©ABC 2013

Questions for discussion

US Tornado

1. What state in the United States recently experienced a very severe tornado?

2. Describe the images in the US Tornado BtN story.

3. What was one of the worst hit places?

4. Describe how the kids felt when the tornado passed through their town.

5. What sort of weather conditions can cause a tornado?

6. If winds hit the storm from different directions it can cause it to spin into a spiral. What is the name of

this spiral?

a. Vortex

b. Whirlpool

c. Cyclone

7. The winds in a vortex are faster on the outside than they on the inside. True or false?

8. What positive story came out of the destruction of the tornado?

9. What words do you associate with the word tornado?

10. How did this story make you feel?

Post a message on the comments page on the Behind the News US Tornadoes story to show your

support. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3765660.htm

Vaccination Row

1. Discuss the issues raised in the Vaccination Row story with another student.

2. Why does the NSW Opposition want to bring in a plan to ban unvaccinated kids from attending child

care centres?

3. Which serious disease does Nathan talk about in the Vaccination Row story?

4. What year was the first Polio vaccine given in Australia?

a. 1906

b. 1956

c. 1996

5. At the moment it is compulsory for all kids to be vaccinated. True or false?

6. What percentage of Australian kids are currently immunised?

7. Why don’t some people agree with vaccination?

8. Do you think vaccinations should be compulsory? Explain your answer.

9. What do you understand more clearly since watching the BtN story?

10. Illustrate how vaccinations work.

Should childcare centres be allowed to ban kids who haven’t been vaccinated? Have your say on the

BtN online poll. To vote head to the BtN website http://abc.net.au/btn/polls.htm.

Mabo

1. What date do we celebrate Mabo day?

2. What is the full name of the man who took on the Australian legal system to fight a land rights

injustice?

3. Where was Mabo born?

4. Why was he fighting for the land rights of Murray Island?

Episode 14

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©ABC 2013

5. What does the term Terra Nullius mean?

6. What was the name of the court case?

7. Mabo wasn’t just fighting for the Meriam people. Why was Mabo an important case for Australian

Indigenous people?

8. What year did the High Court make its decision on the Mabo land rights case?

9. How did this story make you feel?

10. Name three things you learnt from watching the Mabo BtN story.

Use BtN’s teacher resource on Mabo http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/episode/20130528-

mabo.pdf

Radio Newsreader

1. Before watching the Radio Newsreader story predict what you think it is going to be about.

2. What radio station does Nas Campanella work on?

3. What is Nas’ role?

4. What technology does Nas use to help her read the news?

5. What are the difficulties for Nas when reading the news using the speech program?

6. When did Nas lose her sight?

7. What is the name of the alphabet that vision impaired people use to read and write?

8. What did Nas study at university?

9. How much do you rely on your sense of vision? Explain your answer.

10. What surprised you about this story?

Have a go at reading the news like Nas in the Radio Newsreader BtN story. Visit the BtN website and

use a Triple J news story audio clip. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3766070.htm

Use BtN’s Radio Newsreader teacher resource.

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/episode/20130528-radionewsreader.pdf

Luge Girl

1. Retell the story in your own words.

2. At the age of 12 Ashley was picked in the Olympic squad for the London Games in what sport?

a. Swimming

b. Gymnastics

c. Luge

3. Ashley had to give up gymnastics due to a car accident. True or false.

4. What new sport did Ashley take up?

5. What is the fastest speed that Ashley can reach on the luge?

6. What skills did Ashley develop from gymnastics that have given her an edge in luge?

7. Describe how Ashley first started off practising luge?

8. What sporting event is Ashley competing in next year?

9. What sportspeople inspire you? What makes them inspirational?

10. Illustrate an aspect of the Luge Girl story.

Test your knowledge in the Luge Girl quiz. Go to the BtN website and follow the links.

Post a message on the comments page on the Behind the News Luge Girl story to show your support.

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3766073.htm

©ABC 2013

Activity

Mabo Day

Key Learning Students will learn about the significance of Mabo as a political event and its impact on Australian society (past, present and future).

