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Category: Features

  • MIL-Evening Report: We interviewed 205 Australians convicted of murder and manslaughter. Alcohol’s role was alarming

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Li Eriksson, Senior Lecturer, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University

    We’ve long known there’s a link between alcohol and violence, but when it comes to homicide the stories behind the statistics are harder to grasp.

    Our study sheds rare light on what actually happens when drinking precedes killing, because it draws not just on police or court records but on the first-hand accounts of convicted offenders.

    We interviewed 205 Australian men and women across Australia aged between 15 and 65 at the time of homicide and 20 to 71 when interviewed.

    Nearly half (43%) said they’d been drinking immediately before committing the act. While levels of intoxication varied, many described being heavily under the influence at the time.

    One man, when asked about his alcohol consumption, stated he had drunk “shitloads” before the incident occurred, adding he intended to “write (himself) off” that night.

    The study offers a disturbing but important window into the realities of alcohol-involved homicide.

    What do we know about alcohol and homicide?

    Most of our knowledge about homicide and alcohol comes from police reports, forensic toxicology and court proceedings. These are useful but limited. They often lack detail about how much was consumed, when and in what context.

    Self-report data – what offenders themselves say about their state of mind and substance use – add depth to this picture.

    While not without its flaws (memory and honesty being obvious concerns), such data helps us understand the psychological and situational dynamics of homicide better than numbers alone.

    What the study found

    Of the 205 homicide offenders interviewed, those who had been drinking prior to the offence shared some distinct characteristics.

    Alcohol-involved homicides were more likely to occur at night, happen in public places such as pubs or parks, involve older offenders, and be committed with knives.

    Interestingly, these cases weren’t necessarily the result of long-planned acts.

    Rather, they had many markers of impulsivity – spontaneous, emotionally charged and often reactive violence.

    Alcohol’s impact here could have played a role, as our study found drinkers and non-drinkers had similar self-control levels.

    Self-control is the ability to manage impulses, emotions and actions in pursuit of long-term goals and is typically seen as a buffer against offending.

    This suggests alcohol may overpower people’s behaviour even if they boast moderate impulse control.

    Why chronic alcohol problems matter

    The strongest predictor of alcohol-involved homicide wasn’t age, gender, or criminal history. It was whether the offender had ongoing problems with alcohol misuse.

    This points to the deeply entrenched nature of alcohol dependence and its capacity to fuel extreme violence. It also has clear implications for prevention.

    Tackling long-term alcohol abuse isn’t just a health issue – it’s a public safety issue.

    The data suggest that had some of these people received support or intervention earlier, lives may have been saved.

    More than a disinhibitor?

    We often think of alcohol as a “disinhibitor” – something that lowers self-control and makes people do things they wouldn’t otherwise do.

    That’s true to an extent but this study highlights the story is more complex.

    Many of these homicides didn’t happen because someone simply “lost control”, they happened in a context shaped by years of alcohol misuse, patterns of violence and social disadvantage.

    In some cases, alcohol didn’t cause the violence, it gave it an opportunity.

    What can we do?

    Understanding the characteristics of alcohol-involved homicide can help shape more effective crime prevention strategies.

    Some takeaways include:

    • Early intervention: addressing problem drinking before it escalates into chronic misuse is critical. This includes better screening, treatment programs and community-based support services.

    • Night-time and public place policing: since these homicides are more likely to happen in public at night, there may be a role for targeted interventions in high-risk locations—especially around bars, clubs and events where alcohol flows freely.

    • Knife crime prevention: the strong association with knife use suggests we also need to examine how accessible knives are in public settings and educate people about the risks of carrying them.

    Looking to the future

    This research doesn’t offer easy solutions but it does reinforce a vital truth: preventing homicide isn’t just about catching violent people, it’s about understanding the conditions that make violence more likely.

    By listening to those who’ve committed the ultimate crime, we might just learn how to help better prevent it from happening in the first place.

    Anna Hartley, science communicator at Griffith University, contributed to this article.

    Li Eriksson has received research funding from the Australian Institute of Criminology, Queensland Corrective Services, and Queensland Police Service.

    Paul Mazerolle received funding from the Australian Research Council to support research which informed this article..

    Richard Wortley and Samara McPhedran do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. We interviewed 205 Australians convicted of murder and manslaughter. Alcohol’s role was alarming – https://theconversation.com/we-interviewed-205-australians-convicted-of-murder-and-manslaughter-alcohols-role-was-alarming-259794

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Ice baths are booming in popularity – but they come with health risks

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Cornell, PhD Candidate in Public Health & Community Medicine, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney

    Michele Ursi/Getty Images

    Walk through any trendy suburb and you might find a new “wellness” studio offering ice baths or “contrast therapy” (a sauna and ice bath combo).

    Scroll social media, and you’re likely to come across influencers preaching the cold plunge gospel with cult-like zeal.

    Ice baths have gone mainstream. Initially practised mainly among high-performance athletes, cold water immersion is now a booming business model: sold as recovery, discipline and therapy all in one.

    But the benefits are questionable and, importantly, ice baths can have health risks – particularly for people who have limited experience using them.

    From Roman times to today

    Cold water immersion isn’t a new concept.

    The “frigidarium” – a room with a cold plunge pool or bath – was a feature in most Roman bathhouses.

    For decades, athletes have used cold water immersion, such as swims in cold water, for recovery.

    But in recent years, with the proliferation of commercial cold plunge centres, there’s been an explosion in people using ice baths recreationally.

    Many people are even setting up their own ice baths at home. The global cold plunge tub market was valued at close to US$338 million in 2024 and is projected to reach nearly $483 million by 2033.

    Social media shows serene influencers meditating through the pain, claiming it boosts mental health, serotonin, testosterone, and their metabolism. But does the evidence stack up?

    Ice baths can reduce muscle soreness after intense training, however the effect is modest and short-lived.

    Some research shows cold water immersion can improve mood after a single exposure in young, healthy people, but other research doesn’t find these benefits.

    Most claims about mental health, testosterone and weight loss aren’t backed by strong evidence. Rather, they’re anecdotal and amplified by influencers.



    Read more:
    Cold water therapy: what are the benefits and dangers of ice baths, wild swimming and freezing showers?

    What does an ice bath involve?

    At commercial establishments, patrons can often use the ice baths as they please during a booked session. Ice bath temperatures often range anywhere from 3°C to 15°C. There normally isn’t actual ice in the bath, but some people add blocks of ice to their ice baths at home.

    Businesses offering ice baths don’t always actively supervise patrons or monitor a person’s time in the ice bath. They may leave their customers to self-regulate, assuming people will know to get out of the water before they pass their body’s limits.

    So what are the risks?

    Cold water immersion triggers a powerful physiological response. When you hit cold water below 15°C, your body launches into cold shock. Gasping occurs and breathing becomes rapid and uncontrollable. Heart rate spikes. Blood pressure rises.

    Staying in the water for too long can lead to hypothermia, a condition where a person’s core body temperature drops dangerously low.

    Shivering may begin within minutes in cold water. Confusion or fainting are more serious signs that hypothermia may be developing.

    Occasionally, this “cold shock” response can lead to a heart attack or stroke – especially if you have an undiagnosed condition affecting your heart, blood vessels or brain.

    As far back as 1969, researchers found even experienced swimmers could struggle after just a few minutes in cold water. Participants were immersed in water at 4.7°C while fully clothed and asked to swim as if trying to reach safety. Some developed serious respiratory distress and had to stop swimming within as little as 90 seconds, well before any measurable drop in core body temperature.

    Even after you get out, your core temperature can continue to fall – a phenomenon known as afterdrop. So you can encounter problems, such as collapse, even after leaving the water.

    And even young, healthy people can be caught off guard. The body isn’t designed to endure freezing water for extended periods.

    Recently one of us (Sam Cornell) had to provide first aid at an ice bath venue in Sydney. A young man collapsed after staying in an ice bath for ten minutes. He was shivering uncontrollably and clearly suffering from cold shock.

    Cold exposure can also cause long-term damage to nerves and blood vessels in the hands and feet, known as non-freezing cold injury. This is more likely if someone spends an extended period immersed in cold water. Symptoms such as numbness, pain and sensitivity to cold can persist for years.

    6 tips for safer recreational ice bath use

    The ice bath trend is part of a broader wellness movement, promoted to young men in particular, where discomfort is repackaged as discipline. Push through the pain. Master your body. If you feel terrible, you must be doing it right.

    But behind the hype lies a less appealing truth. Ice baths can be dangerous.

    We advise caution, but if you do choose to try an ice bath, treat it seriously and follow these tips to reduce the risk of harm.

    1. Talk to your doctor: get checked out first. If you or your family have any heart, stroke or respiratory risk, skip it

    2. Know your limits: being fit doesn’t protect you from cold shock

    3. Start gradually: begin with short warm to cold showers before full immersion

    4. Never go alone: always have someone with you, especially if you’re new to ice baths

    5. Keep it short and watch the temperature: limit sessions to 3–5 minutes and remember, problems can still occur after you get out

    6. Recognise the signs of danger: symptoms such as shivering, numbness and confusion can all seem like part of the experience to someone bent on pushing themselves. But these can be signs of hypothermia.

    Samuel Cornell receives funding from Meta Platforms, Inc. His research is supported by a University of New South Wales Sydney, University Postgraduate Award. His research is supported by Royal Life Saving Society – Australia to aid in the prevention of drowning. Research at Royal Life Saving Society – Australia is supported by the Australian government. He has been affiliated with Surf Life Saving Australia and Surf Life Saving NSW in a paid and voluntary capacity.

    Michael Tipton has previously received funding from organisations working in drowning prevention and water safety. He is Chair of the UK National Water Safety Forum, hosted by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), and a member of Council of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

    – ref. Ice baths are booming in popularity – but they come with health risks – https://theconversation.com/ice-baths-are-booming-in-popularity-but-they-come-with-health-risks-260206

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Israel’s Rafah camp – ‘humanitarian city’ or crime against humanity?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Bosch, Associate Professor (Law), Edith Cowan University

    Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has announced a controversial plan to move up to 600,000 Palestinians in Gaza into a designated “humanitarian area” on the ruins of the southern city of Rafah.

    Access to the camp would be through strict security screening to ensure entrants were not Hamas operatives. Once inside, the perimeter would be sealed off by the Israeli military. Palestinians would not be allowed to leave.

    Eventually the camp would house the entire 2.1 million population of Gaza.

    Camp construction would begin during the proposed 60-day ceasefire being negotiated by Israel and Hamas

    ‘Illegal and inhumane’

    The plan is illegal, inhumane and risks worsening the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

    The forced displacement and containment of any civilian population in an occupied territory is a violation of international humanitarian law.

    Done on this scale would constitute a war crime and a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute.

    The UN Security Council, UN General Assembly and UN Commission on Human Rights have all condemned instances of forced transfer in armed conflicts.

    So too, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent, which have stressed the fundamental prohibition of forced displacement of a civilian population and the need for all parties to respect this prohibition.

    For their own protection?

    Katz is describing the camp as a “humanitarian city”. The Israeli military says Palestinians would only be contained for their own protection.

    As we have seen, civilian displacement is prohibited. But there is an exception if a case can be made either for military reasons or the protection of the population.

    However, this exception only exists for as long as the conditions warrant for it to exist. Anyone subject to such an evacuation must be transferred back to their homes as soon as possible.

    Imperative military reasons never justify the removal of a civilian population in order to persecute it. The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement entrenches the duty of international actors to avoid creating the conditions that might lead to the displacement of people.

    Aid dilemma

    Katz has indicated international organisations would be responsible for managing aid and services inside the area.

    But Israel has a history of defying even orders from the International Court of Justice to allow humanitarian aid to reach the Palestinians in Gaza.

    If international humanitarian agencies were called upon to service the camp, they would face a dilemma.

    They would need to decide whether to cooperate in managing aid under conditions that compromise their neutrality and ethical standards, deny basic human rights and are built on violations of international law.

    Aid groups would risk being complicit in a process that sets up a transit camp for Palestinians before possibly expelling them from Gaza altogether.

    This “humanitarian city” would essentially become an open-air prison. Palestinians would be reliant on international aid under strict Israeli military control.

    Mass expulsion?

    Could the Rafah camp be a precursor to mass expulsion from Gaza and what does international law say about that?

    Katz has been quoted saying Israel aims to implement “the emigration plan, which will happen” – meaning Gazans will eventually be forced to leave for other countries.

    Changing the demographic composition of a territory – ethnic cleansing – achieved through the displacement of the civilian population of a territory is strictly prohibited under international law.

    The idea of displacing Palestinians has long been part of Israeli strategic thinking, but this announcement signals a dangerous escalation and intention to permanently alter Gaza’s demographic landscape through displacement and containment.

    Voluntary exodus?

    According to Katz, Gazans would have the option of “voluntary” emigration.

    Indeed, speaking at the White House this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there would be no forced exodus from Gaza:

    If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave.

    But the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is incomprehensible.

    The population has been displaced multiple times and 90% of homes in Gaza are damaged or destroyed. The healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene systems have collapsed.

    On average 100 Palestinians are killed daily as they try to access food.

    These crisis circumstances negate the voluntary nature of any person’s consent to either the transfer to the Rafah camp or ultimately, the departure from Gaza.

    According to Amos Goldberg, historian of the Holocaust at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, what the defence minister laid out was clear plans for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza:

    [it is] a transit camp for Palestinians before they expel them. It is neither humanitarian nor a city.

    Shannon Bosch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Israel’s Rafah camp – ‘humanitarian city’ or crime against humanity? – https://theconversation.com/israels-rafah-camp-humanitarian-city-or-crime-against-humanity-260809

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Can’t fill your ADHD script? Here’s why, and what to do while the shortage persists

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Janetzki, Lecturer in Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of South Australia

    Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses are rising across Australia.

    But after finally getting a diagnosis, many people are discovering the medicine they’ve been prescribed isn’t available at the pharmacy.

    Australia faces a nation-wide shortage of methylphenidate (sold as Concerta and Ritalin).

    What does it mean for people with ADHD?

    ADHD medication shortages have persisted since 2023, with shortages of lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse), and are now affecting more people.

    Many people with ADHD have to call multiple pharmacies to find their medication. They might be put on waiting lists to access their prescribed medications, or have to contact their doctor or their child’s doctor to get a new script for a different medication.

    Some people with ADHD are switching between strengths or changing to different medicines. This can mean starting again with slow dose changes, and can result in poor symptom control and more side effects.

    Some people have had to skip doses or go without medicine altogether, making it hard to concentrate, stay organised and manage emotions.

    Shortages can also increase inequality. People in rural areas with fewer pharmacies, for example, have more difficulty accessing these medications.

    And people with fewer financial resources are less able to access alternative medications that aren’t subsidised.

    Increasing access to diagnosis and treatment

    Around 8% of children and 2.5% of adults in Australia have ADHD. It makes it hard to focus, sit still, and/or control impulses. For many, medication helps manage these symptoms.

    Diagnosis has often involved seeing a specialist such as psychiatrist or paediatrician.

    But from September, GPs in New South Wales will be able to continue ADHD prescriptions without needing specialist approval. In 2026, GPs in South Australia and Western Australia will be able to diagnose ADHD and start treatment.

    However, ongoing shortages may still stop people from getting the medicine they need.

    Why are these medicines running out?

    These shortages are largely due to manufacturing issues – including problems sourcing raw ingredients and production quotas in the United States.

    When one brand runs out, it puts pressure on other brands. This creates a domino effect across the supply chain.

    There is also increasing demand.

    In 2022-2023 almost 470,000 Australians were prescribed ADHD medications. That’s four times the number from nine years earlier.

    From January 2024 to May 2025, the number of prescriptions filled increased further, by 60% for dexamfetamine, 88% for methylphenidate and 140% for lisdexamfetamine.

    Scripts filled for ADHD stimulants from January 2024 to May 2025.
    CC BY

    Shortages of several strengths and brands of menthylphenidate (Concerta and Ritalin) and are expected to continue into late 2025. Both the long-acting and short-acting types are affected.

    Pharmacies can’t always help

    Stimulants to treat ADHD are tightly controlled. Pharmacies can only supply one-month of medicine at a time.

    In some states such as NSW, paper prescriptions for tightly controlled medicines must be filled at the same pharmacy each time. So patients have not been able to get their medicine elsewhere even if it’s in stock.

    In response to the methylphenidate shortages, NSW Health has allowed pharmacies to transfer paper prescriptions to other pharmacists that have stock available. This change is temporary but helpful.

    This rule is different in other states such as Victoria and South Australia, where people are able to visit or call other pharmacies to see if they have stock.

    However, ideally a patient will be able to build a rapport with one main pharmacy – and the pharmacy will know exactly how many regular patients they need to get stock for.

