be more in the future. So, politicians, leaders and scientists got together in Canberra last week to try to come up with some solutions.
One of the big ideas from the summit was a Future Drought Fund. The Government will put 5 billion dollars into it. It'll be used to fund research, technology, infrastructure and better services in country areas.
A new report's found that nearly all of us need to eat more veggies. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare says 99 percent of kids and 9 in 10 adults don't get our recommended daily serves. And 4 out of 5 don't get enough fruit.
One thing we're all eating more than enough of is junk food. The report found everyone but especially teenagers could cut down on those sometimes foods like chips, cake, biscuits and ice-cream. Yeah, the truth hurts.
And finally, the winner of the Sculpture Award at Bondi's Sculpture by the Sea exhibition has been announced and this year’s winner is James Parrett for his sculpture M- Fortysix. It was chosen from the 107 sculptures that have been on display for the past 2 weeks.
Mass Migration Reporter: Jack Evans
INTRO: Next up. Around 7 thousand people from Central America have left their homes and are walking towards the border between the US and Mexico. They’re planning to camp out there until they are allowed in. Let’s find out why.
Imagine having to leave your home, taking only what you can carry on your back and walking thousands of kilometres looking for a better life. That’s the reality that these people in Central America are facing right now. For the past 2 weeks many thousands of people have slowly been making their way on foot hoping to reach the US border. For some that's a 2 and a half thousand kilometre trek.
LUIS PUERTO: It's very hard because the heat from the sun is getting us tired, but we are warriors. And we got to get to the place we got to get to. We're going to fight. We're going to keep on going. We're not going to stop.
As it's moved on, the group has grown to more than 7 thousand people. All from different countries like Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico. Most left their homes because of violence, unemployment and poverty. Now, they want to start a new life in the United States.
DAISY ZUNIGA: I came because in my country there are no jobs, there is no way to support the kids. I’ve got two other kids and they are the reason I did it, because when one has nothing, and your kids ask you for something, you don’t know what to do.
JOSE ANIBAL RIVERA: Whatever happens to us is better than going back to Honduras. If we die along the journey, what can we do? But we don't plan to return to Honduras. We have come determined. Anything is better than returning to Honduras.
When a large group of people move as a group it's often called a caravan. This particular caravan is a mass migration which means they're hoping to permanently settle somewhere new. They usually have to travel large distances and across borders. And they've happened many times over thousands of years.
But mass migrations can be really dangerous especially for the kids involved. A lot of people can get really sick or injured from travelling for so long without proper food or shelter. And once you arrive there's still no guarantee of a happy ending. Because you can't just settle in a different country without permission and the US President Donald Trump has warned the migrants that he will turn them away. He tweeted that:
"People have to apply for asylum in Mexico first and, if they fail to do that, the US will turn them away."
But a lot of the people who are part of the mass migration say that they have given up trying to apply to live and work in the United States because the process takes too long.
No one is sure what will happen if and when this group arrives at the US border. But these people hope that this journey will help them find a safe place and soon.
Quiz
Which of these countries is often called the most dangerous in the world?
Honduras Mexico
Canada
The answer is Honduras.
New $50 note Reporter: Ruby Cornish
INTRO: Get ready for another new Aussie note. Well, at least an update on the new one. We’ve already had a 5 and 10 and now we’re skipping straight to the 50. Here's a quick rundown on all the new features.
BEN: Ruby, are you alright?
RUBY: I have to get rid of this.
BEN: That is so much money.
RUBY: Yeah but it’s old money. These are all old $50 notes. Take it away from me.
Yep, it's out with the old and in with the new. Our 50 dollar note, affectionally known as the pineapple, has had a few makeovers over the years. And now, there's a brand new one out. It's the third Aussie note to get a makeover after the 5 and the 10. We'll get the 20 next year and the 100 the year after that.
So let's check out this shiny new note. One of the most useful features are these four little bumps. They help vision impaired people identify the note and it’s a feature a blind teenager helped bring about. Our new 50 also has top to bottom clear windows and a flying swan that can only be seen under UV light. That will make it very hard to create fakes and will also be really cool at discos.
The peeps featured on each side of the note haven't changed. On one side is Indigenous inventor and author David Unaipon and on the other, the first woman elected to Aussie parliament, Edith Cowan. While the notes have just been released, it could still be a while before you see one as they gradually make their way from banks into our wallets.