The Australian Curriculum History / Historical Knowledge and Understanding / Australia as a Nation

Experiences of Australian democracy and citizenship, including the status and rights of Aboriginal people and/or Torres Strait Islanders, migrants, women, and children. (ACHHK114)

The contribution of individuals and groups, including Aboriginal people and/or Torres Strait Islanders and migrants, to the development of Australian society, for example in areas such as the economy, education, science, the arts, sport.(ACHHK116)

History / Historical Knowledge and Understanding / Community and Remembrance

Days and weeks celebrated or commemorated in Australia (including Australia Day, ANZAC Day, Harmony Week, National Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC week and National Sorry Day) and the importance of symbols and emblems.(ACHHK063)

Geography / Geographical Inquiry and Skills / Collecting, recording, evaluating and representing

Collect and record relevant geographical data and information, for example, by observing, by interviewing, conducting surveys and measuring, or from sources such as maps, photographs, satellite images, the media and the internet (ACHGS027)

Collect and record relevant geographical data and information, using ethical protocols, from primary and secondary sources, for example, people, maps, plans, photographs, satellite images, statistical sources and reports (ACHGS041) (ACHGS034)

History / Historical Skills / Explanation and communication

Develop texts, particularly narratives and descriptions, which incorporate source materials (ACHHS124) (ACHHS105)

Develop texts, particularly narratives (ACHHS086)

Cross-curriculum priorities / Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures

Country/Place

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities maintain a special connection to and responsibility for Country/Place throughout all of Australia.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have unique belief systems and are spiritually connected to the land, sea, sky and waterways.

Culture

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ ways of life are uniquely expressed through ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have lived in Australia for tens of thousands of years and experiences can be viewed through historical, social and political lenses.

People

Australia acknowledges the significant contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people locally and globally. Cross-curriculum priorities / Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures

Discussion Questions

1. What date do we celebrate Mabo day? 2. What is the full name of the man who took on the Australian legal system to fight a land rights injustice? 3. Where was Mabo born? 4. Why was he fighting for the land rights of Murray Island? 5. What does the term Terra Nullius mean? 6. What was the name of the court case? 7. Mabo wasn’t just fighting for the Meriam people. Why was Mabo an important case for Australian

Indigenous people? 8. What year did the High Court make its decision on the Mabo land rights case? 9. How did this story make you feel? 10. Name three things you learnt from watching the Mabo Day BtN story.

Episode 14

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©ABC 2013

Activities

Remember and Understand

Watch the BtN Mabo Day story and circle each of the following words and terms as you hear them.

Record any unfamiliar words or terms that you hear.

Ask students to write what they think is the meaning of each term. Swap definitions with a partner and

ask them to add to or change the definition. Check these against the dictionary definition.

After watching the Mabo Day story, facilitate a group discussion. Use the following question to guide your

discussion.

Maps

Using Google Maps find Murray Island (known by the local Torres Strait Islanders as Mer Island) in the

Torres Strait region and display on your classroom interactive whiteboard. As a class look at the features

of Murray Island and compare these to Eddie Mabo‘s drawings. http://treasure-

explorer.nla.gov.au/closerlook/text-analysis-and-comprehension-2-5

Find a definition

Injustice Rights Native Title

Land rights Terra Nullius Crown Land

Discussion questions

What is native title?

Why was Mabo an important case?

How did this story make you feel? Imagine if someone told you that your house wasn’t yours.

Describe your emotions.

©ABC 2013

Ask students to conduct research into Murray Island choosing 1 or 2 of the following questions.

For a more in depth study on Flags refer to BtN’s Flag debate story and teacher resource.

Ask students to draw a map of Northern Australia including the Torres Strait region and the Papua New

Guinea mainland. Mark, name and colour Murray Island and at least two other islands in the same area.

On their maps students will use geographical terminology and include the following:

o Border

o Title

o Identify scale

o Orientation; identify direction

o Identify physical features

o Legend (key)

Biography

As a class make a list of significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals that have contributed

to the development of Australian society, for example in areas such as the economy, education, science,

the arts, sport or politics.

For each of these individuals write down what they have achieved and how their achievements have

impacted on Australian society.