    What are regulators doing about it?

    The national medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has set up a group called the Medicine Shortage Action Groups to respond to the methylphenidate shortage.

    This group includes members from health professional groups and peak bodies. It will give advice to health professionals and are creating resources for patients, families and schools about the shortages and how to reduce disruptions to their or their child’s treatment.

    The TGA has also recently approved the temporary use of some methylphenidate brands from overseas.

    Some of these are now listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which means they are available at a subsidised price.

    The body representing physicians, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, has called for early warnings about shortages. That way, doctors can help patients change to alternatives before it’s too late.

    What can you do if you can’t get a script filled?

    If you’re finding it hard to get your ADHD medicine:

    • talk to your pharmacist. They may be able to order an overseas-registered alternative or suggest a different brand

    • speak with your GP, psychiatrist or your child’s paediatrician. They might adjust your or your child’s dose or suggest a different medication for their ADHD. This might mean changing to another stimulant that is available in a short- or long-acting formulation or by changing to a medicine for ADHD that is not a stimulant. Ask your physician to contact the pharmacy to see what they have in stock while you’re at your appointment

    • check the TGA’s Medicine Shortage Reports Database for updates on when the medicine might become available.

    If you’re calling around to find stock:

    • call mid-morning to see if they’ve got stock. Pharmacies are generally less busy after the morning rush

    • say exactly what medicine, strength and brand you are looking for. If you don’t mind which brand be sure to tell the pharmacist

    • keep a list of pharmacies so you don’t double up

    • if you live in a rural area and find that a pharmacy in a nearby town has stock, ask if they can courier the medication to you.

    Jack Janetzki works for Pharmaceutical Defence Limited and The Barossa Pharmacist in the Mall (Nuriootpa, South Australia). He is a member of Pharmaceutical Defence Limited, the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and the Observational Health Data Science Informatics network.

    Lisa Kalisch Ellett is president of the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association and a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.

    – ref. Can’t fill your ADHD script? Here’s why, and what to do while the shortage persists – https://theconversation.com/cant-fill-your-adhd-script-heres-why-and-what-to-do-while-the-shortage-persists-259911

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Medicinal cannabis is big business. But the latest clampdown won’t curb unsafe prescribing

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carmen Lim, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland

    Nuva Frames/Shutterstock

    Australia’s key regulator of health professionals has announced it’s clamping down on unsafe prescribing of medicinal cannabis in the wake of surging patient demand.

    The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, known as Ahpra, today warned health professionals they would need to put patients’ wellbeing ahead of profits.

    Among its concerns were aggressive marketing strategies by clinics prescribing medicinal cannabis, and consultations lasting between a few seconds and a few minutes, before prescribing.

    Such concerns have led to eight practitioners issuing more than 10,000 scripts in a six-month window, and one who appeared to have issued more than 17,000 scripts.

    Ahpra’s other concerns include reports of patients with psychosis after taking medicinal cannabis, prescribing high doses, and prescribing to family members or people under 18.

    However, overservicing, inappropriate prescribing and the health issues that can arise are issues we’ve known about for years.

    Our research, for example, looked at multiple websites that offered medicinal cannabis in Australia. We found widespread examples of aggressive and misleading marketing. Some clinics breached regulatory guidelines. Others bent the rules.

    Yet Ahpra’s latest announcement doesn’t tighten existing prescribing or marketing rules for medicinal cannabis. It just reminds doctors, nurse practitioners and pharmacists what the rules are.

    What is the regulator concerned about?

    According to the 2022–23 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, 3% of Australians aged 14 or over had used cannabis for medical purposes in the previous 12 months, equating to around 700,000 people.

    Australians spent more than A$400 million on medicinal cannabis products in the first half of 2024 alone.

    But Ahpra is concerned too many health practitioners are prescribing medicinal cannabis when a patient requests it, rather than whether this is the right product for them.

    It suggests too few practitioners are assessing patients thoroughly, formulating and implementing a management plan, facilitating coordination and continuity of care, maintaining medical records, recommending treatments only where there is an identified therapeutic need, and ensuring medicinal cannabis is not a first-line treatment.

    So Ahpra says it will investigate practitioners with high rates of prescribing any scheduled medicine, including medicinal cannabis, even if it has not received a complaint.

    We found lots of aggressive marketing

    Medicinal cannabis has been legally available in Australia since 2016. This means doctors can prescribe it for any medical condition when other approved treatments have not worked. Now patients can be prescribed medicinal cannabis as a capsule, oil or dried flower, for example, often via a website.

    But when we analysing the websites of 54 private medicinal cannabis clinics in Australia, an alarming picture emerged.

    We found multiple examples of websites that breached marketing rules, or skirted around them. This included making unsubstantiated health claims about the products they offered, such as they could treat anxiety, depression, or other mental health symptoms.

    Websites often allowed people to assess if medicinal cannabis was for them. This self-assessment may mislead people into believing they would benefit from it, inadvertently “coaching” them on which medical conditions might warrant a prescription.

    Other marketing tactics we found included promises of same-day or after-hours delivery, no GP referrals required, discounted consultation fees, and
    targeted advertisements on social media.

    What we’d like to see

    Ahpra’s aim of safer prescribing of medicinal cannabis is welcome. But by merely repeating the rules, rather than tightening them, this doesn’t go far enough. So Ahpra has missed out on a real opportunity to safeguard patients’ health.

    For instance, we’d like to see greater emphasis on banning targeted advertisements on social media for medicinal cannabis. In a study that we’ve submitted for publication, we found this a particular concern.

    We found many private clinics are using ads to reach young people, including those as young as 18. One company ran more than 170 active ads this month alone across Facebook, Instagram and Threads.

    Ads we’ve seen include cryptic messaging, such as “we can’t shout about it, but our patients are smiling”, paired with bright colours and wellness-themed imagery.

    One pairs an Australian sports celebrity with the tagline “move differently!” and the name of the product.

    Another one promises “real doctors, real care” and “fast approvals & express delivery”, with consultations at $19.

    While these ads do not mention medicinal cannabis directly, the messaging is clearly designed to spark curiosity and build brand recognition, especially among younger audiences.

    We’d also like to see Ahpra:

    • broaden its focus beyond prescribing patterns to include digital marketing and advertising practices that target young people

    • provide clear guidelines to medicinal cannabis clinics and prescribers on acceptable promotional practices

    • support stronger consequences for repeat offenders, including prescribers who continue to engage in misleading advertising after being sanctioned.

    Carmen Lim receives funding from the National Medical Health Research Council (2024-2028). She has not received any funding from the alcohol, cannabis, pharmaceutical, tobacco or vaping industries.

    – ref. Medicinal cannabis is big business. But the latest clampdown won’t curb unsafe prescribing – https://theconversation.com/medicinal-cannabis-is-big-business-but-the-latest-clampdown-wont-curb-unsafe-prescribing-260803

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Are ‘ghost stores’ haunting your social media feed? How to spot and avoid them

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Queensland University of Technology

    CC BY

    The offer pops up in your social media feed. The website is professional and the imagery illustrates an Australian coastal region, or chic inner-CBD scene.

    The brand name indicates this exclusive fashion retailer is based in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, or an exclusive enclave such as Double Bay or Byron Bay.

    The businesses have history, having apparently been “established” 30–40 years ago, and a story. The owners have reluctantly decided to close or relocate, resulting in significant discounts.

    However, behind the illusion of prestige and luxury, is cheap, poorly manufactured clothing from Chinese factories.

    The recent growth of these online “ghost stores” has led the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission to issue public warning notices about four websites.

    Everly-melbourne.com, willowandgrace-adelaide.com, sophie-claire.com and doublebayboutique.com are the four named.

    A new type of scam

    The ACCC’s Targeting Scams report estimated Australians lost A$2.74 billion in 2023. Most losses were from investment scams ($1.3 billion), remote access scams ($256 million), and romance scams ($201.1 million).



    Read more:
    3.5 million Australians experienced fraud last year. This could be avoided through 6 simple steps

    However, online ghost store scams are so new, researchers and government agencies have not yet had time to measure the financial impact these businesses are having on consumers or legitimate fashion businesses.

    It is possible a consumer, once stung by a ghost store scam, will be less likely to shop with a legitimate online fashion retailer.

    This type of emerging scam was touched on in a 2015 report called Framework for a Taxonomy of Fraud. The report noted there were businesses selling “worthless or non-existent products”. Their sites made:

    misleading claims about products that are exaggerated, undervalued, or non-existent.

    Since the beginning of 2025, the ACCC reports it has received at least 360 complaints about 60 online ghost retailers. It says many more may be operating across several social media sites.

    Tricky tactics

    Ghost stores use a variety of tactics to attract unsuspecting customers.

    Price: Customers regularly assume higher prices mean higher quality. Most customers seeing a “leather” jacket for $19.74 on Temu would expect low quality. However, a silk maxi-dress from Everly Melbourne reduced from $209.95 to $82.95 – a 60% saving – seems reasonable and reflective of normal mid-season clearance pricing. That fact it’s still priced at more than $80 also implies good quality.

    Cosmopolitan localism: Researchers have reported that so-called cosmopolitan localism fosters meaningful consumer relationships with brands. Consumers are more likely to trust a business based in Melbourne or Byron Bay over one based internationally.

    Adding images of a physical store front creates credibility and “realness”. Customers feel confident to buy from a little business based in Melbourne, Sydney or somewhere well known to them.

    Storytelling: Storytelling can influence shoppers’ emotions and affect purchasing. It helps stimulate deeper emotional connections to a brand. Ghost stores will regularly create a narrative around “going out of business” to justify price discounts and pull on heart-strings.

    Layout: A professionally developed website, with high-quality images, detailed product information, online payment methods and order tracking, creates the illusion of authenticity. Researchers have found luxury brand website designs can create a strong sense of luxury. This increases a willingness to buy.

    How to spot a “ghost”

    When the post indicates “closing today” or “closing down sale ends tonight”, it is very easy to impulsively jump in to take advantage of the savings. However, before you click, check for these red flags:

    1. The website does not provide a contact phone number or physical address for the store. There might just be an email address or web form. Simply entering the suspected store into google maps will indicate no physical location.

    2. The website domain is “.com” rather than “.com.au”. This indicates the store is not an Australian-based business.

    3. Is the business registered? ABN Lookup is the free public view of the Australian Business Register – a quick search will identify that the Double Bay designer isn’t registered locally.

    4. Review platforms, including Trustpilot, often have negative reviews for the business, whereas the business’ website only features very positive reviews.

    5. The images of products or even the owner maybe AI generated. For example, Harry – Melbourne, is apparently an artisan watchmaker. However, simply right-clicking on the image reveals Harry is an AI-generated image.

    A cautionary note

    Online shopping is risky. You can’t physically touch or interact with the product to determine its quality. Three types of risks are common when shopping online. These are performance risk (it doesn’t work, doesn’t fit well, or the quality is poor), financial risk (losing your money on a poor-quality product), and time-loss risk (refund processing takes weeks).

    As such, customers must trust the online retailer to act honestly and describe products accurately. When trust is breached, consumers will naturally become cautious even about legitimate online retailers.

    As ghost stores scams increasingly populate social media feeds, unsuspecting consumers will continue to get caught out. This will leave legitimate retailers exposed to scepticism and mistrust.

    Gary Mortimer receives funding from the Building Employer Confidence and Inclusion in Disability Grant, AusIndustry Entrepreneurs’ Program, National Clothing Textiles Stewardship Scheme, National Retail Association and Australian Retailers Association.

    – ref. Are ‘ghost stores’ haunting your social media feed? How to spot and avoid them – https://theconversation.com/are-ghost-stores-haunting-your-social-media-feed-how-to-spot-and-avoid-them-260583

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ Post is the latest company to drop its climate targets – another sign business is struggling to decarbonise

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pii-Tuulia Nikula, Associate Professor, School of Business, Eastern Institute of Technology

    Getty Images

    NZ Post committed to cutting its emissions by 32% by 2030 (based on 2018 levels), but recently announced it would abandon its climate target.

    The company was part of the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), the leading international body allowing businesses worldwide to set and validate targets which they can then promote as backed by science.

    More than 10,000 businesses have joined SBTi and the database currently includes 36 New Zealand businesses with active targets or commitments.

    In recent years, however, well known businesses have been abandoning SBTi. NZ Post’s decision follows Air New Zealand’s announcement to withdraw last year and Auckland Airport’s less publicised decision not to renew its SBTi target.

    NZ Post was one of the early adopters of SBTi in New Zealand. Its initial commitment in 2018 included not only the company’s own direct emissions (known as scope 1) but also purchased energy (scope 2) and other indirect emissions (known as scope 3, such as emissions from air freight or waste disposal).

    In the past few years, NZ Post has signalled its intention to update its target to pursue even greater reductions of 42%. In 2023, it made a commitment to align itself with a pathway to achieve net zero by 2050.

    But the company has now decided to fully withdraw from SBTi. NZ Post’s website announcement states:

    After careful consideration and a thorough assessment of both technical feasibility and financial implications, it has become clear that our target is no longer feasible at a technical level and, given the scale of investment required, under present economic conditions.

    NZ Post seems to have found itself in the contradiction between economic objectives and climate action. Ambitious climate action seems to rarely win such a battle.

    The company was already questioning its ability to meet its SBTi targets in its 2022 and 2023 climate disclosures. Its parcel volumes were growing and it struggled with emissions associated with heavy freight and aviation.

    It also stated its emissions had increased due to the acquisition of Fliway Group, improved supply-chain data, and emission factor changes. This indicated it would struggle to meet even less ambitious climate targets.

    Why this is a problem

    One might commend NZ Post for their transparency in disclosing their decision to withdraw from SBTi. However, so far the announcement hasn’t been included in the company’s media releases and remains tucked away in the sustainability section.

    The broader issue is that businesses can use SBTi to gain reputational value without following up with required decarbonisation. The current SBTi setup has some limitations that allow such behaviour.

    For instance, companies can make an SBTi commitment and promote it for two years before having to submit an actual target for validation. Businesses can also promote their SBTi targets for years without making required progress. Finally, some SBTi businesses provide limited reporting, making assessment of their progress difficult.

    In a 2025 consultation, SBTi acknowledged some of these problems and signalled its plan to enhance tracking and accountability.

    Climate action vs profitability

    There are other issues that make transparency limited. For instance, businesses such as Air New Zealand seem to be able to withdraw from the SBTi and fully disappear from the SBTi public target dashboard, making it difficult to track those that have decided to withdraw.

    While most SBTi businesses are probably not joining the scheme with the intention of “carbonwashing”, the ability of many to meet their targets seems uncertain.

    In business contexts, climate action remains subordinate to profitability and revenue growth objectives. Hence, not many businesses are willing to pursue all potential ways to meet their targets as this would require making difficult decisions around economic objectives.

    Many companies struggle to make progress towards science-based goals or don’t have credible transition plans aligned with the goal to keep overall warming at 1.5°C.

    The question remains whether the current SBTi engagement of businesses genuinely reflects ambitious climate action or whether it is merely designed to give stakeholders the impression of global progress through symbolic commitments.

    In its 2024 climate disclosure NZ Post states:

    The more organisations committed to the science-based reductions, the greater our collective ability to achieve decarbonisation.

    The opposite is true as well. The decision of NZ Post and other companies to drop their SBTi targets may diminish the collective ability of businesses in New Zealand to achieve decarbonisation aligning with global climate goals.

    SBTi’s plan to implement new monitoring and reporting mechanisms would enhance accountability. However, it will not make meeting targets any easier. Committing to and promoting ambitious but potentially unrealistic targets can cause reputational damage.

    A safer pathway for many businesses wanting to do as much as they can within the boundaries of the current economic system may be a public disclosure of their support for climate action, transparency about the actions the business is taking, and providing transparent and detailed emissions reporting.

    Pii-Tuulia Nikula does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. NZ Post is the latest company to drop its climate targets – another sign business is struggling to decarbonise – https://theconversation.com/nz-post-is-the-latest-company-to-drop-its-climate-targets-another-sign-business-is-struggling-to-decarbonise-260589

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Netflix’s Shark Whisperer wants us to think ‘sexy conservation’ is the way to save sharks – does it have a point?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Hopkins, Senior Lecturer in Education (Curriculum and Pedagogy), University of the Sunshine Coast

    Netflix

    In the new Netflix documentary Shark Whisperer, the great white shark gets an image makeover – from Jaws villain to misunderstood friend and admirer.

    But the star of the documentary is not so much the shark, but the model and marine conservationist Ocean Ramsey (yes, that’s her real name).

    The film centres on Ramsey’s self-growth journey, with the shark co-starring as a quasi-spiritual medium for finding meaning and purpose (not to mention celebrity status).

