BtN: Episode 3 Transcripts 02/03/10
On this week's Behind the News:
Medics saving lives on the frontline. Out sports stars’ safety under the spotlight. And some sweet sounds from a new partnership.
Hi I'm Nathan Bazley welcome to Behind the News.
Also on the show today, Catherine gets behind the scenes and probably into big trouble at the circus.
Insulation Reporter: Kirsty Bennett
INTRO: But first up today, if you've tuned into the news lately, there's one face you may be seeing a lot.
The Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has been getting drilled for a program he introduced to insulate homes.
Four people have died and there've been house fires because of the problems.
So why has insulation become such a danger? Kirsty went out in search of an explanation.
KIRSTY BENNETT, REPORTER: You can't see it on the outside, but across the country millions of properties have it. It's insulation and it sits in the roof and the walls of your house. While it's out of sight, its effect is felt in every room.
KIRSTY: There are lots of different types of insulation but these are the most popular ones. There's bulk insulation which is made out of products like glass-wool or sheep's wool and a metal one which is just like thick aluminium foil.
Insulation helps keeps your house cool in summer and warm in winter. It's like a big thick blanket, which cuts down how much heat runs in, and out, of the house. By helping control the temperature of your house you don't have to spend as much on things like air conditioning or heating. It all seemed like a pretty good idea to the
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Federal Government so it started up a program to help people get their homes insulated. They spent $2.5 billion dollars on a scheme to give people money to install insulation and to create jobs during the economic downturn. And it seems like it helped. More than one million homes signed up to get insulation and more installers were employed. The demand was so huge that even some people who didn't have any experience or training in installing insulation found work. But things went terribly wrong.
KIRSTY: You may not know this but there's more than just insulation up here. There's heaps of electrical wiring and connections to lights and power. If the installer doesn't know what they're doing this area can become really dangerous.
If metal staples are put through a power cable or light fittings are dodgy they can connect with the foil insulation. This makes the whole roof electrified and if you touch it you can get electrocuted. The insulation program has led to four deaths and more than 90 house fires. Jessica is the sister of one of the victims and she wants answers.
JESSICA WILSON, SISTER: Unfortunately, it did take the death of my brother, but I want someone responsible for this, and I think the Government needs to wake up and just start taking action.
The deaths and damage have pushed the government to scrap the program and order a safety inspection of all homes that have had foil insulation installed. It's estimated that around 37,000 homes need to be checked and some of those could have electrified roofs. They're also randomly checking houses with other types of insulation. It's bad news for insulation companies that are stuck with truckloads of stock and for workers who are being sacked. Most of the blame is being dumped onto one person - the Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett.
TONY ABBOTT, OPPOSITION LEADER: Is it Minister Garrett who should be sacked and not those 14 workers in his own electorate?
The Opposition wants the Minister to be fired but the PM has pulled the attack back on him.
KEVIN RUDD, PRIME MINISTER: I as Prime Minister of the country am responsible.
So for now, the government is trying to help businesses and workers deal with the mess and it will bring in a new program later this year.
Presenter: And late last week the PM decided Environment Minister Peter Garrett won't be looking after the insulation scheme from now on.
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India Sport Reporter: Catherine Ellis
INTRO: OK, three massive international sporting events are set to take place in India this year, which will see some of Australia's best cricketers, netballers and athletes make the trip overseas.
But will they? Some don't want to go because they're nervous.
As Catherine explains, they're not nervous about competing, they're nervous about their safety.
CATHERINE ELLIS, REPORTER: As Australia's men's hockey team, the Kookaburras arrived in India amid tight security for the Hockey World Cup, some of the country’s best cricketers back home met to decide whether they even feel safe enough to go to India for the Indian Premier League this month. And discussions continue about whether Aussie athletes will be okay to compete in the Commonwealth Games there in October.
Why?
Well because terrorist attacks in India aren't uncommon and a terrorist group has sent warning for athletes and sporting teams to stay away.
India is north-west of Australia in Asia.
And in the city of Pune, just a few weeks ago there was a deadly terrorist attack at a crowded bakery.