Students will construct a biography on Eddie Koiki Mabo or another significant Aboriginal or Torres Strait

Islander individual that has helped shaped Australia’s history.

Research questions

Where is Murray Island located?

What is the land size of Murray Island?

Describe the landscape of the island. Refer to the legend on Eddie Mabo’s maps to identify

rainforest, grassland and beach areas.

What language do the people of Murray Island speak?

Draw the Torres Strait Island flag. What do the flags symbols and colours represent?

Research questions

Who is Eddie Koiki Mabo?

Where is he from? Find it on a map.

What did he achieve?

What were his challenges?

In what ways has he impacted on Australian society?

Why do you think Native Title is important for Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander peoples?

How do we recognise his achievements? What does

Australia do to commemorate Mabo?

Create a timeline representing the history of Native

Title in Australia. Refer to the ABC’s timeline for tips.

©ABC 2013

Once students have completed their research ask them to present their findings in an interesting way.

o Give a presentation on the individual’s achievements

o Design a land rights poster

o Create a timeline – which highlights significant events.

o Make a “Did you know?” for other students.

o Write a letter thanking them for their achievements and how it has changed Australia.

Related Research Links

National Reconciliation Week – The Mabo Decision

http://www.reconciliation.org.au/getfile?id=1515&file=The+Mabo+decision.pdf

National Reconciliation Week – Let’s talk Mabo

http://www.reconciliation.org.au/getfile?id=1842&file=Lets+Talk+Mabo.pdf

ABC Mabo – Mabo classroom resources

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/mabo/welcome/

ABC Mabo – Native Title timeline

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/mabo/timeline/

National Library of Australia – Mabo’s Map

http://treasure-explorer.nla.gov.au/treasure/mabos-map#original-hand-drawn-maps-and-diagrams-various-

portions-land-boundary-markers-etc-

Screen Australia Digital Learning – Mabo: The Native Title Revolution

http://www.mabonativetitle.com/home.shtml

Australian Museum – Mer (Murray Island) and its People in 1907

http://australianmuseum.net.au/Mer-Murray-Island-and-its-People-in-1907

©ABC 2013

Activity

Radio Newsreader

Key Learning Students will gain a scientific understanding on how the human eye works drawing on data from student’s own investigations and secondary sources. Students will learn how to read braille and recognise the importance of braille to vision impaired people.

The Australian Curriculum

Discussion Questions

1. Before watching the Radio Newsreader story predict what you think it is going to be about.

2. What radio station does Nas Campanella work on?

3. What is Nas’ role?

4. What technology does Nas use to help her read the news?

5. What are the difficulties for Nas when reading the news using the speech program?

6. When did Nas lose her sight?

7. What is the name of the alphabet that vision impaired people use to read and write?

8. What did Nas study at university?

9. How much do you rely on your sense of vision? Explain your answer.

10. What surprised you about this story?

Science / Science Understanding / Physical sciences Science / Science Inquiry Skills / Questioning and

predicting

Light from a source forms shadows and can be absorbed,

reflected and refracted (ACSSU080)

Identify questions and problems that can be investigated

scientifically and make predictions based on scientific

knowledge (ACSIS124)

Science / Science Inquiry Skills / Communicating Science / Science Inquiry Skills / Processing and

analysing data and information

Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of

ways, including multi-modal texts(ACSIS093) (ACSIS110)

Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using

scientific language and representations using digital

technologies as appropriate (ACSIS133) (ACSIS148)

Use a range of methods including tables and simple column

graphs to represent data and to identify patterns and trends

(ACSIS068) (ACSIS057)

Summarise data, from students’ own investigations and

secondary sources, and use scientific understanding to

identify relationships and draw conclusions (ACSIS130)

Episode 14

28th May 2013

©ABC 2013

Activities

Class discussion and activity

Hold a class discussion

What are your five senses (seeing, hearing, touching, smelling and tasting).

How much do you rely on your sense of vision?

Think of how your life would be different if you were vision impaired. What/who would you rely on?

What surprised you about the Radio Newsreader BtN story?