    The film, and some in it, are happy to attribute Ramsey’s success as a shark conservation activist to how driven and photogenic she is. Ramsey says “People look first and listen second. I’ll use my appearance, I’ll put myself out there for a cause.”

    Her husband, the photographer Juan Oliphant, enthuses she is good for sharks partly because she is so beautiful and uses all the attention she attracts in the selfless service of sharks.

    The image of the long-haired, long-limbed young woman in a bikini swimming above an outsized great white shark is not a new one.

    Primal fears and fantasies

    Since Jaws (1975), generations have been fascinated and titillated by filmic images and promotional materials of bikini-clad young women juxtaposed with dangerous sharks.

    The heroine of Deep Blue Sea (1999) is a neuroscientist – however the film and its promotional materials still require her to appear in a wet t-shirt and underwear while pursued by a massive shark monster.

    The poster for 1999’s Deep Blue Sea.
    IMDB

    The Shallows (2016) presents countless images of its bikini-clad heroine, with partially exposed bottom and long legs marked by bite marks as a kind of meat to be consumed – not least by the voyeuristic lens of the camera.

    The poster for 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019) features a bikini-clad young woman with legs dangling precariously in front of the gaping jaws of an unnaturally large great white.

    I have previously explored the psychosexual symbolism of these films and images. These films were never really about actual sharks. They are about very human fears and fantasies about being exposed and vulnerable.

    Whisperer and the Ocean Ramsey website tap into the collective fascination with dangerous sharks fuelled by popular culture. Many online images show Ramsey in a bikini or touching sharks – she’s small, and vulnerable in the face of great whites. As with forms of celebrity humanitarianism, what I have dubbed “sexy conservationism” leaves itself open to criticism about its methods – even if its intentions are good.

    The paradox of Shark Whisperer – and indeed the whole Ocean Ramsey empire – is it both resists and relies on Jaws mythology and iconography to surf the image economy of new media.

    Saving, not stalking

    Ramsey and Oliphant are on a mission not just to save individual sharks, but to change the public perception of great whites to a more positive one.

    This mission is reiterated in Shark Whisperer and in the Saving Jaws documentary linked to the website, which also promotes a book, accessories and shark-diving tours.

    Shark Whisperer both resists and relies on the mythical status of the shark brought to us by Jaws.
    Netflix

    It is reassuring to know proceeds from the bikini you buy from the official website are donated to shark conservation. But the (often sexualised) media attention which fuels the whole enterprise still depends on tapping into the legacy of popular culture representations of great whites as fearsome monsters.

    In footage, Ramsey seems to spend most of her time with smaller tiger sharks, yet her website and the Shark Whisperer film foreground her rare close encounters with an “enormous” or “massive” great white as the climax and cover shot.

    Shark Whisperer also includes the kind of “money shots” we have come to expect: images of a large great white tearing at flesh (here, a whale carcass) with blood in the water. Images like these arouse our collective cultural memory of the filmic great white as the ultimate bestial predator.

    In its climactic scene, Whisperer strategically deploys eerie music to build the suspense and foretell the appearance of the enormous great white which rises from the depths. Again echoes of Jaws are used to stimulate viewing pleasures and sell the mixed messages of sexy shark conservation.

    A story of (personal) growth

    The self-growth narrative which underpins Whisperer will feel familiar to shark film fans. Jaws was always about overcoming fears and past traumas, as in the scene where Quint and Brody compare their real and metaphorical scars.

    The poster for the 2022 film Shark Bait.
    IMDB

    Over the past decade, a new generation of post-feminist shark films have used sharks as metaphorical stalkers to tell stories about women overcoming past trauma, grief, “inner darkness” or depression.

    In The Reef: Stalked (2022) the heroine must overcome the murder of her sister. In Shark Bait (2022) the heroine must rise above a cheating partner. In The Shallows, the heroine is processing grief.

    Whisperer also leans into the idea of Ramsey fighting inner demons on a journey to self-actualisation.

    And while Ramsey has undoubtedly raised the profile of shark conservation, as a model-designer-conservationist-entrepreneur she has also disseminated another more dubious message: that the way to enact influence and activism is through instagrammable images of beautiful models in high risk situations.

    Happy endings

    The end credits of Whisperer are a montage of happy endings: Ramsey frolics with sharks and shows off her diamond ring. There is even an ocean-themed wedding scene.

    Yet beneath all the glossy surface lies a sombre reality: globally at least 80 million sharks are killed every year.

    The Ramsey website and the film rightly remind us of this. They also remind us that, thanks in part to the hashtag activism of Ocean Ramsey and her millions of fans and followers, Hawaii was the first state in the United States to outlaw shark fishing.

    So, Ramsey may be right to argue her ends justify the means.

    Susan Hopkins does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Netflix’s Shark Whisperer wants us to think ‘sexy conservation’ is the way to save sharks – does it have a point? – https://theconversation.com/netflixs-shark-whisperer-wants-us-to-think-sexy-conservation-is-the-way-to-save-sharks-does-it-have-a-point-260290

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Teeth record the hidden history of your childhood climate and diet

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tanya M. Smith, Professor in the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution & Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, Griffith University

    Douglas Sacha / Getty Images

    The climate we live in affects our lives in profound ways: hot summers, cold winters, dry spells and wet weather all leave their mark.

    For growing children, one way seasons and storms are recorded is in their teeth. As we have shown in new research, teeth contain a week-by-week climatic history of their owner’s childhood.

    To establish this, we studied the teeth of wild chimpanzees, captive macaque monkeys, and a woman born in Brisbane in January 1990. Her infancy included distinctive weather events – but its more powerful use is to reveal the climates that shaped individual lives thousands or even millions of years ago.

    How does it work?

    You wouldn’t know it, but changes in rainfall and temperature cause subtle changes in drinking water. Specifically, they affect the proportions of different atomic variants of oxygen (the isotopes oxygen-18 and oxygen-16).

    Under a microscope, you can see tiny lines inside teeth that correspond to daily layers of growth. Using a machine called the Sensitive High Resolution Ion MicroProbe (SHRIMP) at the Australian National University, we vaporised spots of enamel corresponding to these lines and analysed the oxygen isotopes in the vapour.

    Once we know about the balance of oxygen isotopes, we can work backwards to determine changes in drinking water and the corresponding climatic conditions.

    Top: Teeth start to develop before birth, forming mineralised layers with visible growth lines. Middle: the balance of oxygen isotopes from tiny spots in the enamel are sampled with the SHRIMP. Bottom: isotopic values reveal cycles of wetter (dark blue) and drier (light blue) seasons during the development of the tooth.
    Smith et al. 2025 / Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

    Brisbane, 1990

    Our Australian tooth donor began her life during a wet summer during which a cyclone dumped enormous amounts of rain on Brisbane and surrounds, and months of high rainfall in the region persisted through to autumn.

    Oxygen isotopes (red) in a child’s tooth enamel compared to local rainfall (blue). Isotopic values decrease with rainfall and become higher during dry seasons.
    Smith et al. 2025 / Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

    Her tooth enamel formed during the summer of 1990 showed oxygen isotope trends that were consistent with the rainfall patterns at the time. The minimum values occurred close in time to the wettest period, and the maximum values happened towards the end of the long dry spell that began later in the year.

    After she reached her first birthday, these climate markers became more challenging to interpret. This likely happened because she began to consume more cooked foods, which carry a different isotope balance from raw food and breast milk.

    Diet records

    Thankfully, the SHRIMP can also help us learn more about these dietary changes by measuring nitrogen isotopes in the tooth dentine (which is found under the outer layer of enamel). There is a known relationship between the balance of nitrogen-15 and nitrogen-14 and the protein in a child’s diet.

    In an earlier study, we looked at these records in the same tooth. Mothers’ milk contains high levels of nitrogen-15, and our donor showed a clear signal of rising values from birth. Shortly after six months of age, her nitrogen isotope ratio began to fall, as her mother gradually began offering her fruits and vegetables to supplement her exclusive milk diet.

    Nitrogen isotopes (red) in a child’s tooth compared to breastfeeding history (grey bars), showing higher values during intensive nursing and decreases as milk was gradually replaced with weaning foods.
    Smith et al. 2024 / American Journal of Biological Anthropology

    During our donor’s second year of life, she was fed more solid foods, including bread, cheese, eggs, and yogurt – leading to a further decline in the isotopic ratio. She continued breastfeeding at night for a few months into her third year, and finally as she ceased nursing entirely, her nitrogen values reached a minimum.

    From 35 years ago to 17 million years ago

    Fine-scaled isotopic studies such as these are a world first. Teeth are typically sampled with hand-held drills or small saws to measure inputs from water and food.

    These coarse sampling methods are relatively common and inexpensive, but they cannot show short-term changes in the composition of teeth. This limits how well they can be used to identify important environmental or dietary changes.

    Our new technique has many applications. We’ve studied Neanderthal children from the Rhône basin of southeastern France, who experienced some rough seasons 250,000 years ago. By SHRIMPing thin tooth slices, and relating this to enamel formation ages, we were even able to estimate the seasons in which one child was born and weaned 2.5 years later.

    Designed for geological studies, the Sensitive High Resolution Ion MicroProbe (SHRIMP) can be used to determine the balance of different atomic variants in many different kinds of material – including teeth.
    Tanya Smith / Australian Academy of Science

    We have just begun to produce isotopic weaning curves for humans who lived several hundred to several thousand years ago, yielding new insights into ancient maternal behaviour and infant health.

    This technology can also be applied to much more ancient fossils, including apes who lived in Africa 17 million years ago. In this instance, isotopic differences between fossils were consistent with other evidence that a changing climate played an important role in influencing the anatomy and development of humanity’s forebears.

    Teeth hold many more tales, and technological breakthroughs such as those at the Australian National University will continue to reveal hidden details of our ancient humanity as well as the unintended consequences of our modern lifestyles.

    Tanya M. Smith receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Ian Stuart Williams has previously received funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Teeth record the hidden history of your childhood climate and diet – https://theconversation.com/teeth-record-the-hidden-history-of-your-childhood-climate-and-diet-258707

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How do coronial inquests work? Here’s what they can and can’t do

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marc Trabsky, Associate Professor of Law, Monash University

    Northern Territory Coroner Elizabeth Armitage’s inquest findings into the death of Kumanjayi Walker have sparked conversations across Australia.

    The coroner found the NT police officer who shot Walker, Zachary Rolfe, was “racist”, and she couldn’t exclude the possibility that his “values […] contributed to his decision to pull the trigger”.

    For many, the findings have raised questions about the history, role, purpose and limitations of coronial inquests. So what are they, and what do they do?

    What is a coroners court?

    The office of coroner emerged in England in 1194. Coroners were powerful officers of the realm – collecting taxes, adjudicating treasure troves and investigating deaths.

    During the industrial revolution, they became known as the “Magistrates of the Poor”, holding governments and corporations to account for causing sudden, unnatural or violent deaths.

    In the 21st century, each state and territory in Australia has its own coroners court. A coroners court consists of a state coroner or chief coroner, who is the equivalent of a judge, and other coroners, who hold the position of a magistrate (beneath a judge in the court hierarchy).

    All coroners are legally trained. In the 19th century, all coroners in Australia were doctors. There is no longer a requirement for coroners to have medical qualifications.

    The office of the coroner came about in England centuries ago.
    Getty

    Coroners investigate unexpected, unnatural, violent and accidental deaths. In Victoria, for instance, this is about 7,400 deaths each year.

    Legislation requires coroners to determine the who, when, where, what and how of such “reportable” deaths.

    This means they need to determine the identity of the deceased, when and where that person died, what caused their death, and the circumstances or manner in which they died. In many instances, they make recommendations for reducing preventable deaths in the future.

    Police help coroners in their investigations by providing a brief of evidence, but the coroners court is separate from the police, just as other law courts are. Forensic pathologists assist coroners in finding the medical cause of death.



    Read more:
    What happens in an autopsy? A forensics expert explains

    Since 2005, first in Victoria and then elsewhere in Australia, forensic pathologists and radiologists have used postmortem CT scans to determine cause of death. This has greatly reduced the need for invasive autopsies.

    Coroners can make findings “on the papers” – which means investigations won’t proceed to an inquest – or deliver findings at the conclusion of an inquest.

    So what is a coronial inquest?

    A coronial inquest is a formal public hearing into why someone (or sometimes a group of people) died. It’s often held across multiple days, during which the facts can be examined, witnesses can be questioned, and the community can come together to understand how a person died.

    What is unique about the Coroners Court is that it’s inquisitorial, not adversarial. This means there shouldn’t be any warring parties.

    In addition, inquests have an expansive scope compared to a criminal trial. They can investigate the wider institutional, social and economic contexts of a death, examining what may have contributed to it, and comment on factors connected to the death, such as public health and safety.

    Not all investigations proceed to an inquest. In fact, the number of inquests across Australia has been steadily declining since the early 2000s. In New South Wales there were 142 held in 2013 and only 103 in 2023. This is despite the number of investigations over that period increasing by 37%.

    The former Deputy State Coroner of NSW, Hugh Dillon, cites a lack of funding, delays due to backlog, and structural design flaws as some reasons for the decline in holding inquests into reportable deaths.

    Juries were a feature of inquests in Australia in the 19th century. They were no longer compulsory in the early 20th century, and were formally abolished in NSW in 1999.

    Coroners must hold an inquest in certain circumstances. For example:

    • where the deceased was in custody or care immediately before death

    • where the identity of the deceased is unknown

    • or where there is suspicion that the death was due to homicide (though in this situation an inquest will most likely be superseded by a criminal trial).

    Coroners are prohibited from making findings of guilt or liability. The purpose of the investigation is to issue findings of facts about unnatural deaths, not to determine questions of law.

    Researcher Rebecca Scott Bray points out that coronial proceedings have the potential to be positive experiences, especially for grieving families.

    But these processes can fail to live up to that potential, particularly with respect to inquests into deaths in custody.

    Why does all this matter?

    There is little understanding of the purpose of the Coroners Court in Australian society. More research is required to ascertain why this is the case, but even law graduates have a low level of literacy about the powers and limitations of coroners. They are seldom taught about the coroner in law school.

    This results in misunderstandings that coroners can find someone guilty of causing a death, or that coronial recommendations for preventing similar deaths in the future must be implemented.

    It isn’t mandatory, for instance, for the NT government to implement any of Coroner Armitage’s 32 recommendations for preventing deaths in custody in the future.

    Coronial investigations matter for families and friends of the bereaved: discovering the “truth” of how a person died, memorialising their life, and hoping their death prevents similar deaths from occurring in future.

    It also matters for Australian society: improving health and safety for all, healing a community amid tragedy, and giving voice to the dead.

    Marc Trabsky’s research for this article received funding from an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DE220100064).

    – ref. How do coronial inquests work? Here’s what they can and can’t do – https://theconversation.com/how-do-coronial-inquests-work-heres-what-they-can-and-cant-do-260692

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Greek and Roman nymphs weren’t just sexy nature spirits. They had other important jobs too

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kitty Smith, PhD Candidate in Classical Greek and Roman History, University of Sydney

    Acteon, having accidentally seen the goddess Diana and her nymphs bathing, begins to change into a stag. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. George S. Amory, Object Number: 64.208.

    Could you ever be truly alone in the woods of ancient Greece or Rome? According to myth, the ancient world was filled with wild animals, terrifying monsters, and mischievous deities. Among them were nymphs: semi-divine female figures that personified elements of the natural world.

    But nymphs offer us more than just stories of sexy nature spirits.

    They can reveal how ancient people thought about their world and connected with their landscape through mythology.

    Personifying elements of nature

    Nymph was a broad category in myth. It encompassed almost every semi-divine woman and girl in myth, including a number of goddesses. The sea goddess Thetis and the underworld river Styx were both sea nymphs as well as goddesses.

    Nymphs were typically portrayed as young, exceptionally beautiful women in art and literature. The word “nymph” in ancient Greek could even be used to mean “young girl” or “unmarried woman” when applied to mortal women.

    Despite this etymological connection, many nymphs were married or mothers or gods. Amphitrite was the wife of Poseidon, and her sister Metis, the personification of wisdom, was Zeus’ first wife, according to Hesiod’s Theogony. Maia was the mother of Hermes, the messenger god.

    What links all nymphs was their connection with the natural world. Nymphs typically personified elements of nature, like bodies of water, mountains, forests, the weather, or specific plants.

    This carving derives from a passage in The Iliad that describes the nereid Thetis, mother of the hero Achilles, and other nereids carrying newly forged armour to her son.
    The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Bothmer Purchase Fund, 1993, Object Number: 1993.11.2

    The nymph Daphne

    One of the most quintessential nymphs was Daphne (or Laurel, in Latin). According to the Roman poet Ovid in his poem the Metamorphoses, Daphne was a stunningly beautiful nymph who lived in the forest.