In November 2008 attacks at luxury hotels and popular tourist restaurants in the country’s biggest city, Mumbai, killed 175 people - 25 were foreigners including two Australians.
CATHERINE: Terrorists do things that are designed to shock people and attract attention, usually to scare people into listening to their political or religious views.
India loves its sport and is hoping to hold a successful Commonwealth Games so they can have a chance at bidding to host an Olympic Games. So by terrorists threatening to ruin that for them, they'll be getting all the attention they desire!
But Indian Authorities are doing the best they can to make athletes safe.
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They've already promised huge security measures for the Commonwealth Games - some of our Aussie netballers visited there recently.
NATALIE VON BERTOUCH, AUSTRALIAN NETBALL TEAM: We had a bit of a look in the athletes’ village which was absolutely magnificent. Very, very high standard that they've set. It's not completed yet but I think they'll definitely get that done and it will be looking very good. We also got to look at our training venue and our competition venue which again aren't completed but are getting close. When I was in there I felt safe.
The Commonwealth Games is being held in one spot but the trouble with the Indian Premier League is, it's spread over a number of cities so it will be much harder to police.
Star cricketers, Shaun Tait and Simon Katich are worried about going and Blues paceman Bert Cockley is almost relieved he missed out on making the team.
BERT COCKLEY, CRICKETER: I think those sort of situations you have to put your safety first it's um, you know you can go over there and not come home really.
Hockey Australia decided it was okay to go after security experts said the threats to their comp weren't serious.
The cricketers say they'll go if security measures are improved.
And officials in India say they'll use the Hockey tournament over the next few weeks to practise their security measures to ensure a safe, successful Commonwealth Games in October.
Presenter: Looks like there's no easy answer there, so we'll make that this week's poll.
Poll
Do you think Aussies should travel to India to play sport?
If you'd like to have your say, go to our website.
Mash 2010 Reporter: Nathan Bazley
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INTRO: You might have seen Mash, the TV show about a mobile army hospital set during a war 60 years ago.
Well in this next story you'll get to see the real MASH - an American Army hospital working near the frontline in Afghanistan right now.
Many of the people working there were still in school when the war started - but these days they face helicopter evacuations, fire fights and surgical operations in tents.
They're doing everything they can behind the scenes to try to help the injured survive.
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: These mountains may look deserted, but they've been playing host to a bloody and bitter war now for nine long years.
This is Logar Province in Afghanistan and this is America's war on terror.
The fight against the Taliban has been going on for so long, many of the soldiers fighting and dying here were still in school when it all began after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
And with President Obama ordering more troops to this battleground, more casualties will surely follow.
And when that happens, the men and women of this surgical base will have the task of trying to save them.
This is the 8th Forward Surgical Team, a group of evacuation pilots, doctors and nurses working out of tents in the middle of the desert.
Their job is to fly out and pick up injured soldiers and rush them back here as soon as possible. Once into these makeshift operating theatres they do everything they can to try to save their lives.
If soldiers make it into one of these tents alive, 98 per cent of the time they're going to stay that way.
This is exactly what they do on a daily basis...
U.S OFFICER: (TO BLACKHAWK PILOT) Dust off 43… dust off 45.
BLACKHAWK PILOT: 43… 45.
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U.S OFFICER: Are you guys 19 kilometres to the north? Ready for departure… urgent medivac.
BLACKHAWK PILOT: Roger 43.
CAPTAIN NISSA BRODMAN: [pilot] When you get that call, you hear medivac, you're not thinking about the dangers so much as you are thinking about that patient. You know, you don't know who it is. It could be a US…. an Afghan…. a child.
As the choppers scramble, the news isn't good.
A massive explosion has just destroyed an armoured transport vehicle. Two soldiers are dead, three wounded.
As they land, the crew are wary of attack. It happens a lot.
SOLDIER IN HELICOPTER: [landed] I'm really nervous now.
PILOT: I really wish they'd hurry up.
One of the biggest dangers in Afghanistan is hidden roadside bombs. They account for 60 per cent of all army casualties.
SOLDIER: Must have been a big one to mess that MRAP up like that.