Class activity

Students will have a go at reading the news like Nas in the Radio

Newsreader BtN story. Visit the BtN website and use a Triple J news

story audio clip. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3766070.htm

Working with braille

Do you know how braille works?

Braille is based on a six dot cell with two columns of three, like the six on a dice. The

dots in the first column are numbered 1, 2 and 3 from the top down; and the dots in the

second column are numbered 4, 5 and 6 from the top down.

The braille alphabet is made up of three sequences. For more information visit Vision

Australia’s website http://www.visionaustralia.org/living-with-low-vision/learning-to-live-

independently/about-braille/abc-of-braille

The first sequence for letters a to j use the top

and middle rows, cells 1, 2, 4 and 5.

The second sequence for letters k to t are

formed by adding dot 3 to the first 10 letters.

The remaining letters, with the exception of

"w", are formed by adding dots 3 and 6 to the

first 5 letters of the braille alphabet.

Make a list of braille signs that you can find in the community (e.g. ATM machines, pedestrian crossings).

Discuss how these signs are helpful for people that are vision impaired.

Introduce the braille alphabet to your students. Explain that each letter is represented by a set of dots. By

touching these dots visually impaired people are able to read.

©ABC 2013

Practice spelling out a few words by drawing the dots on the board.

Create a braille alphabet to put up in the classroom.

Provide students with the opportunity to write using braille (e.g. students could write their names).

Students will print enough dots on card to write their names. Cut the dots out and then dab glue on the

back and stick the ‘raised’ dots onto a blank piece of card.

Ask students to write several sentences in braille and then ask another student to decode.

The science behind the human eye

Explain to students how the eye works. Refer to the Kid’s Health website for an explanation on how your

eyes work. http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=152&id=1730

Provide students with the opportunity to act like a scientist. Ask students to find out more about the

human eye and the sense of sight by conducting research using the internet and other sources of

information. Ask students to present their findings in an interesting way.

Be a scientist!

Draw a diagram of the human eye.

Label the features of the eye including the cornea, pupil, lens, iris, retina and optic nerve.

Create a glossary on each of the features of the eye.

Keep a science journal and record any interesting facts you learn along the way.

Create a model of the eye.

Explain to another student how our eyes work.

Research questions

How do our eyelids, eyelashes, eyebrows and tears protect our eyes?

What is our blind spot?

How can cats see in the dark?

©ABC 2013

Try one of these CSIRO sense and preception Science By Email experiements in your classroom.

Further Investigation

What and where is your blind spot? Follow CSIRO’s simple activity that doesn’t

need any special equipment at all.

http://www.csiro.au/helix/sciencemail/activities/BlindSpot.html

What interesting facts did you discover in your scientific research on how the

human eye works? Share an interesting fact in the comments section of the

Radio Newsreader BtN story page. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3766070.htm

Related Research Links

ABC News – ABC journalist breaking new ground

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-18/journalist-breaking-new-ground/4698070

Vision Australia – ABC of Braille

http://www.visionaustralia.org/living-with-low-vision/learning-to-live-independently/about-braille/abc-of-braille

Child and Youth Health – How your eyes work

http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=152&id=1730

Science Kids – Eye Facts

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/humanbody/eyes.html

BBC news – Why is Braille brilliant?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7807217.stm

National Braille Week – Braille Facts

http://www.nationalbrailleweek.org/page/braille-facts

Behind the News – Bat Man

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3440826.htm

Discover science through fun activities and experiments!

Lasting Colour – Create after-images in your eyes

Corner of your eye – Explore peripheral vision

Looking into your eye – Learn about blood vessels and blind spots in your eyes

Phantom eyelids – Trick your eyes into thinking they are closed.

©ABC 2013

BtN: Episode 14 Transcript 28/5/13

On this week's Behind the News:

We look at a controversial plan which could see kids banned from childcare if they haven't had vaccinations.

Reading the news blind the amazing story behind a famous voice.

And from training on wheels in Canberra to the real thing on the ice we meet an up and coming star of luge.

Hi I'm Nathan Bazely.

Welcome to Behind the News.

First up today: Let's get a wrap up of the main news stories this week.

Here's Sarah with the Wire.