    Daphne had chosen to follow in the footsteps of Artemis (Diana), the goddess of the hunt, by being a huntress and abstaining from sex and marriage. But her beauty would be her downfall.

    One day the god Apollo saw Daphne and immediately tried to pursue her. Daphne did not feel similarly and fled through the forest. Apollo chased and nearly caught her.

    But Daphne’s father Peneus, a river god, saved his daughter by transforming her into the laurel tree.

    Like many nymphs, Daphne’s myth was an origin story for her namesake tree and its significance to the god Apollo.

    But her story also followed one of the most common tropes in nymph myths – the trope a nymph transformed into her namesake after running away from a male deity.

    Different nymphs for trees, water, mountains, stars

    There were even special names for different types of nymph.

    Daphne was a dryad, or tree nymph. Oreads (mountain nymphs) are referenced in Homer’s Iliad. There were three different types of water nymph: the saltwater oceanids and nereids, and the freshwater naiads.

    Nymphs lived in the wilderness. These untamed places could be dangerous but they also held precious natural resources that nymphs personified, such as special trees and springs.

    Spring nymphs personified one of the most precious resources of all: freshwater.

    It was hard to find freshwater in the ancient world, especially in places without human infrastructure. Cities were often built around springs.

    The nymph Arethusa was the personification of the spring Arethusa in Sicily. Today, you can visit the Fountain of Arethusa in modern day Syracuse.

    No matter where you looked in the ancient landscape, there were nymphs – even in the sky.

    The Pleiades and Hyades were two sets of daughters of the god Atlas who eventually were transformed into stars.

    Their myths gave an origin for two sets of constellations that were used for navigation and divination.

    The Pleiades and Hyades constellations were visible to the naked eye, and can still be seen today.

    This painting depicts the god Bacchus (the Roman equivalent of the wine god Dionysus) lounging with some nymphs in a landscape.
    Abraham van Cuylenborch/The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Object Number: 25.110.37

    The divine presence in nature

    Although myths may feel like a fictional story told to kids, nymph myths show that ancient myth is inseparable from the ancient landscape and ancient people.

    The natural world was imbued with a divine presence from the gods who physically made it – Gaia (Earth) was literally the soil underfoot. Nymphs were a part of this divine presence.

    This divine presence brought with it a very special boon: the gift of inspiration.

    Some writers (such as Plato) referred to this sort of natural inspiration as being “seized by the nymphs” (νυμφόληπτος or nympholeptus).

    Being present in nature and present in places with nymphs could bring about divine inspiration for philosophers, poets and artists alike.

    So, if you ever do find yourself alone in a Grecian wood, you may find yourself inspired and in good company – as long as you remain respectful.

    Kitty Smith is a member of the Australian Society for Classical Studies and of Australasian Women in Ancient World Studies.

    – ref. Greek and Roman nymphs weren’t just sexy nature spirits. They had other important jobs too – https://theconversation.com/greek-and-roman-nymphs-werent-just-sexy-nature-spirits-they-had-other-important-jobs-too-258287

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Can a pizza box go in the yellow bin – or not? An expert answers this and other messy recycling questions

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pooria Pasbakhsh, Research Fellow in Polymer Upcycling, The University of Melbourne

    ViDCan/Shutterstock

    Have you ever gone to toss something into the recycling bin – a jam jar, a pizza box, a takeaway container encrusted with yesterday’s lunch – and wondered if you’re doing it right? Perhaps you asked yourself: should I scrub the jar with hot water? Scrape the mozzarella off the box? Wash off that palak paneer?

    Research shows most Australians believe they are good recyclers. But only 25% of people separate waste correctly and up to 35% of recycling goes to landfill unnecessarily. And one in four Australians tends not to rinse or empty food containers before sending them to the bin.

    The problem is not helped by different recycling practices between councils, which causes public confusion.

    So just how well does recycling need to be rinsed? What should you do with your plastic lids and pizza boxes? And will robots one day work it all out for us?

    One in four Australians tends not to rinse or empty food containers before recycling them.
    ThamKC/Shutterstock

    The problem of contamination

    Mechanical recycling methods – such as shredding and melting – struggle to operate when food and other residues are present.

    In fact, one spoiled item might ruin the entire cycling batch. Queensland’s Goondiwindi Regional Council, for example, said nearly a quarter of its kerbside recyclables collected in 2022–23 was contaminated and sent to landfill.

    Some councils use “advanced materials recovery” that can tolerate lightly soiled recyclables. These facilities use mechanical and automated sorting processes, including optical sorters and artificial intelligence.

    But other councils still rely on human sorting, or basic mechanical systems, which require items to be relatively clean.

    Some recycling is still sorted by hand.
    Adwo/Shutterstock

    Be a tip-top recycler

    While local recycling capabilities come into play, as a general rule, rinse containers when you can. As well as avoiding contamination, it helps reduce smells and keep bins clean.

    The best pre-cleaning method for recycling depends on the type of packaging.

    Paper and cardboard: these items must be clean and dry – no exceptions. Paper and cardboard absorbs contamination more than other materials. So if it gets wet or greasy, it can’t be recycled – though it may be compostable.

    So for pizza boxes, for example, recycle the clean parts and bin the parts that are greasy or have food stuck to them.

    Unfortunately, traditional cardboard coffee cups are not usually recyclable in Australia. That’s because the plastic lining inside is bonded tightly to the paper, making it difficult to separate during standard paper recycling.

    However in some areas, programs such as Simply Cups collect coffee cups and recycle them into sustainable products such as asphalt, concrete and building products.

    And in some states, such as South Australia and Western Australia, single-use cups lined with polymer are banned and only compostable cups can be used.

    The plastic lining in disposable coffee cups is tightly bonded to the paper, making recycling difficult.
    maxbelchenko/Shutterstock

    Glass and metals: these items are washed and processed at extremely high temperatures, so can tolerate a bit of residue. But too much residue can contaminate paper and cardboard in the bin. So rinse glass and plastic to remove visible food and empty liquids. Just a quick rinse is enough – there’s no need to scrub or use hot water.

    But not all glass and metals can be recycled. Mirrors and light bulbs, for instance, are treated in such a way that they melt at different temperatures to other glass. So check before you chuck.

    Plastics: rinse plastics before putting them in the recycling bin. It’s important to know that the numbers 1 to 7 on plastics, inside a recycling symbol, do not necessarily mean the item can be recycled in your area. The number is a code that identifies what plastic the item is made from. Check if your council can recycle that type of plastic.

    Complicating matters further is the question of plastic lids. On this, guidelines differ across Australia, so check your local rules.

    Some councils recycle plastic coffee-cup lids while others don’t.

    Likewise, the rules on plastic bottle lids differ. Some councils allow bottle-lid recycling, but even then, the processes vary. In the Australian Capital territory, for example, a lid larger than a credit card can be put in the recycling bin, but consumers are asked to remove the lid from the bottle. But Brisbane City Council asks consumers to leave the lids on.

    Meanwhile, organisations such as Lids4Kids collect plastic lids and make them into new products.

    Some organisations collect plastic lids and make them into new products.
    Chutima Chaochaiya/Shutterstock

    The future of recycling

    Recycling methods are evolving.

    Advanced chemical recycling breaks plastic down into its chemical building blocks. It can process plastic types that traditional methods can’t, such as soft plastics, and turn it into valuable new products.

    AI and automation are also reshaping recycling, by improving sorting and reducing contamination. And closed-loop washing systems, which filter and reuse water, can clean lightly soiled recyclables.

    Other innovations are emerging, too, such as dissolvable packaging and AI-enabled “smart bins” that might one day identify and sort materials – and maybe even tell consumers if items need rinsing!

    And goods can also be “upcycled” into higher value products such as “nanomaterials” or hydrogen.

    But upcycling still requires clean, well-sorted streams to be viable. And until all these technologies are widespread, each of us must help keep our recycling systems working well.

    Pooria Pasbakhsh is also affiliated with Monash University Malaysia as an Adjunct Associate Professor. He received funding from CRC-P project entitled “Upcycling of Convoluted Subsea Flexible Flow Lines”, Grant number: 108439.

    – ref. Can a pizza box go in the yellow bin – or not? An expert answers this and other messy recycling questions – https://theconversation.com/can-a-pizza-box-go-in-the-yellow-bin-or-not-an-expert-answers-this-and-other-messy-recycling-questions-258301

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Can a pizza box go in the yellow bin – or not? An expert answers this and other messy recycling questions

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pooria Pasbakhsh, Research Fellow in Polymer Upcycling, The University of Melbourne

    ViDCan/Shutterstock

    Have you ever gone to toss something into the recycling bin – a jam jar, a pizza box, a takeaway container encrusted with yesterday’s lunch – and wondered if you’re doing it right? Perhaps you asked yourself: should I scrub the jar with hot water? Scrape the mozzarella off the box? Wash off that palak paneer?

    Research shows most Australians believe they are good recyclers. But only 25% of people separate waste correctly and up to 35% of recycling goes to landfill unnecessarily. And one in four Australians tends not to rinse or empty food containers before sending them to the bin.

    The problem is not helped by different recycling practices between councils, which causes public confusion.

    So just how well does recycling need to be rinsed? What should you do with your plastic lids and pizza boxes? And will robots one day work it all out for us?

    One in four Australians tends not to rinse or empty food containers before recycling them.
    ThamKC/Shutterstock

    The problem of contamination

    Mechanical recycling methods – such as shredding and melting – struggle to operate when food and other residues are present.

    In fact, one spoiled item might ruin the entire cycling batch. Queensland’s Goondiwindi Regional Council, for example, said nearly a quarter of its kerbside recyclables collected in 2022–23 was contaminated and sent to landfill.

    Some councils use “advanced materials recovery” that can tolerate lightly soiled recyclables. These facilities use mechanical and automated sorting processes, including optical sorters and artificial intelligence.

    But other councils still rely on human sorting, or basic mechanical systems, which require items to be relatively clean.

    Some recycling is still sorted by hand.
    Adwo/Shutterstock

    Be a tip-top recycler

    While local recycling capabilities come into play, as a general rule, rinse containers when you can. As well as avoiding contamination, it helps reduce smells and keep bins clean.

    The best pre-cleaning method for recycling depends on the type of packaging.

    Paper and cardboard: these items must be clean and dry – no exceptions. Paper and cardboard absorbs contamination more than other materials. So if it gets wet or greasy, it can’t be recycled – though it may be compostable.

    So for pizza boxes, for example, recycle the clean parts and bin the parts that are greasy or have food stuck to them.

    Unfortunately, traditional cardboard coffee cups are not usually recyclable in Australia. That’s because the plastic lining inside is bonded tightly to the paper, making it difficult to separate during standard paper recycling.

    However in some areas, programs such as Simply Cups collect coffee cups and recycle them into sustainable products such as asphalt, concrete and building products.

    And in some states, such as South Australia and Western Australia, single-use cups lined with polymer are banned and only compostable cups can be used.

    The plastic lining in disposable coffee cups is tightly bonded to the paper, making recycling difficult.
    maxbelchenko/Shutterstock

    Glass and metals: these items are washed and processed at extremely high temperatures, so can tolerate a bit of residue. But too much residue can contaminate paper and cardboard in the bin. So rinse glass and plastic to remove visible food and empty liquids. Just a quick rinse is enough – there’s no need to scrub or use hot water.

    But not all glass and metals can be recycled. Mirrors and light bulbs, for instance, are treated in such a way that they melt at different temperatures to other glass. So check before you chuck.

    Plastics: rinse plastics before putting them in the recycling bin. It’s important to know that the numbers 1 to 7 on plastics, inside a recycling symbol, do not necessarily mean the item can be recycled in your area. The number is a code that identifies what plastic the item is made from. Check if your council can recycle that type of plastic.

    Complicating matters further is the question of plastic lids. On this, guidelines differ across Australia, so check your local rules.

    Some councils recycle plastic coffee-cup lids while others don’t.

    Likewise, the rules on plastic bottle lids differ. Some councils allow bottle-lid recycling, but even then, the processes vary. In the Australian Capital territory, for example, a lid larger than a credit card can be put in the recycling bin, but consumers are asked to remove the lid from the bottle. But Brisbane City Council asks consumers to leave the lids on.

    Meanwhile, organisations such as Lids4Kids collect plastic lids and make them into new products.

    Some organisations collect plastic lids and make them into new products.
    Chutima Chaochaiya/Shutterstock

    The future of recycling

    Recycling methods are evolving.

    Advanced chemical recycling breaks plastic down into its chemical building blocks. It can process plastic types that traditional methods can’t, such as soft plastics, and turn it into valuable new products.

    AI and automation are also reshaping recycling, by improving sorting and reducing contamination. And closed-loop washing systems, which filter and reuse water, can clean lightly soiled recyclables.

    Other innovations are emerging, too, such as dissolvable packaging and AI-enabled “smart bins” that might one day identify and sort materials – and maybe even tell consumers if items need rinsing!

    And goods can also be “upcycled” into higher value products such as “nanomaterials” or hydrogen.

    But upcycling still requires clean, well-sorted streams to be viable. And until all these technologies are widespread, each of us must help keep our recycling systems working well.

    Pooria Pasbakhsh is also affiliated with Monash University Malaysia as an Adjunct Associate Professor. He received funding from CRC-P project entitled “Upcycling of Convoluted Subsea Flexible Flow Lines”, Grant number: 108439.

    – ref. Can a pizza box go in the yellow bin – or not? An expert answers this and other messy recycling questions – https://theconversation.com/can-a-pizza-box-go-in-the-yellow-bin-or-not-an-expert-answers-this-and-other-messy-recycling-questions-258301

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: XFG could become the next dominant COVID variant. Here’s what to know about ‘Stratus’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Griffin, Professor, Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The University of Queensland

    visualspace/Getty Images

    Given the number of times this has happened already, it should come as little surprise that we’re now faced with yet another new subvariant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID.

    This new subvariant is known as XFG (nicknamed “Stratus”) and the World Health Organization (WHO) designated it a “variant under monitoring” in late June. XFG is a subvariant of Omicron, of which there are now more than 1,000.

    A “variant under monitoring” signifies a variant or subvariant which needs prioritised attention and monitoring due to characteristics that may pose an additional threat compared to other circulating variants.

    XFG was one of seven variants under monitoring as of June 25. The most recent addition before XFG was NB.1.8.1 (nicknamed “Nimbus”), which the WHO declared a variant under monitoring on May 23.

    Both nimbus and stratus are types of clouds.

    Nimbus is currently the dominant subvariant worldwide – but Stratus is edging closer. So what do you need to know about Stratus, or XFG?

    A recombinant variant

    XFG is a recombinant of LF.7 and LP.8.1.2 which means these two subvariants have shared genetic material to come up with the new subvariant. Recombinants are designated with an X at the start of their name.

    While recombination and other spontaneous changes happen often with SARS-CoV-2, it becomes a problem when it creates a subvariant that is changed in such a way that its properties cause more problems for us.

    Most commonly this means the virus looks different enough that protection from past infection (and vaccination) doesn’t work so well, called immune evasion. This basically means the population becomes more susceptible and can lead to an increase in cases, and even a whole new wave of COVID infections across the world.

    XFG has four key mutations in the spike protein, a protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 which allows it to attach to our cells. Some are believed to enhance evasion by certain antibodies.

    Early laboratory studies have suggested a nearly two-fold reduction in how well antibodies block the virus compared to LP.8.1.1.

    Where is XFG spreading?

    The earliest XFG sample was collected on January 27.

    As of June 22, there were 1,648 XFG sequences submitted to GISAID from 38 countries (GISAID is the global database used to track the prevalence of different variants around the world). This represents 22.7% of the globally available sequences at the time.

    This was a significant rise from 7.4% four weeks prior and only just below the proportion of NB.1.8.1 at 24.9%. Given the now declining proportion of viral sequences of NB.1.8.1 overall, and the rapid rise of XFG, it would seem reasonable to expect XFG to become dominant very soon.

    According to Australian data expert Mike Honey, the countries showing the highest rates of detection of XFG as of mid-June include India at more than 50%, followed by Spain at 42%, and the United Kingdom and United States, where the subvariant makes up more than 30% of cases.

    In Australia as of June 29, NB.1.8.1 was the dominant subvariant, accounting for 48.6% of sequences. In the most recent report from Australia’s national genomic surveillance platform, there were 24 XFG sequences with 12 collected in the last 28 days meaning it currently comprises approximately 5% of sequences.

    The big questions

    When we talk about a new subvariant, people often ask questions including if it’s more severe or causes new or different symptoms compared to previous variants. But we’re still learning about XFG and we can’t answer these questions with certainty yet.