BEN: Ruby, you do know this is still legal tender, right?
RUBY: Really? Well in that case.
BEN: How did you get so much money?
Did you know?
Australia was the first country to introduce polymer notes? They were developed by the RBA and CSIRO and released in 1988. Before that they were all paper and so much easier to copy.
Young Carer Reporter: Jack Evans
INTRO: Okay, next you're going to meet an amazing kid called Jacob. He’s one the 3 million Australians regularly caring for a loved one at home. His dad Peter has dementia, so Jacob helps his mum look after him. Check it out.
JACOB JAMES: Hello, my name is Jacob. I'm 11-years-old. What I like about my dad is that, he's always here for me, he's all ears and then in times of need when I need him he'll always be there to give me kisses and hugs. That's really why I love my dad so much. Yes, he forgets things, but he's still my dad. It's not going to change the way I talk to him, or the way he talks to me.
CATHY JAMES: He's a pretty special man, my husband. Three years ago, we noticed that Pete was starting to forget things. Not understanding what was going on. We knew it was coming, but having the diagnosis was the hardest. They diagnosed Pete with early-onset dementia, Alzheimer's.
JACOB JAMES: Every day I wake up in the morning, I get dressed, get his breakfast and everything ready and then I'll get the lunches ready and make sure dad’s got everything he needs. Then I'll make sure dad goes to work before 8am, because he needs to leave before then. Our roles have kind of swapped. Like, I'm now looking after him instead of him looking after me. But for many years, dad has done that and in an excellent way. I think of it like I'm paying him back for all the good things he's done for me. It's actually kind of fun looking after dad. I really enjoy it. I like putting a smile to his face.
JACOB JAMES: I used to get cranky with dad because he was forgetting everything, and I had no idea about dementia at all. And I used to get really cranky with him and when I finally figured it out, I was, like, what is this? And mum explained it to me really well and I was, like, I'm so sorry, dad, for all the times I yelled at you. I'm so sorry. I couldn’t get over the fact I didn't know about my dad, but I was yelling at him because he was not remembering things.
CATHY JAMES: For me, I go, OK, we've got to do this, this and this. Well, we can't do that anymore, we just got to do one thing and then wait and have that finished and do the next. It’s no use talking about what's happening tomorrow or what's happening in an hour, it's just what's happening now. What we're trying to do is make sure Pete always knows he's so loved and he's family and that's what we do, and I'll always make sure he's OK. Some days are harder than others for Jake. He's having to say now to his own dad, dad, it's OK, don't worry about it. It blows me away how a little boy can do that.
PETE JAMES: He's my crutch for one of the better term. He just helps me out with whatever I need to do. Whatever I do, he's there to help me. He makes sure I get up on time, if I get lost, if I lose my phone or lose my keys, he's always there to help me to do that stuff. He's an amazing young man.
Bright Stars Program Reporter: Amelia Moseley
INTRO: Next up to Tasmania. A special program called 'BrightStars' is giving young people with Down syndrome a chance to get creative and perform. Here's more.
These dancers are working on their best moves. This is BrightStars. A dance group made up of people of all ages who have Down syndrome and a volunteer friend or family member.
MELANIE AND CAITLIN WOOLLEY, BRIGHTSTARS: When we moved to Tasmania in 2016, we contacted Down syndrome Tasmania and they told us there was a dance group. Caitlin loves to dance, so that's how we hear about BrightStar.
MEG AND ROSS COOPER, BRIGHTSTARS: My brother Rossy and people with Down syndrome are born to perform. They absolutely love dancing. It started for that reason, it was a way for families to come together and bond and have a dance class and join in for fun.
Down syndrome isn't an illness or a disease, it's a genetic condition that means it's to do with how a person's DNA is made up and they're born with it. So people with Down syndrome develop differently and sometimes have health issues and learning difficulties.
But BrightStars is a place where Rossy, Caitlin, Brandy Rose and the whole gang can learn new skills and make new friends. Now, after months of rehearsals, they're ready to show off their moves to a big audience.
MEG AND ROSS COOPER, BRIGHTSTARS: Tonight is Tassie Dancing Against Cancer. So, it's a really great chance for us to be inclusive with everyone else, so we’re very, very proud to be part of this event. I love being on stage with Rossy and seeing him shine. Yep, pretty proud of you Ross.
So, it looks like it won't be the last time we see these amazing performers dancing across a stage.
