BtN: Episode 22 Transcript 13/8/13

On this week's Behind the News

 Why more and more Aussies are switching to solar for their energy.

 Learning more about Indonesia through a school buddy program.

 And what's it like to be a school boarder far away from home.

Hi I'm Nathan Bazley, welcome to Behind the News. Also on the show today we meet a young athlete, who's hoping to make the Paralympics in an unusual sport. But first. Election Campaign Reporter: Nathan Bazley

INTRO: The Federal Election campaigns are already in full swing. Politicians will be doing everything they can between now and the election to convince people to vote for them. So what makes a good election campaign? Let's take a look.

NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: Back in the day, this TV ad was revolutionary and wildly successful. It helped this guy win a whole election. It didn't take much to impress people back then, did it?

The reason a whole lot of people singing in a dark room had such a big impact on the country, is because this was one of the first real TV campaign ads in Australia. These days, they're everywhere. If anything, people just try to get away from them!

But people don't listen to ads as closely as they used to and fewer people are watching TV anyway. So they aren't the killer campaign strategies they used to be.

But what is? Well these days, the campaign battle is fought on lots of fronts. Okay so we've already taken a look at the advertising battleground. Next, let's check out the fight over the media.

Have you ever wondered why, during an election campaign, you see the PM and Opposition Leader on the news nearly every night? Don't these people sleep?!

Well for politicians, making it to the news is like getting a whole lot of free advertising every night. That's why politicians make sure that every move they make during a campaign is followed by more cameras than the Big Brother house.

These events are all planned to make the politician look good and let them talk about whatever they want. So making it to the news can be a vote winner. Assuming you do a good job of course. That's why this battleground is a powerful, yet risky one.

Next we head to the tech battleground, the newest of the campaign fronts, where over the past few years the fight has exploded. Some have even flown in expert help. Over

1 in the US last year, Barack Obama was praised for running a great social media campaign.

The approach was so successful, the Labor Party has hired one of the brains behind it to work the same magic on Kevin. Expect to see both sides tweeting, YouTubing, Facebooking and Instagramming their way to as many votes as possible.

Finally, the last battleground has been around since time itself. It's an oldie but can be a goodie, it's actually talking to people! Meet and greets like this are the bread and butter of a campaign. Because you can have a big impact on someone, when you're right up in their grill. That's why, despite the advances in social media, pollies will still often go door to door or wander through a shopping centre or three.

So they are three of the key battlegrounds being fought during this election campaign. It's a lot of work and takes a lot of people behind the scenes to make it happen. So expect some tired faces as this campaign draws on.

PRESENTER: Let's see what else is making the news.

Here's Tash with the Wire. The Wire

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott have gone head-to- head in the first election debate.

KEVIN RUDD, PRIME MINISTER: We must prepare for this great economic transition to an economy where we don't have the ability to put all our eggs in one basket.

TONY ABBOTT, OPPOSITION LEADER: If any of you can remember the debate with Mr Howard in 2007, he said the exactly the same thing and the trouble is we've just got the same waffle today that we had six years ago.

Most of the debate focused on the economy. Meanwhile, Tony Abbott has taken a swipe at Kevin Rudd saying he cheated by using notes. But the PM reckons he followed the rules.

They're now both back campaigning, ahead of the Federal Election on September 7.

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Six people have died, after a volcano erupted in Indonesia. It happened on the small island of Palue. Rescue workers have been trying to evacuate thousands of people to safety. Many roads have been blocked by ash and rocks, which were thrown up to 2- kilometres into the air.

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2 And it's been a year since NASA's Curiosity Rover landed on Mars. To celebrate the milestone it was specially programmed to play 'Happy Birthday'. Scientists have been using Curiosity to take samples of the red planet to find out if there was once life on Mars.

Solar Future Reporter: Sarah Larsen

INTRO: One of the big issues in the election campaign is energy. Both sides of politics are promising to help families with the rising cost of electricity and to help the environment by cutting the amount of carbon pollution in the atmosphere. But how? Well solar is one option. So Sarah takes a look at some different types of solar technology and how they could change the way we get our power.