    Some sources have reported XFG may be more likely to course “hoarseness” or a scratchy or raspy voice. But we need more information to know if this association is truly significant.

    Notably, there’s no evidence to suggest XFG causes more severe illness compared to other variants in circulation or that it is necessarily any more transmissible.

    Will vaccines still work against XFG?

    Relatively frequent changes to the virus means we have continued to update the COVID vaccines. The most recent update, which targets the JN.1 subvariant, became available in Australia from late 2024. XFG is a descendant of the JN.1 subvariant.

    Fortunately, based on the evidence available so far, currently approved COVID vaccines are expected to remain effective against XFG, particularly against symptomatic and severe disease.

    Because of SARS-CoV-2’s continued evolution, the effect of this on our immune response, as well as the fact protection from COVID vaccines declines over time, COVID vaccines are offered regularly, and recommended for those at the highest risk.

    One of the major challenges we face at present in Australia is low COVID vaccine uptake. While rates have increased somewhat recently, they remain relatively low, with only 32.3% of people aged 75 years and over having received a vaccine in the past six months. Vaccination rates in younger age groups are significantly lower.

    Although the situation with XFG must continue to be monitored, at present the WHO has assessed the global risk posed by this subvariant as low. The advice for combating COVID remains unchanged, including vaccination as recommended and the early administration of antivirals for those who are eligible.

    Measures to reduce the risk of transmission, particularly wearing masks in crowded indoor settings and focusing on air quality and ventilation, are worth remembering to protect against COVID and other viral infections.

    Paul Griffin has been the principal investigator for clinical trials of 8 COVID-19 vaccines. He has previously participated in medical advisory boards for COVID-19 vaccines. Paul Griffin is a director and medical advisory board member of the immunisation coalition.

    – ref. XFG could become the next dominant COVID variant. Here’s what to know about ‘Stratus’ – https://theconversation.com/xfg-could-become-the-next-dominant-covid-variant-heres-what-to-know-about-stratus-260499

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Some young people sexually abuse. Here’s how to reduce reoffending by up to 90%

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jesse Cale, Associate Professor of Criminology, Deputy Director Research (Griffith Youth Forensic Service), Griffith University

    When we think about who’s responsible for sexual abuse in Australia, we usually picture adults.

    But young people are responsible for a substantial proportion of sexual offences nationwide. Up to a third of all child sexual abuse is perpetrated by people under 18. So too are a quarter of sexual assaults against both teens and adults.

    New research shows there are effective treatment options for perpetrators under the age of 18 to help prevent them offending again in future.

    Our study found young people who received specialist forensic treatment were up to 90% less likely to sexually reoffend, compared with similar peers who did not receive the service.

    The findings suggest more children can be protected from the harms of sexual abuse by preventing repeat offending. It also shows many young people who commit these crimes can be safely treated in the community.

    Our study

    In our paper, published in the Journal of Criminal Justice, we evaluated administrative data from more than 1,400 young people who were processed for sexual offences, such as indecent treatment of a child and sexual assault, in Queensland between 2010 and 2024.

    We securely accessed more than a decade of anonymised youth justice records and applied advanced statistical techniques across treatment and control groups.

    Across five separate statistical approaches, the findings were consistent. Griffith Youth Forensic Service treatment significantly reduced reoffending across different categories of offending, and most importantly, sexual offences.

    Key findings showed a 78–90% reduction in sexual reoffending, a 34–44% reduction in overall offending, and additional reductions in violent and non-violent offending.

    The treatment group also showed longer follow-up periods without offending. This indicates not just fewer offences, but sustained behavioural change.

    The study is among the most scientifically rigorous to look into this issue, which is often hard to research due to the sensitivity of the subject and lack of high-quality data.

    What did the treatment involve?

    The Griffith Youth Forensic Service has operated in Queensland since 2001. It delivers specialised assessment and treatment for young people aged 10–17 who have been sentenced for sexual offences.

    Supported by a partnership between the Department of Youth Justice and Victim Support and Griffith University, the service runs statewide, often in remote or under-resourced communities, and prioritises high-risk cases.

    Clinicians at the service use trauma-informed, evidence-based methods. But what makes the service unique is its individualised approach. Each young person is treated in the context of their family, school, peer group and community.

    The treatment is highly tailored to the circumstances of the young person involved.
    Shutterstock

    Two young people referred to treatment for sexually abusive behaviour may present with very different life histories and contributing factors. They therefore require tailored intervention approaches.

    The goal is to address the underlying drivers of offending, not just to manage behaviour.

    The service also helps produce research aimed at improving policy and frontline responses to youth sexual offending.

    Why it matters

    Sexually harmful and abusive behaviours often occur in the context of trauma, family dysfunction or developmental disruption, and do not always continue into adulthood.

    But without intervention, some young people go on to reoffend. The consequences for victims and communities can be devastating.

    This study offers evidence that specialist, community-based treatment can help break that cycle.

    And because the treatment model also appears to reduce general reoffending, its benefits likely extend beyond preventing sexual harm to preventing other types of harm too.

    It’s a flow-on effect: this treatment is promoting safer outcomes across the board.

    Treatment over jail time

    The study comes at a time of growing public concern about youth crime, and growing interest in solutions that go beyond punishment.

    In Queensland, where this research was done, “adult time for adult crime” laws trying to drive down the rate of youth offending featured prominently in the 2024 election campaign.

    The measures have been roundly criticised, including by the United Nations.

    This research shows properly resourced rehabilitative strategies can be highly effective in reducing youth offending, often more so than punishment.

    Other studies also show community-based ways to deal with the problem, albeit not looking at sexual offending specifically.

    We know mental health support is hugely helpful for reducing recidivism through keeping children out of a cycle of incarceration.

    There have also been studies of preschool programs that suggest specific types of early childhood education can prevent children going on to commit crimes.

    Where to from here?

    The particular focus of our study, the Griffith Youth Forensic Service, is only in Queensland, but the findings are relevant for other jurisdictions.

    In New South Wales, New Street Services provide therapeutic interventions across the state for adolescents aged 10–17 who have engaged in harmful sexual behaviour.

    Importantly, specialised services aren’t available in all states, and very few include the same built-in research and evaluation components as the Griffith Youth Forensic Service.

    The results of our study support continued national investment in:

    • specialist, evidence-based programs tailored to young people

    • community-based and trauma-informed approaches

    • improving service accessibility, especially in remote or underserved areas.

    The study also highlights the importance of rigorous evaluation in guiding youth justice and broader government policy and funding decisions.

    This service works, and now we have data to prove it.

    Jesse Cale is the Deputy Director of the Griffith Youth Forensic Service.

    Benoit Leclerc is Director of the Griffith Youth Forensic Service

    Francisco Perales works for the Queensland Department of Youth Justice and Victim Support. The contributions made to this piece and the underlying research are however in his capacity as Adjunct Professor at Griffith University and are independent of his role at the department. The views expressed in this piece are therefore those of the author and may not reflect those of the department.

    Tyson Whitten is a Senior Research Fellow at Childlight, UNSW.

    – ref. Some young people sexually abuse. Here’s how to reduce reoffending by up to 90% – https://theconversation.com/some-young-people-sexually-abuse-heres-how-to-reduce-reoffending-by-up-to-90-260084

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: American science is in crisis. It’s a great opportunity for Australia to snap up top scientists

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie Walker, Visiting Fellow, National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University

    Stellalevi / Getty Images

    Science in the United States in in trouble. The National Science Foundation, a key research funding agency, has suffered devastating funding cuts under the current administration. Critics say the cuts risk losing an entire generation of young scientists.

    In addition, about 280,000 scientists and engineers have been affected by US federal workforce cuts. Billions of dollars in further cuts have been proposed to US hospitals, universities and research institutions.

    The US has long been the global destination for science. But perhaps no longer. The rest of the world, including Australia, is looking to lure scientists from the US.

    And many of those scientists are looking to move. In March, a Nature survey suggested more than 75% of US researchers were considering leaving the country.

    What moves are under way to capitalise on this American brain drain? Where does Australia sit – and, importantly, are we doing enough?

    What are other countries doing?

    In May, the European Commission announced a two-year, €500 million package to woo scientists and researchers called Choose Europe. The announcement of the package highlighted how “academic and scientific freedom is increasingly under threat”, and offers researchers higher allowances, longer contracts and reduced regulatory barriers to innovation.

    Canada also has active efforts. The Toronto-based University Hospital Network, for example, aims to raise C$30 million to attract and recruit clinician scientists and medical talent.

    China, too, is actively seeking US scientists with dedicated recruitment programs and large salaries. This is accelerating the existing trend of Chinese-born scientists leaving the US.

    Programs such as the EU’s and Canada’s ostensibly aim to attract and recruit top talent from “around the world”. Given the timing, however, it’s no secret which country’s scientists they have their eyes on.

    What about Australia?

    In Australia, the scientific community is understandably concerned about events in the US and their impact on Australian research. The US is Australia’s largest research partner, with a conservatively estimated A$386 million in funding for Australian research organisations coming from the US government.

    At the same time, the US cuts represent an opportunity for Australia as for other countries. The Australian Academy of Science recently launched its Global Talent Attraction Program to take advantage of “a rare opportunity to strengthen our nation by attracting world-leading researchers to our shores”. The program will offer relocation packages for selected researchers, together with research funding, access to Australian infrastructure and family relocation support.

    As well as attracting US talent, it may also be an opportunity to reverse the brain drain and bring back talented Australians who may have moved to the US for what were once better career prospects.

    The global picture

    Attracting, recruiting and retaining US researchers and innovators at all levels is the right thing for Australia to pursue right now. But broader international relationships are also worth some effort, including with countries in our region such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, as well as in Europe.

    These can be facilitated through existing initiatives such as the strategic arm of the Global Science and Technology Diplomacy Fund. Backed by the Australian government and delivered by the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (where I am the CEO) and the Australian Academy of Science, the fund brings together innovators and research initiatives in priority partner countries and Australia. Areas of interest include advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence and hydrogen production.

    With the US pulling out of international collaborations, there is a chance for Australia to establish itself as a science and technology hub within our region.

    Australia has much to offer the world. We can provide insights into the behaviour and management of bushfires, floods and droughts. We bring a sophisticated understanding of extreme weather modelling, and are a global gateway to exceptional oceans and atmospheric research.

    We have huge clout in renewable energy and battery technologies. Australian-invented solar panels represent the majority of household solar around the world and Australian batteries technology is among the best.

    Australian researchers, policymakers and citizens are right to be concerned by what’s happening in the US. But we don’t need to wait anxiously. We have an extremely rare opportunity to foster talent in Australia on our terms.

    Kylie Walker is CEO of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and previously worked for the Australian Academy of Science (2011–2016).

    – ref. American science is in crisis. It’s a great opportunity for Australia to snap up top scientists – https://theconversation.com/american-science-is-in-crisis-its-a-great-opportunity-for-australia-to-snap-up-top-scientists-260593

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: AI is driving down the price of knowledge – universities have to rethink what they offer

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Dodd, Professional Teaching Fellow, Business School, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    For a long time, universities worked off a simple idea: knowledge was scarce. You paid for tuition, showed up to lectures, completed assignments and eventually earned a credential.

    That process did two things: it gave you access to knowledge that was hard to find elsewhere, and it signalled to employers you had invested time and effort to master that knowledge.

    The model worked because the supply curve for high-quality information sat far to the left, meaning knowledge was scarce and the price – tuition and wage premiums – stayed high.

    Now the curve has shifted right, as the graph below illustrates. When supply moves right – that is, something becomes more accessible – the new intersection with demand sits lower on the price axis. This is why tuition premiums and graduate wage advantages are now under pressure.

    According to global consultancy McKinsey, generative AI could add between US$2.6 trillion and $4.4 trillion in annual global productivity. Why? Because AI drives the marginal cost of producing and organising information toward zero.

    Large language models no longer just retrieve facts; they explain, translate, summarise and draft almost instantly. When supply explodes like that, basic economics says price falls. The “knowledge premium” universities have long sold is deflating as a result.

    Employers have already made their move

    Markets react faster than curriculums. Since ChatGPT launched, entry-level job listings in the United Kingdom have fallen by about a third. In the United States, several states are removing degree requirements from public-sector roles.

    In Maryland, for instance, the share of state-government job ads requiring a degree slid from roughly 68% to 53% between 2022 and 2024.

    In economic terms, employers are repricing labour because AI is now a substitute for many routine, codifiable tasks that graduates once performed. If a chatbot can complete the work at near-zero marginal cost, the wage premium paid to a junior analyst shrinks.

    But the value of knowledge is not falling at the same speed everywhere. Economists such as David Autor and Daron Acemoglu point out that technology substitutes for some tasks while complementing others:

    • codifiable knowledge – structured, rule-based material such as tax codes or contract templates – faces rapid substitution by AI

    • tacit knowledge – contextual skills such as leading a team through conflict – acts as a complement, so its value can even rise.

    Data backs this up. Labour market analytics company Lightcast notes that one-third of the skills employers want have changed between 2021 and 2024. The American Enterprise Institute warns that mid-level knowledge workers, whose jobs depend on repeatable expertise, are most at risk of wage pressure.

    So yes, baseline knowledge still matters. You need it to prompt AI, judge its output and make good decisions. But the equilibrium wage premium – meaning the extra pay employers offer once supply and demand for that knowledge settle – is sliding down the demand curve fast.

    What’s scarce now?

    Herbert Simon, the Nobel Prize–winning economist and cognitive scientist, put it neatly decades ago: “A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” When facts become cheap and plentiful, our limited capacity to filter, judge and apply them turns into the real bottleneck.

    That is why scarce resources shift from information itself to what machines still struggle to copy: focused attention, sound judgement, strong ethics, creativity and collaboration.

    I group these human complements under what I call the C.R.E.A.T.E.R. framework:

    • critical thinking – asking smart questions and spotting weak arguments

    • resilience and adaptability – staying steady when everything changes

    • emotional intelligence – understanding people and leading with empathy

    • accountability and ethics – taking responsibility for difficult calls

    • teamwork and collaboration – working well with people who think differently

    • entrepreneurial creativity – seeing gaps and building new solutions

    • reflection and lifelong learning – staying curious and ready to grow.

    These capabilities are the genuine scarcity in today’s market. They are complements to AI, not substitutes, which is why their wage returns hold or climb.

    What universities can do right now

    1. Audit courses: if ChatGPT can already score highly on an exam, the marginal value of teaching that content is near zero. Pivot the assessment toward judgement and synthesis.

    2. Reinvest in the learning experience: push resources into coached projects, messy real-world simulations, and ethical decision labs where AI is a tool, not the performer.

    3. Credential what matters: create micro-credentials for skills such as collaboration, initiative and ethical reasoning. These signal AI complements, not substitutes, and employers notice.

    4. Work with industry but keep it collaborative: invite employers to co-design assessments, not dictate them. A good partnership works like a design studio rather than a boardroom order sheet. Academics bring teaching expertise and rigour, employers supply real-world use cases, and students help test and refine the ideas.

    Universities can no longer rely on scarcity setting the price for the curated and credentialed form of information that used to be hard to obtain.

    The comparative advantage now lies in cultivating human skills that act as complements to AI. If universities do not adapt, the market – students and employers alike – will move on without them.

    The opportunity is clear. Shift the product from content delivery to judgement formation. Teach students how to think with, not against, intelligent machines. Because the old model, the one that priced knowledge as a scarce good, is already slipping below its economic break-even point.

    Patrick Dodd does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. AI is driving down the price of knowledge – universities have to rethink what they offer – https://theconversation.com/ai-is-driving-down-the-price-of-knowledge-universities-have-to-rethink-what-they-offer-260493

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Interest rates are on hold at 3.85%, as the Reserve Bank opts for caution over mortgage relief

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stella Huangfu, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of Sydney

    Thurtell/Getty Images

    The Reserve Bank of Australia has kept the cash rate at 3.85%, after cutting it in February and May.

    Those earlier moves were aimed at supporting the economy as growth slowed and inflation eased. This time, however, the bank chose to pause, signalling a more cautious stance.

    The decision will be hard for the millions of mortgage holders and aspiring home owners who were hoping for a cut.

    But as the bank’s monetary policy board explained:

    the board judged that it could wait for a little more information to confirm that inflation remains on track to reach 2.5% on a sustainable basis.

    The decision surprised many. Financial markets had priced in a 90% chance of a rate cut and the big four banks – ANZ, Westpac, Commonwealth and NAB – had forecast an easing in July.

    On Tuesday afternoon Treasurer Jim Chalmers, would not be drawn on whether the bank had made the right decision but did say:

    it was not the result millions of Australians were hoping for or what the market was expecting.

    By holding steady, the bank is signalling it is not yet fully convinced inflation is returning to target and is prepared to wait for further evidence before cutting again.