The Wire

There are set to be some big changes to what betting companies are allowed to advertise

during sports broadcasts. The government says it wants to stop live odds being shown

during games. But normal gambling ads will still be allowed during breaks in play like

quarter time and half time.

SENATOR STEPHEN CONROY: Australians are sick of having gambling and live odds in

particular rammed down their throat.

***

Car maker, Ford, has decided to shut down its factories in Australia. In three years time it

won't make any more cars here. That means the end of the Ford Falcon a car only made in

Australia. More than a thousand people will lose their jobs. The Federal and Victorian

governments say they'll try to help them find new work.

***

And have you ever wondered how much you cost your parents? Well, a new report's found

the cost for a family on an average income to raising 2 kids to the age of 21 is around 812

©ABC 2013

thousand dollars! The big ticket items are the food and all that driving that parents do so

that you can play sport or go to your friend’s house!

Tornadoes Reporter: Matthew Holbrook

INTRO: Americans are cleaning up after a powerful tornado devastated parts of the

country. People died and thousands of buildings were destroyed. So why do tornadoes

seem to be more common in that part of the world? And how do they start? Matt looks

into it.

A massive force, moving at speeds of more than three hundred kays an hour. So fast, there

was barely enough time for people to react. Even some of the weather reporters had to call

it a day.

WEATHER REPORT: You know, JD, in twenty years I've never said this, but I think it's

time to go. I really do, we've been monitoring the conditions here in town, so at this point

folks, we are moving to our shelters. JD and I will continue to talk with you as long as we

can. We are leaving the radar image up, but it appears it is time for all of us to get to

shelter.

The largest and most devastating tornado landed in Oklahoma, a state in the middle of

America. It flattened homes and buildings, uprooted trees, and threw cars around. It left a

path of destruction spreading seventeen kays.

After the storm had passed, people sprung to action, checking the damage and helping the

injured. Rescue teams freed those trapped in the rubble. One of the worst hit places was a

school. It was completely destroyed by the tornado.

KID 1: I just couldn't see anything and it was all loud, I could barely hear.

KID 2: It was just "thump thump" and the roof came off, and I felt something, it was

raining on me and all that.

While tornadoes can happen anywhere in the world, they're most common in this part of

the US. They get so many of them, it's been nicknamed 'Tornado Alley'. In Tornado Alley,

hot, humid air comes from the Gulf of Mexico, and cold dry air comes from Canada. That

creates perfect tornado conditions.

When warm, humid air meets a layer of cold, dry air, it can form a storm. Then, if winds hit

the storm from different directions it can cause it to spin into a spiral. That's called a

vortex. When the tip touches the ground, it becomes a tornado.

©ABC 2013

MATT: You can see a vortex here on a much smaller scale. It's fastest towards the centre,

but it can be massive, and that's what makes a real tornado so dangerous.

For now, there's a lot of cleaning up to do.

VOX: It still doesn't seem real. I can't even describe how I feel.

But there have been some positive stories coming out of so much destruction. This woman

thought her dog had died under the rubble of her home. But then, in the middle of a TV

interview she spotted something.

WOMAN: The dog, the dog! I thought God just answered one prayer to let me be OK, but

he answered both of them, because this was my second prayer.

Lots of people are getting involved to help put things right, but it's going to take some time

for life to return to normal.

Vaccinations Reporter: Nathan Bazley

INTRO: The vaccination debate has hit the headlines again after some politicians

suggested a plan to allow childcare centres to ban kids who haven't been vaccinated. At

the same time figures were released that show immunisation rates in some parts of New

South Wales have hit record lows. Here's more.

NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: Way before you were born, there was a disease that kids

sometimes got called polio.

In the worst cases, it caused incredible pain, lifelong deformities and sometimes death.

These kids were just some of around 40,000 people who contracted the polio virus in

Australia, between the 30’s and the 80’s.

Overseas it had a big impact too. In America in just one year, 57,000 cases were reported.

21,000 of them were left with some paralysis for life and more than 3,000 died.

In Australia today, the number of new cases of polio is zero. This is how polio is tracking

now. What was a huge problem has now almost disappeared.