When you flick on a switch, do you think of where that power's coming from?

SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Here at Mawson Lakes Primary, a lot of the power down here comes from up here!

KIDS: Our school uses solar energy by putting solar panels on the roof you can see up there a little bit it's a very important role for our school because we want our school to be as ecologically friendly as possible.

These are photovoltaic cells. They're made of stuff called silicon and when the energy of the sun hits it knocks loose tiny particles called electrons. When they start to flow that's when you get electricity. Chances are you've seen plenty of them before. According to a recent report one in ten Aussies now has solar panels on their roof.

And last week the New South Wales Government approved a massive solar power station in the outback near Broken Hill. With more than a million photovoltaic cells it'll be the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere.

Solar power is making a pretty big dent in the Aussie electricity market and it's easy to see why.

KIDS: Solar panels are good for money on the electricity bills you don't have to pay as much. They're also good for the environment because they reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

So you might wonder why all of our power doesn't come from the sun.

REPORTER: Well, there is one problem with solar panels like this; they only work while the sun is shining.

If you wanted to use them on cloudy days or at night, you'd need to store the power in a giant battery. And you'd need heaps more panels which would be really expensive. That's why in Australia most people still rely on something called base load power, electricity that's available all the time.

3 In Australia 85% of that comes from coal. It's relatively cheap, the country has lots of it and it can generate power all day in any weather. But what if the sun could do the same thing? This is a concentrated solar thermal power plant. It uses the sun's heat differently to solar cells.

Inside that tower is melted salt, which is really good at holding heat. Hundreds of mirrors direct the sun's heat straight at the tower, heating up the salt which can then be stored and used to boil water and turn turbines to create electricity all day long.

At the moment there's a working plant in Spain and another being built in the US. And scientists at the CSIRO are working on perfecting the technology for Australian conditions. There's been a big push to build one here in Port Augusta in South Australia. Locals reckon it could replace these coal power stations which provide electricity to almost half the state. But it would cost billions of dollars. And as yet, no- one has been able to find the funds.

Still, many see solar as a big part of Australia's energy future, whether collected in sunny outback or on city rooftops, and they hope that one day sunshine can power even more of our lives. Quiz 1

OK, let's have a quiz about the sun.

The question is:

What is the closest planet to the Sun?

Mercury

Saturn

Venus

Answer: Mercury

Mercury is about 58 million kilometres from the Sun. Toasty. Indonesia Reporter: Nathan Bazley

INTRO: Back to earth now, we're going to find out more about one of our nearest neighbours, Indonesia. One Aussie class has decided to buddy up with an Indonesian school so they can learn more about each other. So how did it work? Our Indonesian reporter Erwin, visited both schools to find out.

ERWIN, REPORTER: This is MIN Cempaka Putih Primary School in Indonesia.

And this is Marlborough Primary School in Melbourne. They're two schools that probably look like they wouldn't have much in common. They wear very different 4 uniforms, speak very different languages and they're separated by thousands of kilometres.

They couldn't possibly know much about each other could they?

ERWIN: Hi my name is Erwin and I grew up here in Indonesia. But these days, I spend lots of time in Australia as a reporter. So I know a lot about the relationship between Indonesia and Australia. But how much do kids know about it?

But before we get to that, first, let me tell you a little bit more about my home country. Indonesia is one of Australia's closest neighbours. The countries are only separated by a few hundred kays.

But although much smaller in size, Indonesia has ten times as many people living there around 240 million. That makes it a huge country that's right near Australia. So you'd think it would be a big focus in Australian schools.

But fewer Australian kids are studying Indonesian than in the past. The leaders of both countries want this reversed, because they say a strong relationship between Australia and Indonesia is vital. And here's one way they're going about it.

Marlborough and MIN Cempaka Putih are sister schools, meaning they catch up online and learn more about each other.