    The bank also cautioned that uncertainty in the world economy remains elevated, with the final scope of trade tariffs yet to play out.

    What’s behind this surprise decision?

    The economy grew just 0.2% in the March quarter, with annual growth slowing to 1.3%. This was well below trend and even weaker than the 0.6% pace recorded in the December quarter. The data points to a clear loss of momentum.

    Consumer spending has also remained soft. Retail sales rose only 0.2% in May, following flat or falling results in the two previous months.

    Food spending declined, and sales of household goods were unchanged. Many households are still feeling the squeeze from high interest rates, rising living costs, and low confidence in the economy.

    Inflation has continued to ease. May’s inflation figures showed headline inflation falling to 2.1%, while the Reserve Bank’s preferred trimmed mean – dropped to 2.4% – the lowest since late 2021.

    The trimmed mean is a measure of underlying inflation that excludes the most extreme price changes (both increases and decreases) in the consumer price index basket to give a clearer picture of inflation trends.

    Price pressures have eased across both goods and services, with no signs of wage-driven or second-round inflation taking hold.

    Despite this, the bank decided to pause. While inflation is generally in line with its forecasts, the bank noted:

    the June quarter CPI [consumer price index] figures were slightly stronger than expected at the margin.

    With rates already cut twice this year and broader economic conditions evolving as expected, the Reserve Bank judged it could wait for more data before making its next move.

    What happens next?

    Markets still expect two more cuts this year – in August and November – which would bring the cash rate down to 3.35% by the end of 2025. But this depends on how inflation, wages and the job market evolve.

    Wage growth is slowing. Private sector wages rose 3.3% over the year to March, the slowest pace since mid-2022.

    The unemployment rate stayed at 4.1% in May, with little change in how many people are working or looking for jobs. The job market is still solid, but signs of slowing are emerging.

    The Reserve Bank is likely to move carefully. While inflation pressures have eased, the board wants to be sure prices stay within its 2 to 3% target band. It’s also keeping an eye on the housing market. Home prices rose 0.4% in June and are now up 4.6% over the year.

    That renewed strength, helped by earlier rate cuts and limited supply, could make future decisions more complicated.

    Global conditions still matter

    As the monetary policy board noted, “uncertainty in the world economy remains elevated”. Slowing global growth and fragile trade conditions are adding to the complexity of the bank’s task.

    In Europe, economic growth is expected to reach just 0.9% this year, well below historical norms.

    China’s recovery also remains uneven, despite authorities targeting 5% growth. Weak private investment and ongoing challenges in the property sector continue to weigh on momentum.

    Meanwhile, global trade has stalled. The World Trade Organization expects trade volumes to fall 0.2% this year as tensions and tariffs continue to disrupt supply chains. Ongoing trade threats between the United States and China are also hurting investment and weighing on key Australian exports like resources and education.

    Tuesday’s decision to hold the cash rate steady highlights the Reserve Bank’s cautious approach in a shifting economic environment.

    Growth is soft, inflation has eased back within the target band, and household spending remains under pressure. But with inflation data slightly stronger than expected, the bank is choosing to wait for more confirmation before cutting again.

    This isn’t a change in direction – it’s a pause for more information. The message remains clear: the Reserve Bank is prepared to act, but only when the data warrant it.

    Stella Huangfu does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Interest rates are on hold at 3.85%, as the Reserve Bank opts for caution over mortgage relief – https://theconversation.com/interest-rates-are-on-hold-at-3-85-as-the-reserve-bank-opts-for-caution-over-mortgage-relief-260310

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The US has high hopes for a new Gaza ceasefire, but Israel’s long-term aims seem far less peaceful

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University

    US President Donald Trump has hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for dinner at the White House, where he has declared talks to end the war in Gaza are “going along very well”.

    In turn, Netanyahu revealed he has nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, saying:

    he is forging peace as we speak, in one country, in one region, after the other.

    Despite all the talk of peace, negotiations in Qatar between Israeli and Palestinian delegations have broken up without a breakthrough. The talks are expected to resume later this week.

    If an agreement is reached, it will likely be hailed as a crucial opportunity to end nearly two years of humanitarian crisis in Gaza, following the October 7 attacks in which 1,200 Israelis were killed by Hamas-led militants.

    However, there is growing scepticism about the durability of any truce. A previous ceasefire agreement reached in January led to the release of dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

    But it collapsed by March, when Israel resumed military operations in Gaza.

    This breakdown in trust on both sides, combined with ongoing Israeli military operations and political instability, suggests the new deal may prove to be another temporary pause rather than a lasting resolution.

    Details of the deal

    The proposed agreement outlines a 60-day ceasefire aimed at de-escalating hostilities in Gaza and creating space for negotiations toward a more lasting resolution.

    Hamas would release ten surviving Israeli hostages and return the remains of 18 others. In exchange, Israel is expected to withdraw its military forces to a designated buffer zone along Gaza’s borders with both Israel and Egypt.

    The agreement being thrashed out in Doha includes the release of Israeli hostages, held in Gaza for the past 22 months.
    Anas-Mohammed/Shutterstock

    While the specific terms of a prisoner exchange remain under negotiation, the release of Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons is a central component of the proposal.

    Humanitarian aid is also a key focus of the agreement. Relief would be delivered through international organisations, primarily UN agencies and the Palestinian Red Crescent.

    However, the agreement does not specify the future role of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund, which has been distributing food aid since May.

    The urgency of humanitarian access is underscored by the scale of destruction in Gaza. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians. The offensive has triggered a hunger crisis, displaced much of the population internally, and left vast areas of the territory in ruins.

    Crucially, the agreement does not represent an end to the war, one of Hamas’s core demands. Instead, it commits both sides to continue negotiations throughout the 60-day period, with the hope of reaching a more durable and comprehensive ceasefire.

    Obstacles to a lasting peace

    Despite the apparent opportunity to reach a final ceasefire, especially after Israel has inflicted severe damage on Hamas, Netanyahu’s government appears reluctant to fully end the military campaign.

    There is scepticism a temporary ceasefire would lead to permanent peace.
    Anas-Mohammed/Shutterstock

    A central reason is political: Netanyahu’s ruling coalition heavily relies on far-right parties that insist on continuing the war. Any serious attempt at a ceasefire could lead to the collapse of his government.

    Militarily, Israel has achieved several of its tactical objectives.

    It has significantly weakened Hamas and other Palestinian factions and caused widespread devastation across Gaza. This is alongside the mass arrests, home demolitions, and killing of hundreds of Palestinians in the West Bank.

    And it has forced Hezbollah in Lebanon to scale back its operations after sustaining major losses.

    Perhaps most notably, Israel struck deep into Iran’s military infrastructure, killing dozens of high-ranking commanders and damaging its missile and nuclear capabilities.

    Reshaping the map

    Yet Netanyahu’s ambitions may go beyond tactical victories. There are signs he is aiming for two broader strategic outcomes.

    First, by making Gaza increasingly uninhabitable, his government could push Palestinians to flee. This would effectively pave the way for Israel to annex the territory in the long term – a scenario advocated by many of his far-right allies.

    Speaking at the White House, Netanyahu says he is working with the US on finding countries that will take Palestinians from Gaza:

    if people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave.

    Second, prolonging the war allows Netanyahu to delay his ongoing corruption trial and extend his political survival.

    True intentions

    At the heart of the impasse is the far-right’s vision for total Palestinian defeat, with no concession and no recognition of a future Palestinian state. This ideology has consistently blocked peace efforts for three decades.

    Israeli leaders have repeatedly described any potential Palestinian entity as “less than a state” or a “state-minus”, a formulation that falls short of Palestinian aspirations and international legal standards.

    Today, even that limited vision appears to be off the table, as Israeli policy moves towards complete rejection of Palestinian statehood.

    With Palestinian resistance movements significantly weakened and no immediate threat facing Israel, this moment presents a crucial test of Israel’s intentions.

    Is Israel genuinely pursuing peace, or seeking to cement its dominance in the region while permanently denying Palestinians their right to statehood?

    Following its military successes and the normalisation of relations with several Arab states under the Abraham Accords, Israeli political discourse has grown increasingly bold.

    Some voices in the Israeli establishment are openly advocating for the permanent displacement of Palestinians to neighbouring Arab countries such as Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. This would effectively erase the prospect of a future Palestinian state.

    This suggests that for certain factions within Israel, the end goal is not a negotiated settlement, but a one-sided resolution that reshapes the map and the people of the region on Israel’s terms.

    The coming weeks will reveal whether Israel chooses the path of compromise and coexistence, or continues down a road that forecloses the possibility of lasting peace.

    Ali Mamouri does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The US has high hopes for a new Gaza ceasefire, but Israel’s long-term aims seem far less peaceful – https://theconversation.com/the-us-has-high-hopes-for-a-new-gaza-ceasefire-but-israels-long-term-aims-seem-far-less-peaceful-260286

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Saying goodbye is never easy: why we mourn the end of our favourite TV series

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Gerace, Senior Lecturer and Head of Course – Positive Psychology, CQUniversity Australia

    Netflix

    Has the ending of Squid Game left you feeling downhearted? The South Korean megahit struck a nerve with audiences worldwide, with millions logging in to Netflix to follow protagonist Seong Gi-hun and fellow players in their fight for survival over three deadly seasons.

    But even if you haven’t seen Squid Game, you’ve probably experienced the sense of loss that comes with the ending of much-loved series. These feelings are very normal, as finales can be deeply meaningful to viewers.

    One of the most famous was the 1983 finale of M*A*S*H*, in which the Korean War ended. The flow rate in two water tunnels in New York leapt by millions of gallons right after the episode ended. Apparently about a million New Yorkers were waiting until the end to use the bathroom.

    A good finale can be a sweet sendoff for viewers after years of investment. A bad one, however, can leave a bitter taste.

    Why finales matter to us

    We watch series for a range of reasons, including excitement, vicarious experience, emotional release and self-reflection. One of the main ways we engage with the stories is through the characters. We may admire them, empathise with them, or even see them as a part of our lives.

    These parasocial relationships are similar to our real-life relationships (except they are one-sided). A show’s ending is ultimately an end to those relationships: a chance to say goodbye to our parasocial friends.

    If a finale strikes a fake chord, or seems to betray the world we’ve come to love, it can make the grieving process harder. An unsatisfying finale might even sour our view of the entire series.

    The need for closure

    Generally, a satisfying finale will be one that offers us closure. One of the earliest examples of this came in 1967 with The Fugitive (1963–67), when 78 million American viewers watched doctor Richard Kimble finally catch his wife’s assailant.

    More recent examples include The Nanny (1993–99) – where the romantic tension between Fran and Mr Sheffield is finally resolved – and Six Feet Under (2001–05), where we found out what happened to all the main characters.

    Closure can also come through the death of important characters, such as in Breaking Bad (2008–13) and Game of Thrones (2011–19).

    The need for narrative closure is a somewhat curious phenomenon. While we often won’t get closure in real life, such as with our own love affairs, or big life events, we still expect this to happen for our favourite characters.

    For me, Mad Men (2007–15) provided the right mix. While we learn the ultimate fates of some characters, we also get the feeling others such as Peggy Olson and Pete Campbell will get up the next day and go to work. We just won’t see them do it.

    Turning it on its head

    Finales also offer a chance to shake things up. In Sex and the City (1998–2004), relationships hang in the balance until the very end.

    Some finales may signal new beginnings, particularly through a big wedding. For exanmple, Dorothy gets married and moves away in The Golden Girls (1985–92).

    In Schitt’s Creek (2015–20), some characters stay in the town, while others move away following the wedding of David and Patrick, presided over by Moira, the grande dame of the Rose family.



    Read more:
    The power of nostalgia: why it’s healthy for you to keep returning to your favourite TV series

    Then there are surprising finales. Whether they aim to provide a final shock, or reflect the quagmire of ending a long-running show, these are usually the most controversial.

    Newhart (1982–90) ended by using a spin on the “it was all a dream” trope, with the final scene linking the show to star Bob Newhart’s earlier sitcom.

    The Sopranos (1999–2007), meanwhile, gave us one of the most talked about and divisive endings in recent memory. It is left to the viewer’s imagination to decide what happened to Tony Soprano. Some saw this as brilliant, others a cop-out.

    Other finales involved big, but for some viewers, disappointing, reveals. These include the identity of the mother in How I Met Your Mother (2005–14), and the resolution of Lost (2004–10), which some fans felt was too ambiguous and complex for a final episode.

    Viewers hoping for a positive or fairy-tale ending may react negatively if it doesn’t come.

    Or, they might feel shortchanged if their reason for investing time in a series – such as to get to the bottom of a mystery – isn’t delivered upon by the end.

    Saying goodbye, together

    Grieving the end of a series is normal. We should honour what these fictional worlds provide us: joy, escapism and personal growth through self-reflection.

    Connecting with our favourite characters matters for another reason, too, because these fictional bonds also help us connect with others in real life. We might grieve with other fans over the sad ending of a show, or vent with them if they also found the finale underwhelming.

    Even when a series is over, relationships between fans can continue through online groups, repeat streaming and fan conventions.

    With time, feelings of loss over a series’ end may make way for other feelings, such as gratitude for having experienced it at all.

    Adam Gerace does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Saying goodbye is never easy: why we mourn the end of our favourite TV series – https://theconversation.com/saying-goodbye-is-never-easy-why-we-mourn-the-end-of-our-favourite-tv-series-260409

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What makes a good AI prompt? Here are 4 expert tips

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sandra Peter, Director of Sydney Executive Plus, Business School, University of Sydney

    FOTOSPLASH/Shutterstock

    “And do you work well with AI?”

    As tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot and other generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems become part of everyday workflows, more companies are looking for employees who can answer “yes” to this question. In other words, people who can prompt effectively, think with AI, and use it to boost productivity.

    In fact, in a growing number of roles, being “AI fluent” is quickly becoming as important as being proficient in office software once was.

    But we’ve all had that moment when we’ve asked an AI chatbot a question and received what feels like the most generic, surface level answer. The problem isn’t the AI – you just haven’t given it enough to work with.

    Think of it this way. During training, the AI will have “read” virtually everything on the internet. But because it makes predictions, it will give you the most probable, most common response. Without specific guidance, it’s like walking into a restaurant and asking for something good. You’ll likely get the chicken.

    Your solution lies in understanding that AI systems excel at adapting to context, but you have to provide it. So how exactly do you do that?

    Crafting better prompts

    You may have heard the term “prompt engineering”. It might sound like you need to design some kind of technical script to get results.

    But today’s chatbots are great at human conversation. The format of your prompt is not that important. The content is.

    To get the most out of your AI conversations, it’s important that you convey a few basics about what you want, and how you want it. Our approach follows the acronym CATS – context, angle, task and style.

    Context means providing the setting and background information the AI needs. Instead of asking “How do I write a proposal?” try “I’m a nonprofit director writing a grant proposal to a foundation that funds environmental education programs for urban schools”. Upload relevant documents, explain your constraints, and describe your specific situation.

    Angle (or attitude) leverages AI’s strength in role-playing and perspective-taking. Rather than getting a neutral response, specify the attitude you want. For example, “Act as a critical peer reviewer and identify weaknesses in my argument” or “Take the perspective of a supportive mentor helping me improve this draft”.

    Task is specifically about what you actually want the AI to do. “Help me with my presentation” is vague. But “Give me three ways to make my opening slide more engaging for an audience of small business owners” is actionable.

    Style harnesses AI’s ability to adapt to different formats and audiences. Specify whether you want a formal report, a casual email, bullet points for executives, or an explanation suitable for teenagers. Tell the AI what voice you want to use – for example, a formal academic style, technical, engaging or conversational.

    In a growing number of roles, being able to use AI is quickly becoming as important as being proficient in office software once was.
    Shutterstock

    Context is everything

    Besides crafting a clear, effective prompt, you can also focus on managing the surrounding information – that is to say on “context engineering”. Context engineering refers to everything that surrounds the prompt.

    That means thinking about the environment and information the AI has access to: its memory function, instructions leading up to the task, prior conversation history, documents you upload, or examples of what good output looks like.

    You should think about prompting as a conversation. If you’re not happy with the first response, push for more, ask for changes, or provide more clarifying information.

    Don’t expect the AI to give a ready-made response. Instead, use it to trigger your own thinking. If you feel the AI has produced a lot of good material but you get stuck, copy the best parts into a fresh session and ask it to summarise and continue from there.

    Keeping your wits

    A word of caution though. Don’t get seduced by the human-like conversation abilities of these chatbots.

    Always retain your professional distance and remind yourself that you are the only thinking part in this relationship. And always make sure to check the accuracy of anything an AI produces – errors are increasingly common.