But no matter what the job, these guys just get it done.
CAPTAIN NISSA BRODMAN: Honestly, I don't look back very often. I'm pretty tender hearted. Not that I can't, I mean if I need to I do but I focus on flying.
They arrive back to base safely. Now the race is on to treat them.
In the end the two survivors of the blast were lucky. One suffered multiple broken bones, the other escaped mostly uninjured.
But American soldiers aren't the only people treated in these tents. Afghani locals and even enemy fighters are all given the same treatment.
And when there is finally a lull in all that trauma and action, the guys on this base get a brief chance to chill out.
But it's not long before the war comes back into their minds once again.
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MAJOR BRIAN HELSEL: [sitting by fire] That's a medivac request so… we just started having fun.
While there are soldiers risking their lives, there will always be these medics trying to save them.
Presenter: Amazing job they’re doing. OK, let’s see how good a doctor you might be with a medical quiz.
Quiz 1
Which instrument is used to measure a person's blood pressure?
Stethoscope
Defibrillator
Sphygmomanometer
Syringe
Answer: Sphygmomanometer
Presenter: That's a mouthful , but they are all pieces of medical equipment you might find in an emergency room in a hospital.
Time for a change of pace now as we check out what's been happening in sport.
The Score
To cricket Australia and New Zealand have played out a thrilling twenty-twenty match that ended in an unlikely tie.
The black caps set a huge target of 214 which the Aussies chased down but couldn't outdo with the final ball.
The match then went to a super-over tie breaker with New Zealander coming out on top.
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In the earlier women's match, New Zealand registered their fifth straight win over the Aussie team.
The visitors crumbled to be all out and 17 runs short at the end of their twenty overs.
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To soccer now, and the race for the English Premier League title has been thrown wide open, with Manchester city handing leaders Chelsea a 4 - 2 loss at home.
Frank Lampard put the blues ahead near half time but Manchester had levelled by the break courtesy of Carlos Tevez.
Chelsea went down to nine players and couldn't make it back from there.
The loss means Chelsea only hold a one point leader over rivals Manchester United.
Circus Oz Reporter: Catherine Ellis
INTRO: You might dream about ending up in all sorts of jobs like sports stars, actors, doctors and school teachers, but what about quitting architecture and joining the circus?
That's what one girl did in this next story.
Catherine decided to check out how circus kids become circus stars - and went behind the scenes in the big top!
CATHERINE ELLIS, REPORTER: Ellie Green is the most famous hoola hoop performer in the country!
She was all set to become an architect, but having trained with a circus since she was a kid, she loved it too much and ended up running away with it.
ELI GREEN, PERFORMER: Yeah I have definitely run away with the circus, I haven't had a home in eight years. I’m definitely on the road and constantly moving.
She's part of Circus Oz which is a non-animal circus. It's currently touring the country so I decided to sneak into the big top!
CATHERINE: Wow. Nice to meet you Tom.
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TOM: You too Catherine.
CATHERINE: Should we have a look around?
TOM: Yep.
TOM: So this is Emma - tap dancer, stilt walker extraordinaire.
CATHERINE: Nice to meet you..ooooh.. want that back?
Emma, at just over a metre tall, not only walks on stilts, she sings, dances and acts in the show.
Right - on with the tour.
This is some of our props here this is one props table, two props tables, three props tables.
Tom explained to me what all the little bits and pieces are for, including this slap stick slapper!
CATHERINE: Can we give that a go?
TOM: Okay.
CATHERINE: So you make that noise and I'm going to pretend to hit you.
TOM: Okay.
There's also hats for hat juggling.
TOM: Doesn't quite work when you've already got a hat on.
Guess what these are for?!
I asked Tom to show me one of his props.
TOM: You pop the umbrella and it starts to rain on you.
Moving on.
TOM: So ah this is all our costumes.
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And makeup and one of the performers, Paul is getting ready for opening night!
CATHERINE: How long have you been in the circus?
PAUL: I've been doing circus since I was about ten.. and yeah I love this.
Paul started in one of the many kids circus schools across the country.