TEACHER: The aim is just to build a bridge between the two countries, so to try to have connections between the two countries, learn about each other’s culture, and really the most important thing is to make connections with the people and see how they're so similar to us. Rather than looking for differences we're looking for similarities.

They've even dropped in for visits!

TEACHER: Over here this was one of our favourite moments.

ERWIN: Oh the look very scared! What is it about?

TEACHER: Well they're probably terrified because that's their first sample of tasting vegemite.

ERWIN: And many of them were very disgusted! Look at this girl!

TEACHER: One of the students ran out of the room and was spitting!

This week is hobbies week, where two kids from each school will show off their skills over Skype.

First up was Claire on the keyboard. Then Kyle showed off his amazing soccer skills. Then it was over to Indonesia to meet Jasmine and Kujang. Jasmine started off with some traditional dancing. Before Kujang gave an impressive karate demonstration. The kids say that catching up like this reminds them that they're not that different after all.

5 KYLE: I think it's good because when we do our hobbies to them, they can do their hobbies with us. And it's similar hobbies, like they did dancing and karate and I did soccer and Claire did the piano.

CLAIRE: The connection between Australia and Indonesia is growing thicker and thicker and most people are going across and doing exchange programs and it's really good that we're doing that.

KYLE: I think it's a good country. We need to learn more about it.

And having a sister school looks like a fun way to do it!

PRESENTER: Great report. Thanks Erwin! OK let's make that our poll this week. Online Poll

The question is:

Should all schoolkids learn Indonesian?

To vote just head to our website. Last week we asked you if smacking children should be banned.

75% said yes it should be banned. And 25% thought it shouldn't. Thanks for voting Top End Boarders Reporter: Sarah Larsen

INTRO: Around Australia there are lots of kids who go to boarding school. If you're one of them you'll know that it can be kind of scary but fun too. At one of Sydney's oldest and most respected schools there are 17 boarders who are studying a long way from home. They see it as a chance to get the best education possible and become role models for their communities. Here's Sarah.

SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Here in one of Sydney's oldest schools kids are listening to what could be the world's oldest wind instrument.

For the musicians it's a chance to share some of their culture with their classmates here at The Scots College.

Winston and Leon are from Arnhem Land, the area here at the top of the Northern Territory where their Yolgnu ancestors have lived for tens of thousands of years.

Coming to boarding school in Sydney was a huge change.

LEON: It's different here, big change, big cities, at Arnhem Land, just little houses and little community, about 200 houses and Sydney is big, bigger, very big.

But it was also a chance for a good education, something many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids miss out on. When it comes to school the statistics show a big 6 gap between indigenous and non-indigenous kids. Only around half as many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids finish school and in remote places like Arnhem Land it can be hard to get a good education.

FIONA MARIKA, WINSTON'S MOTHER: There's a lot of bad issues in the community that I didn't want my son to get involved in and see and yeah I just wanted my son to be away and what's best for him, for his life when he grows up.

Winston's mum lives here on the Gove Peninsula and while it's sad for the family to be apart, she reckons boarding school will give Winston opportunities he wouldn't have at home.

WINSTON: I wanted to make my Mum proud for coming here and wanted me to get out of the place because there was a lot of things happening that my Mum didn't want me to do there. She wanted me to come to this school and get a better education, get good life, get a good future.

The Scots College has 17 students in its Indigenous Education Program. Their school fees are paid for partly by the government and partly by the parents of other children. For them it's a chance to help these guys and to give their own kids a chance to learn about indigenous culture.

JONNY SAMENGO, EXECUTIVE OFFICER, INDIGENOUS EDUCATION AT THE SCOTS COLLEGE: The boys adore those indigenous boys the boys have taken to their hearts completely and become great friends with them and they are enormously respected

LEON: I got plenty of friends they like me I teach Yolngu language they know my Yolngu name and they're my best friends

Like every student at Scots the boys are expected to work hard and achieve big things. And these guys reckon they're up to the challenge.

LEON: So I'll get more education and get better at English. And learn different types so I can speak proud and can't shame for like speaking in front of, in front of lots of people, 1000 people. So I can just be like top boy in Arnhem Land.