    AI systems are remarkably capable, but they need you – and human intelligence – to bridge the gap between their vast generic knowledge and your particular situation. Give them enough context to work with, and they might surprise you with how helpful they can be.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. What makes a good AI prompt? Here are 4 expert tips – https://theconversation.com/what-makes-a-good-ai-prompt-here-are-4-expert-tips-260502

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Are chemicals to blame for cancer in young people? Here’s what the evidence says

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)

    Cancer is traditionally known as a disease affecting mostly older people.

    But some worrying trends show cancer rates in younger people aged under 50 are on the rise.

    This week’s ABC 4 Corners suggest chemicals, including plastics, may play a role in rising rates of these early-onset cancers.

    So what does the evidence say is causing this increase? And what can we do about it?

    Why does cancer mostly affect older people?

    Each cell in your body contains a copy of your DNA – the instructions needed to keep that cell functioning properly.

    However, DNA can be damaged or “mutated” in such a way that a cell will no longer do the job it’s supposed to.

    Some mutations will allow a cell to make too many copies of itself and grow out of control. Others can protect it from dying. And others still allow it to move around and travel to other organs where it doesn’t belong.

    Accumulating too many of these DNA mutations can lead to cancer.

    Every time a new cell is made in our body, a copy of our DNA is made too. Sometimes, due to random chance, mistakes occur which introduce genetic mutations.

    Think of it like making a photocopy of a photocopy, and so on. Each copy will be slightly different than the original.

    Most DNA mutations are harmless.

    But your cells are making billions of new copies of themselves each day. So the older you get, the more DNA copies you will have made during your lifetime, and the more likely you are to have dangerous mistakes in those copies.

    As we get older, our bodies aren’t as good at recognising and removing cells with dangerous mutations. That’s why cancer is much more common in older people.

    What’s causing cancer in younger people?

    One of the reasons increased cancer rates in younger people is so worrying is it means there are likely environmental factors involved we don’t yet know about.

    Environmental factors are anything outside of our bodies: things such as chemicals, viruses and bacteria, the amount we exercise, and the foods we eat.

    Many of these environmental factors can increase the likelihood of DNA copying mistakes, or even directly damage our DNA, increasing our risk of cancer.

    One well-known example is ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, which can lead to skin cancer. Another is smoking, which can lead to lung cancer.

    Fortunately, public awareness campaigns about the dangers of sun exposure, and reduced rates of people smoking cigarettes, have led to falling numbers of skin and lung cancer cases in Australians under 50 over the past 30 years.

    But other types of cancer – including cancers of the liver, pancreas, prostate, breast and kidney – are increasing in young people in Australia. The trend is global, particularly among richer, western countries.

    What role do chemicals play?

    Researchers are working to understand the causes of these increases. Currently, chemicals are in the spotlight as an environmental factor of particular interest.

    We’re exposed to more chemicals in the modern day than many of our ancestors were – things such as air pollution, food additives, plastics and many more.

    Alcohol and cigarette smoke aside, most chemicals that are definitively linked to cancer are not ones most people would regularly encounter, as they’re restricted to spaces such as industry.

    One of the main chemicals of concern are plastics, which are ubiquitous: almost everyone encounters them, every day.

    Experts agree plastics represent an overall massive general risk to human health and the environment.

    But there are so many thousands and thousands of plastics, it’s hard to point fingers at specific ones causing specific problems, including cancers.

    Studies using animals can give strong evidence one way or another. But in humans who are exposed to thousands of different environmental factors every day, it’s difficult to definitively state “risk factor X contributes to cancer Y”.

    So, it’s not possible to point to a single “smoking gun” in the case of the increasing early-onset cancer rates.

    Let’s use colorectal cancer (also called bowel cancer) as an example to illustrate the issue.

    Why are young people getting bowel cancer?

    In older people, bowel cancer rates are actually falling. This is thought to be in part due to improved testing and screening helping to catch and destroy dangerous cells before they actually become cancer.

    But early-onset bowel cancer rates are rising.

    Some people speculate this may be due to increased exposure to plastics, as the digestive system is exposed to these through the food we eat. This includes things such as nano- or micro-plastics, or chemicals leaching out of the plastics into foods, such as PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances).

    But there are other potential culprits, such as diet and lifestyle, with obesity and alcohol intake correlating with increased cancer rates.

    Bacteria may also play a role: the types of bacteria found in your microbiome are thought to contribute to bowel cancer risk. Even exposure to certain bacterial toxins has been linked to bowel cancer risk.

    How can you reduce your risk of cancer?

    While there is no definitive evidence linking chemicals to increased cancer risk in young people, this is an area of intense ongoing research. Reducing your use of and exposure to plastics and chemicals where possible is still probably a healthy thing to do.

    On top of that, you can reduce your overall cancer risk through regular exercise and maintaining a healthy, balanced diet.

    If you have any concerns, and particularly if you have a family history of cancer, consult your doctor.

    Sarah Diepstraten receives funding from Cure Cancer Australia and My Room Children’s Cancer Charity.

    John (Eddie) La Marca receives funding from Cancer Council Victoria. He is affiliated with the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

    – ref. Are chemicals to blame for cancer in young people? Here’s what the evidence says – https://theconversation.com/are-chemicals-to-blame-for-cancer-in-young-people-heres-what-the-evidence-says-260585

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Are chemicals to blame for cancer in young people? Here’s what the evidence says

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)

    Cancer is traditionally known as a disease affecting mostly older people.

    But some worrying trends show cancer rates in younger people aged under 50 are on the rise.

    This week’s ABC 4 Corners suggest chemicals, including plastics, may play a role in rising rates of these early-onset cancers.

    So what does the evidence say is causing this increase? And what can we do about it?

    Why does cancer mostly affect older people?

    Each cell in your body contains a copy of your DNA – the instructions needed to keep that cell functioning properly.

    However, DNA can be damaged or “mutated” in such a way that a cell will no longer do the job it’s supposed to.

    Some mutations will allow a cell to make too many copies of itself and grow out of control. Others can protect it from dying. And others still allow it to move around and travel to other organs where it doesn’t belong.

    Accumulating too many of these DNA mutations can lead to cancer.

    Every time a new cell is made in our body, a copy of our DNA is made too. Sometimes, due to random chance, mistakes occur which introduce genetic mutations.

    Think of it like making a photocopy of a photocopy, and so on. Each copy will be slightly different than the original.

    Most DNA mutations are harmless.

    But your cells are making billions of new copies of themselves each day. So the older you get, the more DNA copies you will have made during your lifetime, and the more likely you are to have dangerous mistakes in those copies.

    As we get older, our bodies aren’t as good at recognising and removing cells with dangerous mutations. That’s why cancer is much more common in older people.

    What’s causing cancer in younger people?

    One of the reasons increased cancer rates in younger people is so worrying is it means there are likely environmental factors involved we don’t yet know about.

    Environmental factors are anything outside of our bodies: things such as chemicals, viruses and bacteria, the amount we exercise, and the foods we eat.

    Many of these environmental factors can increase the likelihood of DNA copying mistakes, or even directly damage our DNA, increasing our risk of cancer.

    One well-known example is ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, which can lead to skin cancer. Another is smoking, which can lead to lung cancer.

    Fortunately, public awareness campaigns about the dangers of sun exposure, and reduced rates of people smoking cigarettes, have led to falling numbers of skin and lung cancer cases in Australians under 50 over the past 30 years.

    But other types of cancer – including cancers of the liver, pancreas, prostate, breast and kidney – are increasing in young people in Australia. The trend is global, particularly among richer, western countries.

    What role do chemicals play?

    Researchers are working to understand the causes of these increases. Currently, chemicals are in the spotlight as an environmental factor of particular interest.

    We’re exposed to more chemicals in the modern day than many of our ancestors were – things such as air pollution, food additives, plastics and many more.

    Alcohol and cigarette smoke aside, most chemicals that are definitively linked to cancer are not ones most people would regularly encounter, as they’re restricted to spaces such as industry.

    One of the main chemicals of concern are plastics, which are ubiquitous: almost everyone encounters them, every day.

    Experts agree plastics represent an overall massive general risk to human health and the environment.

    But there are so many thousands and thousands of plastics, it’s hard to point fingers at specific ones causing specific problems, including cancers.

    Studies using animals can give strong evidence one way or another. But in humans who are exposed to thousands of different environmental factors every day, it’s difficult to definitively state “risk factor X contributes to cancer Y”.

    So, it’s not possible to point to a single “smoking gun” in the case of the increasing early-onset cancer rates.

    Let’s use colorectal cancer (also called bowel cancer) as an example to illustrate the issue.

    Why are young people getting bowel cancer?

    In older people, bowel cancer rates are actually falling. This is thought to be in part due to improved testing and screening helping to catch and destroy dangerous cells before they actually become cancer.

    But early-onset bowel cancer rates are rising.

    Some people speculate this may be due to increased exposure to plastics, as the digestive system is exposed to these through the food we eat. This includes things such as nano- or micro-plastics, or chemicals leaching out of the plastics into foods, such as PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances).

    But there are other potential culprits, such as diet and lifestyle, with obesity and alcohol intake correlating with increased cancer rates.

    Bacteria may also play a role: the types of bacteria found in your microbiome are thought to contribute to bowel cancer risk. Even exposure to certain bacterial toxins has been linked to bowel cancer risk.

    How can you reduce your risk of cancer?

    While there is no definitive evidence linking chemicals to increased cancer risk in young people, this is an area of intense ongoing research. Reducing your use of and exposure to plastics and chemicals where possible is still probably a healthy thing to do.

    On top of that, you can reduce your overall cancer risk through regular exercise and maintaining a healthy, balanced diet.

    If you have any concerns, and particularly if you have a family history of cancer, consult your doctor.

    Sarah Diepstraten receives funding from Cure Cancer Australia and My Room Children’s Cancer Charity.

    John (Eddie) La Marca receives funding from Cancer Council Victoria. He is affiliated with the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

    – ref. Are chemicals to blame for cancer in young people? Here’s what the evidence says – https://theconversation.com/are-chemicals-to-blame-for-cancer-in-young-people-heres-what-the-evidence-says-260585

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: It’s harder than you think to become a top sports official in football, soccer and the rugby codes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kath O’Brien, Senior Lecturer – Faculty of Health (School Exercise & Nutrition Sciences), Queensland University of Technology

    Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

    Sport officials, regardless of which code they supervise, are appointed to be impartial figures.

    They have to quickly interpret infractions, adjudicate rules and communicate commands, all while maintaining the highest levels of objectivity and sense – not to mention the fitness required.

    So, what does it take to become a sport official at the elite level, such as NRL referees or AFL umpires?

    And why do so many sports fans think these officials are at fault when their team keeps getting penalised?



    Read more:
    1 in 5 community footy umpires have been assaulted, while others cop death threats: new research

    It’s harder than you think

    Recently, there were calls for Ashley Klein to be stripped of officiating duties for the third and final rugby league State of Origin clash after NRL commentators queried a one-sided penalty count in the Maroons’ favour during game two in Perth.

    Likewise, the AFL recently faced criticism when video evidence revealed Collingwood’s Lachie Schultz had suffered a concussion, but the umpires in charge failed to stop play immediately, as they should have.

    Every week, fans also voice their displeasure at perceived injustices, whether that be at the ground, watching on TV or venting on social media.

    However, very few people fully understand the complexity or intricacies of what it takes to perform a sport official’s role, particularly at the elite level.

    Elite officials must have detailed rule knowledge, incredible physical and mental fitness and be composed regardless of crowd pressure. They must be able to instantly move on from any mistakes made.

    They also need situational awareness and a level of calmness to effectively supervise two groups of competitors fiercely battling against each other in these highly charged environments.

    Figuratively speaking, this can be like emergency department (ED) doctors or air traffic controllers, who are required to manage multiple events and competing task demands in a calm and consistent manner.

    Even though elite officials don’t work continuously for long hours like ED doctors or pilots – the total playing time of most of our winter sporting codes is generally between 90-120 minutes – the level of concentration, composure and mental toughness required is immense.

    Making good decisions when both players and the ball are constantly shifting position also requires exceptional game understanding and an ability to convey decisions that are appropriate to the game context.

    In other words, elite referees operate in situations in which time pressure, stress and high risk decision-making are always present.

    So who would want to perform a role where coaches, fans and some sections of the media continually question your knowledge, integrity and skills?

    Professional or part-time?

    Currently, of Australia’s major winter codes, only the NRL has a full quota of referees who are full time, paid professionals.

    Soccer’s A-League has a small group of full-time officials and an impressive number of top officials are part of FIFA’s panel of international referees. Yet, most A-League referees are part-time operators.

    Similarly, Rugby Australia has a small team of full-time professional referees who are appointed to Super League games and international matches not involving Australia, but most are part-timers.

    In the AFL, most umpires work part-time, with pressure mounting on the league to transition its umpires into full-time positions as ongoing criticisms over controversial decisions continue to grow.

    What elite officials get paid can be shrouded in secrecy but AFL field umpires reportedly earn A$120–130,000 each year while the best NRL referees earn more than $300,000 each season.

    Current pathways into the top level for most sporting codes require extensive apprenticeships in lower grades.

    To reach those top pay levels, extensive on-field experience in lower grades is required. Those who stand out are selected in high-performance squads where specialist coaching is provided.

    An often thankless task

    So, do you think you have what it takes to be an elite sports official?

    Could you maintain an optimal level of physical and cognitive performance while running at high speeds when you know every decision you make can be reviewed by video technology and re-watched in slow motion at one 25th of a second?

    It might be good to remember most decisions in sport are not black and white.

    Referees are human. They make mistakes. Sometimes they have to follow a policy or refereeing method they might not agree with.

    However, what we need to remember before we shout at them during a game is elite officials are trying to make games as fair, open, free flowing and entertaining as possible as they strive to impartially apply the rules of the game.

    Kath O’Brien does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. It’s harder than you think to become a top sports official in football, soccer and the rugby codes – https://theconversation.com/its-harder-than-you-think-to-become-a-top-sports-official-in-football-soccer-and-the-rugby-codes-259036

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Being kind to people – the new challenge for the public service

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Smith-Merry, Director, Centre for Disability Research and Policy, University of Sydney

    When Labor was re-elected in May, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used his acceptance speech to describe the type of country he wanted to lead.

    He spoke of how the Australian people had voted for fairness, aspiration and opportunity for all:

    For the strength to show courage in adversity and kindness to those in need. And Australians have voted for a future that holds true to these values.

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese election victory speech declaring the Australian people had voted for Australian values.

    Noble sentiments from the prime minister.

    But can this translate into real change in government organisations? How much work do they have to do to live up to Albanese’s mantra of fairness and kindness towards those in need?

    Bureaucracy can be kind

    It is important our public institutions, such as the Australian Public Service, are kind, even when they are deciding who can access limited public resources.

    We conducted a review of academic research on organisational kindness to understand how organisations can be more generous to those they interact with.

    We discovered public service processes often lack kindness, which causes distress and sometimes significant harm. Many people would be familiar with unkind interactions with public services that should be there to serve us, but sometimes make us feel like an enemy.

    Kindness has positive benefits not just for the people being served, but for organisations themselves. Our research has found kindness contributes to profit, productivity, performance and favourable community perceptions.

    A kinder organisation is also a more trusted one, which is essential for any public service – funded by the public – to retain legitimacy.

    Lack of trust

    The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a case in point.

    Other research we have conducted shows individuals find it hard to apply for the NDIS.

    In part this stemmed from previous traumatic experiences with accessing government agencies, which resulted in a lack of trust in other public services.

    A study of NDIS participant experiences has also found complexity, poor communication, and confusing or inconsistent rules causes distress.

    Recent media coverage has focused on National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) decision-making processes that participants and families believe to be unkind. This includes surprise plan reviews where people feel unprepared and unsupported.

    Another example is the combative approach by the NDIA to people’s complaints, which makes complaining distressing and adversarial.

    Complaints are a legal, necessary aspect of a any organisation that services the public. But making it tortuous to complain is a lose-lose situation. It is not just unkind to the individual but problematic in effective running of public services.

    What makes public services unkind?

    Organisations may not set out to be unkind, but may become that way because of the way they work and think. They may see themselves in service of the public purse, rather than in service to the public.

    Particularly in times of budget constraint – such as the 8% growth cap to the NDIS – helping people access services may be seen as undermining cost savings goals. This can lead to practices that degrade or even demonise people who deserve help.

    Streamlining ways of working, cutting costs or even making decisions “fairer” by applying the same rules to everyone can be dehumanising.

    Individuals often face a “machinery of government” approach based on automated decision-making that lacks warmth and understanding, even where the decisions can be life-changing.