These kids still attend normal school each day like everyone else, but in their spare time instead of sports like netball or footy, they learn to juggle and fly through the air on a trapeze!
If they get good enough they can join the troupes which go on tour and do performances, but that takes many hours of training each week.
Back to the make-up room.
CATHERINE: And how much makeup do the boys have to wear?
PAUL: Well the show gets pretty hot and sweaty so a lot of it comes off pretty soon on but it takes a while to get used to putting makeup on that's for sure.
CATHERINE: No pink or purple eye shadow?
PAUL: Ah no.
Paul does acrobatics in the show including tricks on the teeter board like you saw when I walked in and before I left they let me have a go!
CATHERINE: Alright I'm ready.
Presenter: That looks like way too much fun!
OK now I need to get you in the mood for some music so let's have a quiz .
Quiz 2
Which of these instruments plays the lowest notes?
Viola
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Cello
Double Bass
Violin
Answer: Double Bass
Presenter: And they're all instruments you'll find in the string section of an orchestra.
Rock Orchestra Reporter: Kirsty Bennett
INTRO: Speaking of... the orchestra isn't something many young people tend to rock up to on a Saturday night.
But this next story may change your mind.
Popular music groups are mixing up their modern sounds with something much more classical, and as Kirsty reports both sides are having a ball!
KIRSTY BENNETT, REPORTER: When The Panics whip out their instruments this is the usual response they get. The Perth indie rockers are used to huge crowds and screaming fans. But this year they've created a different sound. There's no electric guitar or a dazzling drum kit but this is a new scene for The Panics. They've been working with the West Australian Orchestra or "WASO" for a concert in Perth.
JAE LAFFER, THE PANICS: It's like one of those things that you kind of dreamed about, coming back to your home town, and you know, just being right in the middle there, and getting a real big audience and kind of bringing it home and we get to do it not just ourselves but with an orchestra, yeah, it's really cool.
WASO has teamed up with pop musos a few times before with performers like Ben Lee.
MARSHALL MCGUIRE, WASO ARTISTIC PLANNING MANAGER: I remember Ben Lee saying to us a couple of years ago it really changed the way he thought about his own music and opened up all these possibilities for him as a musician.
As for The Panics, they're pretty stoked with the orchestra.
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JAE LAFFER, THE PANICS: It just sounds awesome. Our only concern was that we didn't want to get in the way of any of the beauty that the orchestra had come up with.
That's because they're used to rocking out on stage by themselves.
JAE LAFFER, THE PANICS: You just worry that somehow we were going to be playing in a different time or something like that. But as it turns out today it's been like we just kind of get up and play as we always have, you know and all of a sudden, there's this beautiful swell of sound coming from behind here.
KIRSTY: The funny thing is orchestras are used to playing music that was written hundreds of years ago by people like Beethoven or Mozart. But it seems like more and more are working with the music of today.
And it's not the first time it's been done. The Cat Empire teamed up with the Australian Youth Orchestra a few years ago.
FELIX RIEBL, THE CAT EMPIRE: A lot of jazz musicians and rock musicians and sort of worldly musicians and classical musicians seem to be in another category altogether. It was interesting for us to bridge that gap, really, and make string players perhaps do something that they wouldn't usually do.
That meant musos had to ditch their traditional style and experiment.
DALE RICKERT, AUSTRALIAN YOUTH ORCHESTRA: It's a pretty amazing experience coming from a background where we usually have to play what's written on the page to come and sit down and have people say, "OK, you sit down, play three minutes solo improvised".
It's good news for the world of orchestra with new fans taking an interest.
MARSHALL MCGUIRE, WASO ARTISTIC PLANNING MANAGER: We'll have people who have never been to WASO but love the Panics, we have people who love WASO but never heard of the Panics coming to see what it's about.
So what's next? Will we see Beyonce or even Taylor Swift exploring new sounds?
Presenter: I can’t wait for that.
Closer
And that's it for today's show!
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Don't forget you can see out any of today's stories on our web site at abc.net.au/btn.
And you can get across all the big stories with News on 3 at 5 to 7 weeknights on ABC3.
I'll see you next time!
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