So the big question is, what happened right here? How was the polio war all but won?

Medical experts say this was the magic bullet. The first polio vaccine was given out here in

1956. And pretty soon, rates of the disease dropped dramatically.

©ABC 2013

You see, diseases like polio need people to live in to be able to spread. Vaccinations make

that pretty hard. So if the disease has nowhere to live and grow, it can die out. That means

that vaccinations aren't just about protecting you from a disease, they're about protecting

everyone around you too.

Polio isn't the only illness kids are vaccinated against in Australia. Here are the others. In

Australia, more than 90% of kids are immunised. But why is that figure not 100 percent?

It's free and pretty easy.

So why would people say no to protecting themselves and others against disease? Well if

you look on the internet you'll find some groups of people who don't agree with

vaccination. Some say vaccination can cause serious side effects and that babies have died

or been left with disabilities after being vaccinated.

But the World Health Organisation, along with nearly all doctors and scientists disagree,

and they're worried too many people are listening to the wrong advice. They say any side

effects from vaccinations are very rare and usually very minor.

But despite that, in some areas of NSW, the rates of vaccination are dropping dramatically,

to now be below 50 percent. The NSW Opposition is so worried about it they want to give

childcare centres the option to exclude kids who haven't gotten a jab.

Parents often rely on childcare centres, and it's hoped that giving childcare centres the

choice of blocking unvaccinated children will convince their parents to change their minds.

The state Opposition say this will work to lift immunisation rates and protect more kids.

But anti-vaccination groups say it's not fair. And some others feel that the idea goes too far,

and that parents should be educated about vaccinations, rather than being forced into

accepting them.

But the politicians say that the aim isn't to exclude people, but to encourage them to do the

right thing. Because medical experts fear that if vaccination rates keep falling, diseases we

used to fear but now don't even think about could make a very unwelcome return.

PRESENTER: OK let's make that our poll this week.

Online Poll

The question is:

Should childcare centres be allowed to ban kids who haven't been vaccinated?

To vote just head to our website.

©ABC 2013

Last week we asked if you would eat insects.

44% said you would.

56% said no way.

Thanks for voting.

Mabo Day Reporter: Sarah Larsen

INTRO: Next Monday is Mabo day. In the Torres Strait it's a public holiday and in the

rest of Australia it's a chance to remember a man who had a big impact on Australia's

history. Sarah looks into who Mabo actually was.

And a warning to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers; this story contains

images of people who've died.

There are certain Australians that we remember and celebrate.

People who did extraordinary things, who made a difference and changed history for the

better.

Eddie Koike Mabo is one of them.

A man who took on the Australian legal system to fight an injustice and change the way

Australian history was told.

Eddie was born on the Island of Mer also known as Murray Island in the Torres Strait off

the tip of Northern Queensland.

For thousands of years it had been the home of the Meriam people and from the time he

was little Eddie learned about the importance of his culture.

But the country he grew up in didn't recognise even the basic rights of its first people.

Indigenous Australians had to fight to be able to vote, to be paid equally, to be served in

shops and go to theatres and hospitals with white Australians.

When he was a young man Eddie joined the fight for Indigenous rights.

But it was in the 70’s, while working as a gardener at James Cook University, that he made

a discovery that would change his life.

©ABC 2013

Eddie made friends with some historians at the university. He would tell them proudly

about the land he owned on Mer which had been handed down to him by his ancestors.

The historians had to tell him that, in fact, his people didn't own the land at all.

Murray Island was officially Crown Land; owned by the Commonwealth of Australia and

had been ever since British settlers arrived.

REPORTER: When Captain Cook arrived in Australia land could be claimed by the Crown

if it was "Terra Nullius" or land belonging to no-one. The law said Indigenous societies

didn't count because they didn't have laws or governments and they didn't own land.

But Eddie knew that wasn't true. In 1981 he was invited to speak about his people at a

conference and a lawyer who was listening thought maybe Mabo could prove that terra

nullius was wrong.

So he and some of his fellow Murray Islanders took their case to the highest court in

Australia.

Mabo vs the State of Queensland became one of the most famous court cases in Australian

history.