Sport
A review into Australian cricket says that the sport has lost sight of its values by trying to win at all costs. The report also found that a lot of people in the sport see Cricket Australia as arrogant and controlling.
The chairman of Cricket Australia says he's working through the recommendations. The report was ordered after Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft got caught messing with the match ball during a test against South Africa earlier this year.
The Invictus Games wrapped up in Sydney on the weekend. There was plenty of singing and dancing and a couple of awards were also, well, awarded.
NZ wheelchair rugby player George Nepata won the Exceptional Performance award. Meanwhile Dutch tennis player Edwin Vermetten won the Above and Beyond award for this lovely moment during a tennis match where he comforted his doubles partner after a helicopter reminded him of his time serving overseas.
To wrap up the ceremony, Prince Harry said that by competing in the games, the athletes will help to change the world.
PRINCE HARRY: I am so proud to call you my friends and my Invictus family. You are the Invictus generation and you are showing us all that anything is possible.
And finally, do you remember the amazing kid’s soccer team that was rescued from a cave in Thailand a few months ago? Well they've had a pretty incredible weekend.
They went along to a Manchester United game and also got to meet some of the players. I guess they brought the players good luck too. Man U ended up beating Everton 2-1.
Halloween Microbats Reporter: Amelia Moseley
INTRO: Finally, today it’s Halloween time. And there’s an animal that you’ll often see around this time of year as a scary decoration or in creepy movies. Yep bats. So, I went to find out if these creatures are really as spooky as they seem.
What wakes in the night? Flies through the air? And sometimes even sucks blood?
DRACULA: It is me.
No, not you Dracula.
DRACULA: Aw.
I’m talking about bats. These creepy critters have been sweeping across our screens, trying to freak us all out for a long time now. But, in real life, are bats really so bad?
So, I thought I'd better find out the real truth about these funny little creatures from someone who likes them so much, she even comes to their rescue when they're in trouble. Her names Katrina. Or, as I like to call her, Bat Woman. That was weird.
KATRINA: OK Amelia. Welcome to my little bat cave or my bat room.
As you can see, Katrina is a big fan of bats.
KATRINA: Are you my little bat?
Actual bats.
KATRINA: They really do get a bad rap. I think people look at it as though they're vampire bats. We don't have vampire bats over here. They have got pretty mean teeth, but they need those teeth to chew up their prey.
She takes in injured the injured animals and nurses them back to health and right now she has four little microbats. They're exactly what they sound like - teeny, weeny flying mammals. And there are more than 800 species of microbat in the world.
AMELIA: Look at that face.
KATRINA: Only a mother could love it. No, they’re beautiful.
Katrina gets a lot of calls to help bats around this time of year, not because it's Halloween, but because they're all coming out of hibernation ready for breeding season.
KATRINA: So they come into my care, I warm them up a little bit, give them a few drops of water and some meal worms and fatten them up and then I release them back into the wild within about a week.
Katrina says it's really, really important not to touch a bat if you find one.
KATRINA: Some do carry disease, not so much down here in South Australia but more up in the tropic areas. And they will bite you, they'll give you a nasty little nip and they will scratch you and we don't want that to happen at all.
Yeah, that's why I'm keeping my distance. Except...
KATRINA: How about we go and feed him?
AMELIA: Yes. Are you hungry? Hopefully.
Sooooo, this was a bit grosser than I expected. But, a bat's gotta eat. Unlike bigger bats, microbats find their food using echolocation. They send sound waves out from their mouth or nose and when those waves hit an object, they echo back. The nocturnal animals also use it to find their way in the dark.
KATRINA: So, it’s very important, because they can’t see very well. So, they really depend on this echolocating to get them around.
Around 43 out of 70 Australian bat species are threatened or vulnerable. While predators like big birds and cats are a problem, droughts and destroyed habitats are bigger ones.
KATRINA: The biggest thing is deforestation. Chopping down the areas where they live to build housing is a big problem.
That's why this bat lover says it's more important than ever to care about these actually quite cute little creatures. Some of these bats, there's not too many of them left so we need to conserve as many as we can and get them back out there into the wild.
Ask a Reporter
Have you got more questions about bats? Ask me live during Ask a Reporter. Head to our website for all the details.
Closer
And that's the news for this week. But please tune in next week for a very special episode of BTN marking the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI. It's an amazing and a very important story. I'll see you then.