WINSTON: When I finish school I'd probably like to go to university. I want to become a mechanic or learn how to fly a plane.

The hope is that these guys will go on to be leaders and role models for other kids.

WINSTON: I would love to go back home get the younger boys to come to this school so they can get a better education and better work when they grow up and I would also like to help out with the community stop the bad things in the community.

OK, time for the latest sports headlines in the Score. The Score

7 The fastest man in the world Usain Bolt has won the world 100-metres title in Moscow. Just two years ago, he was disqualified after false starting. But this time around Bolt finished the race in 9-point-7-7 seconds to claim the title.

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This sport isn't for the faint-hearted! Some of the world's strongest men and women have competed in the National Powerlifting Championships in Tasmania. Powerlifting is similar to weightlifting but only has 3 categories, the bench press, dead lift and squat.

FIRAS, POWERLIFTER: It's never you versus the other lifters, it's you versus a bar. So even your stiffest competition could be right there yelling his head off for you to get that lift.

Competitors are so strong they can lift up to 5 times their bodyweight.

***

And the world's largest fun run The City to Surf was back for another year in Sydney. Eighty-five thousand people took part in the event and some of the younger runners put the older ones to shame.

KID: It was fun. Had to wait for mummy a long time though.

Ben Moreau from England took out the race in 41 mins and 47 seconds. More than 3- and-a-half million dollars was raised for Australian charities. Boccia Reporter: Natasha Thiele

INTRO: The Paralympic Games in Brazil might still be three years away but athletes are already training hard to make the Aussie squad. One of those athletes is a 14-year old girl from Tasmania who plays a sport called 'boccia'. What's that? Tash went to find out.

NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: It's a game that requires precision, concentration, determination and patience. And Lily has all those skills going for her in the sport of Boccia.

LILY: I'd been looking for a sport for ages that I could actually do and then boccia came along and I can do it and I love doing it.

Lily has a condition called spinal muscular atrophy. She's never been able to walk and she's been in a wheelchair since she was a toddler. But that hasn't stopped her from playing boccia.

It's played in more than 50 countries around the world and it became a Paralympics sport in the 1980s. It's a bit of a mix between lawn bowls and bocce. And the aim is to get as close to the white ball or jack as possible. People with similar disabilities compete against each other and those who can't throw the ball like Lily use a ramp. 8 LILY: It's not just aiming up for the white ball, you don't really know what your competitor is going to do next shot, so it's always good to get your good shot in first.

She has someone helping her move the ramp, but they can't help aim.

KEVIN FAULKNER, COACH: The ramp assistant has to face, has to have their back to the game at all times they cannot ask the athlete any questions, what it comes down to is the athlete is in control.

Lily's ramp assistant is her dad Mark.

MARK KELLY, LILY'S DAD: Every time the ball goes down the ramp you just want to go and have a look but you're not allowed to look, not allowed to speak.

Lily's done pretty well in the sport since taking up boccia 2 years ago. She was soon spotted by the Australian Paralympics Committee and put in a training program. And earlier this year she won a silver medal at the national boccia titles. But her sights are firmly on Brazil for the Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games in 2016.

LILY: I would like to go to the Rio Games, but more competition before that happens.

KEVIN FAULKNER: From when she started playing two years ago to now, her understanding of the game, strategically and competitively, she's got that glint in her eye when she's playing that she's here to win and do her best.

Her coach Kevin hopes to see boccia played by more kids, who can't take part in other sports. He's been going around to schools showing them how to play the game.

KEVIN FAULKNER: My goal is just basically to give people with disabilities the opportunity to play sport, if I find a person who goes on to be a Paralympian yippee, if I find a person who plays socially every week yippee as well.

And that might mean more young players like Lily having fun in a sport they enjoy and perhaps one day competing against the world's best! Closer

That's it for the show. You can jump onto our website if you want to get more info on any of the stories. You can send us your comments and don't forget to vote in this week's poll. I'll see you next time.

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