Mabo wasn't just fighting for the Meriam people. If he won it would mean other

Indigenous people could claim land rights. That was controversial. Some worried about the

future of Aussie industries which used the land.

But others saw it as a chance to right a great wrong in Australia's past.

On June 3rd in 1992 the high court made its decision.

RICHARD MORECROFT, NEWS ANCHOR: The High Court has recognised that there

were people here and their descendants have rights.

Terra nullius was overturned and Indigenous land rights or Native Title was

acknowledged.

Despite some people's fears it didn't mean white people could have their homes taken

away.

It did mean people who were still living on and connected to their traditional land could

finally have a say on what happened to it.

©ABC 2013

Sadly, Eddie Koike Mabo didn't get to see his victory. He died just five months before the

court verdict at the age of 55.

But he hasn't been forgotten.

His story has been celebrated in art an in films like this.

The library where he liked to study in James Cook University is now named after him.

And every year on the third of June people around Australia celebrate Mabo day.

Quiz 1

OK let's have a quiz.

The question is:

Which is an island in the Torres Strait?

Lord Howe Island

Thursday Island

Norfolk Island

Answer: Thursday Island

It's also known as Waiben, which means place of no water.

Reading Blind Reporter: Sarah Larsen

INTRO: Lots of people listen to the ABC radio station, Triple J. One of the voices you

might have heard on that station is the regular newsreader Nas. Well last week she

revealed something about herself that until now most listeners would never have known.

Sarah reports.

If you ever tune into Triple J you may have heard this voice before.

NAS CAMPANELLA, TRIPLE J REPORTER: G’day Nas Campanella Triple J news"

©ABC 2013

Nas is a journalist and it's her job to put together and read three minute news bulletins on

the hour.

NAS: the fed government’s decision.

But what you could never tell by listening is that Nas is blind. She isn't reading the news

script, she's listening as a computer turns the words into audio then she repeats what she

hears.

NAS: I am reading a second or two behind it can't be any more than that or I would be

stumbling all over the place. It's hard because the speech program has an American accent

and it’s a computerised voice that to contend with and it pronounces things wrong most of

the time.

Some carefully placed velcro dots help Nas to navigate all the buttons and switches to

produce her own bulletins.

NAS: In the headphones I can hear myself reading in the mic, I can hear the speech

program telling me what to say. I can hear the audio grabs I have play to air and on top of

that I can hear a clock telling me how much time I've got left to go to start bulletin and end

bulletin.

NAS: It's fine usually during the bulletin but by the end of the day after reading 5 bulletins

I find my ears are a bit sore and it’s all a bit much.

REPORTER: What about your brain?

NAS: No the brain learns to deal with it, laughs.

Nas lost her sight when she was just 6 months old. She never let it slow her down, but she

says in the beginning school was a challenge.

REPORTER: Many people who are vision impaired can read using braille a special type of

alphabet that uses raised dots.

But in primary school Nas found out her fingers weren't sensitive enough to read braille.

So she started to learn by listening using computer programs which turned words on a

computer into sound.

NAS: It made the world of difference because I hated reading, I hated learning and then

once I discovered an easier way to do it opened up all these new doors.

Nas went on to study journalism at uni. But she says getting a job was hard.

©ABC 2013

NAS: I looked good on paper in terms of all voluntary experience I had in the industry,

samples of work I had looked great, but it wasn't until I got to interview stage when they

found out I had a vision impairment. It was like all of a sudden they just changed their

attitude it was a big no and it was pretty heartbreaking.

But in 2011 that changed when Nas beat hundreds of other applicants to win an ABC

cadetship. A trainee position designed to teach new journalists the ropes.

NAS: How did you feel when you got the phone call you'd been given a cadetship? There

were tears. Pretty happy. They were willing to take a chance when no one else was and they

have done everything they possibly could to make it work and I couldn't have asked for

anything more.

Nas’ employers say there's very little she can't do. And she's on her way to an impressive

career.

NAS: I just like it, at the end of the day I go home and I feel good about my job and I look

forward to it the next day.

NAS: Right across Australia and the world if you're streaming on line you're listening to

Triple J.

NAS: It's a dream come true really.

PRESENTER: That's pretty impressive work. If you want to have a go at reading the news

like Nas we've put an audio clip on the BtN website for you to read along to. Good luck!

Hope you do better than me.

Let's get some sports news now. Here's Matt with the Score.

The Score

In the AFL most of the talk has been about something that happened in the crowd rather

than on the field. A 13 year old girl had to be escorted from the ground after she shouted a

racist comment at Sydney Swans player Adam Goodes.

ADAM GOODES: It was shattering I turned around and when I saw it was a young girl I

was just like really? I was just like how could it happen.

The girl later apologised. Adam Goodes says there needs to be better education to change

attitudes.

***

©ABC 2013

Still on AFL, and the Crows had a stunning win over North Melbourne making a late

comeback to snatch victory. The Kangaroos dominated and in the final quarter were up by

thirty points. But the Crows put together a string of goals and with only 16 seconds left on

the clock Jarred Petrenko soccered through the match winner

***

Finally to netball, and Central Pulse just got over line against West Coast Fever in a tight

game 53 to 52. They trailed for most of the match but a late push gave them the win

helping to keep their finals hopes alive.

Quiz 2

OK. We're going to have a story about a Winter Olympic sport next.

First let's have a quiz.

The question is:

How many gold medals has Australia won in the entire history of the Winter Olympics?

5

15

25

Answer: 5

And they were all fairly recent.

The first was just over ten years ago when a speed skater called Steven Bradbury won his

race because everyone else fell over.

Luge

INTRO: Well we're about to meet a girl who hopes that one day she might add to

Australia's medal tally at the Winter Olympics. It's in a fast and dangerous sport called

luge. Let's check it out.

NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: With incredible speeds, rock hard ice and next to no

protection, luge is a crazy sport.

©ABC 2013

In fact, considering how dangerous it is, it's a wonder people sign up to do it at all.

ASHLEY COONEY: For my first race in Lillehammer, I cracked my ribs. I've had bruises

from head to toe. I've come back home black and blue. It's not a sport for the faint-hearted,

but I guess no pain, no gain, really.

But the pain of luge is a long way from where Ashley started, as a gymnast at age 4.

She became national champion at 12 and was picked in the Olympic squad for the London

Games.

ASHLEY: I knew that was something I really wanted to do. And, progression, you know,

came pretty fast. And, you know, I was - I loved winning. And so I wanted to be an Olympic

athlete. I wanted to represent my country in a sport that I loved.

But before that could happen, a car accident broke her collarbone and changed everything.

ASHLEY: It was really hard at the time. Gymnastics was my life. I was lost for a very long

time.

But at a time when most people might have given up on their Olympic dream, Ashley

simply decided to take up a new sport.

She found that the agility and strength she developed through gymnastics gave her a big

edge in luge.

ASHLEY: I think it's a little bit like gymnastics. It's unique. Not everyone can do it and the

rush you get going at those incredible speeds is amazing.

But having the skills for it and actually doing it, are two very different things.

She started off practicing on wheels, kinda like strapping two rollerblades to your back and

hoping for the best.

Her training was enough to get a spot at the Euro Luge Championships, which amazingly

was the first time she'd ever seen snow.

Understandably, it was a painful start.

But pretty soon, she'd cracked the top 27 riders, which is enough to earn her a place in the

Winter Olympics next year if she keeps up her form.

Next comes the fun bit, preparing for the big event!

©ABC 2013

But it's not all fun, training is ramping up too.

Ashley's coach, Hannah, is a retired luger.

She says Ashley has what it takes to successfully hurl herself down an icy track.

HANNAH CAMPBELL-PEGG, COACH: I have faith in her abilities and I've been there,

done that before, so I know exactly how she feels when she goes down a track and when

she's scared of going down a track and they're very natural feelings.

Natural feelings Ashley is going to have to experience many more times, if her new dream

of winter Olympic glory is to come true.

ASHLEY: Luge was the second chance I never thought I'd have.

And she's grabbing it with two spikey hands and nerves of ice cold steel.

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.

And I'll see you next time.