    This was most clear in the Morrison government’s Robodebt scheme. Assumptions were made about people based upon incomplete information gathered from administrative systems that did not fully reflect the lives of individuals. This had devastating consequences for many people, as outlined in the Royal Commission findings.

    Institutions may also be influenced by political narratives about deserving versus undeserving welfare recipients which prejudice how they are viewed. The “lazy dole bludger” is a classic trope.

    These narratives can result in unkind treatment when people need to access unemployment or disability benefits through Centrelink.

    How can public institutions be kinder?

    Being kind does not mean giving everyone everything they want, or even need.

    While hard decisions are sometimes necessary, they can be made in ways considerate of the people receiving the decision.

    We identified key barriers and enablers to organisational kindness.

    The main hurdles related to organisational culture and entrenched practices which make kindness difficult.

    Enablers for building a more generous approach include entrenching kindness as a core value within how organisational policies, processes and practices are structured.

    Kindness must be built into the organisational fabric not just enabled at the point of contact with individuals accessing the service.

    A kinder community

    The values of public services should reflect community values. However, sometimes communities lack kindness as an implicit value or, as noted in the earlier example about welfare recipients, may lack kindness towards particular groups.

    Broader kindness movements operating internationally include Kindness Singapore and Kindness UK. These movements aim to make kindness a core social value.

    Australian public institutions have received a strong cue from the prime minister that kindness should also be a core business value when serving clients, especially those in need.

    Jennifer Smith-Merry receives funding from the Australian Research Council through an Industry Laureate Fellowship. The National Disability Insurance Agency is a partner on that grant but had no involvement in this article. She is a member of the Grattan Institute Disability Program Reference Group.

    Damian Mellifont, Justin Scanlan, and Nicola Hancock do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Being kind to people – the new challenge for the public service – https://theconversation.com/being-kind-to-people-the-new-challenge-for-the-public-service-260068

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: First it was ‘protein goals’, now TikTok is on about ‘fibre goals’. How can you meet yours?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Saman Khalesi, Senior Lecturer and Head of Course Nutrition, HealthWise Research Group Lead, Appleton Institute,, CQUniversity Australia

    Westend61/Getty Images

    “Protein goals” have long been a thing on TikTok and Instagram. But now social media users are also talking about “fibre goals”. This reflects a positive broader shift toward overall health and wellbeing rather than a narrow focus on weight loss or muscle gain.

    Foods high in fibre are among the healthiest we can eat. Not getting enough can lead to constipation, haemorrhoids and boost the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and bowel cancer.

    So what’s the expert evidence say about “fibre goals” and how to hit them?

    Different types of fibre

    Dietary fibres are indigestible parts of plant foods. Unlike other carbohydrates that break down into sugar, these complex carbs pass through our digestive tract mostly unchanged.

    There are two main types of dietary fibre:

    Soluble fibres dissolve in water to form gel-like substances. You can find these in fruits such as apples and berries, vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots, as well a legumes and oats.

    Soluble fibres can slow down digestion and help us feel fuller for longer. They support heart health, lower blood cholesterol and help regulate blood sugar levels.

    Insoluble fibres don’t dissolve in water, but add bulk to food. You can get this type of fibre from wheat bran, fruits and vegetable skins, nuts and seeds, beans and whole grain foods.

    Insoluble fibres add bulk to the stool and help regulate bowel movements and reduce constipation.

    Resistant starch is also a type of complex carb that isn’t technically a fibre, but behaves like one; it resists digestion and feeds gut bacteria. These are found in legumes, cooked potato, and undercooked pasta.

    Unlike many fibre supplements (which often only offer one type of fibre) most sources of fibre we eat contain both soluble and insoluble forms. For example, oats, apples and avocado have both.

    Both soluble and insoluble fibre benefit our gut and overall health.

    Both can be fermented by good gut bacteria, although soluble dietary fibres (and resistant starches) tend to ferment more readily.

    Our gut bacteria rely on fermenting these fibres as a fuel to help digest foods, fight against pathogenic microbes such as germs and viruses, and improve physical and mental health.

    Avocados are high in fibre.
    Rouzes/Getty Images

    What should my fibre goal should be?

    Sadly, there’s no quick lab test to measure it.

    A simple indicator is how well your digestion works. If you’re rarely constipated, you’re likely getting enough fibre.

    The National Health and Medical Research Council recommends daily fibre intakes vary by age and gender.

    But in general, adult men should have about 30 grams of fibre per day. Women should have about 25 grams.

    There are many apps and websites to help you calculate your current fibre intake.

    It’s hard to have too much dietary fibre; even eating 50g per day is not considered harmful.

    How do I meet that goal without overthinking it?

    Foods rich in fibre include:

    • fruits
    • vegetables
    • nuts
    • seeds
    • legumes
    • beans
    • wholegrain or wholemeal breads and cereals.

    Aim for variety in your diet, so you don’t get bored of the same foods.

    The federal government’s Australian Dietary Guidelines suggest a daily intake of:

    • two serves of medium-sized fruits
    • five serves of vegetables (one serve is half a cup of cooked veggies or one cup of salad greens)
    • two to three serves of nuts and seeds (where one serve is about 30g or a handful) or two to three serves of legumes/beans (where one serve is a cup of cooked beans, lentils, chickpeas, split peas).

    What not to do

    Here are some important things to remember:

    1. avoid drastic changes such as cutting out entire food groups or nutrients (such as carbohydrates) unless advised by your health practitioner. Even low-fibre food groups (such as dairy or lean meats) provide important nutrients. Avoiding them can potentially cause other health problems

    2. avoid focusing on just one type of fibre (soluble or insoluble). Each has different benefits, so incorporating both is best

    3. avoid a sudden increase in fibre. It can cause abdominal pain and increased flatulence. Start by adding just one or two high-fibre foods each day and slowly increase this over a few weeks

    4. fibre needs water to work effectively, so drink plenty of fluids. Aim for at least eight to ten glasses of water per day.

    How do I hit my goal without being a weirdo about it?

    Eating well doesn’t need to be a competition.

    It’s great people are sharing ideas on social media about increasing fibre intake and setting fibre goals, but we can do it without constantly obsessing over food.

    Focus on gradual changes and incorporating fibre-rich foods naturally into your diet. Start by eating more fresh fruit and vegetables, and adding legumes and pulses (such as kidney beans and chickpeas) to meals.

    Simple switches can go a long way. For example, swap refined grain products (such as white rice or white bread) for wholemeal or wholegrain varieties. If you like breakfast cereals, choose one with at least 5g of fibre per serve (read the nutrition panel on the packet).

    Finally, listen to your body. If you experience any digestive discomfort or have certain conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome that requires managing your fibre intake, consult with a health-care professional.

    Saman Khalesi is a committee member for Nutrition Society Australia Queensland Group and Queensland Cardiovascular Research Network.

    Chris Irwin is a committee member for Nutrition Society Australia Queensland Regional Group.

    Seyed Farhang Jafari does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. First it was ‘protein goals’, now TikTok is on about ‘fibre goals’. How can you meet yours? – https://theconversation.com/first-it-was-protein-goals-now-tiktok-is-on-about-fibre-goals-how-can-you-meet-yours-258694

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How can you keep kids off screens during the winter holidays?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Minson, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education, Australian Catholic University

    Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Children’s Games, 1560. ©KHM-Museumsverband, CC BY-NC

    The winter school holidays can be a tricky time for families. Parents are often juggling work and chilly conditions make it easy for kids to end up on the couch with multiple devices.

    What other activities can you try? And how can you encourage the kids to move without it seeming like a massive chore or a punishment for everyone?

    Here are some ideas for younger and older primary school children.

    We know kids aren’t active enough

    Many children aren’t as active as they need to be. Australian kids scored a D- on a 2022 report card on physical activity. Less than a quarter of children and young people met the guidelines of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day.

    Meanwhile, we know excessive screen use is one of the top health concerns Australian parents have about their children.

    What can you do for 5 to 8-year-olds?

    In his 1560 painting Children’s Games, Pieter Bruegel depicts more than 80 of childhood games and play outside. This includes playing with balls, swinging, climbing a tree and imaginary games.

    Many of these ideas still work today. So just like the children in Bruegel’s picture, embrace the outdoors. Remember it’s OK to get a bit wet or a bit muddy (even though, yes, this does mean more washing).

    Think about going on an adventure to the city, cafe, library, or museum or simply finding local puddles to splash in. A change of scenery can do wonders for cabin fever.

    Trips to the park or other nearby nature spots are also important. Research shows playing in green spaces improves children’s mental and emotional wellbeing.

    Need more toys?

    If you feel your toy cupboard is looking overly familiar, try a local Toy Library to borrow puzzles, board games and activities. Alternatively, arrange a toy swap with a trusted neighbour or friend.

    Don’t underestimate the joy and novelty in doing the basic or everyday tasks but with more time, over the holidays. Cooking, baking, sending cards, writing letters and reading a book together are all excellent ways to connect and build memories.

    You could also ask the kids to go and make an art exhibition or practise for a home dance or music concert while you make a cup or tea.

    What about older primary kids?

    Older children love to create, work together and connect with their peers.

    So you could encourage your child or children to channel popular YouTubers and gamers by creating physical challenges at home, for example: a home holiday Olympics, safe Ninja-style circuit or obstacle course.

    Or you could turn everyday chores into “missions” that earn rewards like having their favourite meal or a shopping trip.

    Keep moving

    You could break up sitting time by making TikTok style dances or doing physically challenges (how many star jumps can you do in a minute?) as often as possible.

    If you have wearable tech, such as smart watches, you can track time spent being active. Set up a friendly competition for steps while playing with pets, cleaning up or dancing around the house.

    A 2022 Australian study suggests the “break up your sitting” approach may result in children being more active than a simple “move more” message.

    Also think about screen time that gets kids moving – such as sports-based games. Research shows the energy expended during active gaming is equivalent to a brisk walk. Not all screen time has to be sedentary.

    Try a whole day ‘unplugged’

    You could try a whole day without devices – this shows children it is possible!

    Consider giving the kids more decision-making powers on these days: they could pick (and hopefully) make their meals, have a friend over, decide what games to play or what art and craft to make.

    The winter holidays are a good time to set new active habits that won’t only help now, but will set the tone for the spring and longer summer breaks ahead.

    Victoria Minson is the Course Coordinator for the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth to Five Years) (Accelerated) at Australian Catholic University. The Victorian offering of the course has received funding from the Victorian government and Victorian Department of Education. Victoria also receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Amanda Telford has previously received funding from the ARC and NHMRC.

    – ref. How can you keep kids off screens during the winter holidays? – https://theconversation.com/how-can-you-keep-kids-off-screens-during-the-winter-holidays-260577

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia is set to get more AI data centres. Local communities need to be more involved

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn Cumbo, Transdisciplinary social researcher and lecturer, University of Technology Sydney

    A Google data centre in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Richard Newstead/Getty

    Data centres are the engines of the internet. These large, high-security facilities host racks of servers that store and process our digital data, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    There are already more than 250 data centres across Australia. But there are set to be more, as the federal government’s plans for digital infrastructure expansion gains traction. We recently saw tech giant Amazon’s recent pledge to invest an additional A$20 billion in new data centres across Sydney and Melbourne, alongside the development of three solar farms in Victoria and Queensland to help power them.

    The New South Wales government also recently launched a new authority to fast-track approvals for major infrastructure projects.

    These developments will help cater to the surging demand for generative artificial intelligence (AI). They will also boost the national economy and increase Australia’s digital sovereignty – a global shift toward storing and managing data domestically under national laws.

    But the everyday realities of communities living near these data centres aren’t as optimistic. And one key step toward mitigating these impacts is ensuring genuine community participation in shaping how Australia’s data-centre future is developed.

    The sensory experience of data centres

    Data centres are large, warehouse-like facilities. Their footprint typically ranges from 10,000 to 100,000 square metres. They are set on sites with backup generators and thousands of litres of stored diesel and enclosed by high-security fencing. Fluorescent lighting illuminates them every hour of the day.

    A data centre can emanate temperatures of 35°C to 45°C. To prevent the servers from overheating, air conditioners are continuously humming. In water-cooled facilities, water pipes transport gigalitres of cool water through the data centre each day to absorb the heat produced.

    Data centres can place substantial strain on the local energy grid and water supply.

    In some places where many data centres have been built, such as Northern Virginia in the United States and Dublin in Ireland, communities have reported rising energy and water prices. They have also reported water shortages and the degradation of valued natural and historical sites.

    They have also experienced economic impacts. While data centre construction generates high levels of employment, these facilities tend to employ a relatively small number of staff when they are operating.

    These impacts have prompted some communities to push back against new data centre developments. Some communities have even filed lawsuits to halt proposed projects due to concerns about water security, environmental harm and heavy reliance on fossil fuels.

    A unique opportunity

    To date, communities in Australia have been buffered from the impacts of data centres. This is largely because Australia has outsourced most of its digital storage and processing needs (and associated impacts) to data centres overseas.

    But this is now changing. As Australia rapidly expands its digital infrastructure, the question of who gets to shape its future becomes increasingly important.

    To avoid amplifying the social inequities and environmental challenges of data centres, the tech industry and governments across Australia need to include the communities who will live alongside these crucial pieces of digital infrastructure.

    This presents Australia with a unique opportunity to set the standard for creating a sustainable and inclusive digital future.

    A path to authentic community participation

    Current planning protocols for data centres limit community input. But there are three key steps data centre developers and governments can take to ensure individual developments – and the broader data centre industry – reflect the values, priorities and aspirations of local communities.

    1. Developing critical awareness about data centres

    People want a greater understanding of what data centres are, and how they will affect their everyday lives.

    For example, what will data centres look, sound and feel like to live alongside? How will they affect access to drinking water during the next drought? Or water and energy prices during the peak of summer or winter?

    Genuinely engaging with these questions is a crucial step toward empowering communities to take part in informed conversations about data centre developments in their neighbourhoods.

    2. Involving communities early in the planning process

    Data centres are often designed using generic templates, with minimal adaptation to local conditions or concerns. Yet each development site has a unique social and ecological context.

    By involving communities early in the planning process, developers can access invaluable local knowledge about culturally significant sites, biodiversity corridors, water-sensitive areas and existing sustainability strategies that may be overlooked in state-level planning frameworks.

    This kind of local insight can help tailor developments to reduce harm, enhance benefits, and ensure local priorities are not just heard, but built into the infrastructure itself.

    3. Creating more inclusive visions of Australia’s data centre industry

    Communities understand the importance of digital infrastructure and are generally supportive of equitable digital access. But they want to see the data centre industry grow in ways that acknowledges their everyday lives, values and priorities.

    To create a more inclusive future, governments and industry can work with communities to broaden their “clean” visions of digital innovation and economic prosperity to include the “messy” realities, uncertainties and everyday aspirations of those living alongside data centre developments.

    This approach will foster greater community trust and is essential for building more complex, human-centred visions of the tech industry’s future.

    Bronwyn Cumbo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Australia is set to get more AI data centres. Local communities need to be more involved – https://theconversation.com/australia-is-set-to-get-more-ai-data-centres-local-communities-need-to-be-more-involved-259799

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A top court has urged nations to clamp down on fossil fuel production. When will Australia finally start listening?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney

    GREG WOOD/AFP via Getty Images

    As Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen tours the Pacific this week to spruik his government’s commitment to climate action, fossil fuel exporters such as Australia are under unprecedented scrutiny.

    In a landmark ruling on Friday, Latin America’s highest human rights court found countries in that region are legally obliged to protect people from climate harms. The obligation includes tougher government regulations for fossil fuel extraction.

    The finding applies to nations in the Organization of American States. But it adds to a growing number of international rulings clarifying nations’ legal obligations to tackle the climate crisis – especially if they export fossil fuels.

    And it echoes long-held concerns from Australia’s Pacific neighbours: that climate change is an existential threat, and coal and gas exporters have a responsibility to act.

    A legal tide is building

    Australia is a major fossil-fuel exporter. When coal and gas mined in Australia is burned overseas, emissions are three times those of our entire domestic economy.

    Since 2000, Australia has approved more than 700 oil, gas and coal projects. This includes federal approval in May for Woodside’s North West Shelf project – a huge expansion of gas production off Western Australia.

    Emissions from these projects damage Earth’s climate, increasing the risk of harm to people around the world.

    As climate change worsens, the United Nations and others are calling on countries to phase out fossil fuel production. A string of litigation involving human rights and the environment is adding to the pressure.

    In a ruling handed down late last week, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights said people have the right to a stable climate and that states should regulate fossil fuel extraction and exploration.

    The ruling was delivered in Spanish. According to an English translation, it said nation-states should require fossil-fuel companies to:

    take effective measures to combat climate change and related human rights impacts, to conduct appropriate due diligence, to adopt transition plans, and to provide accurate information regarding the impacts of their operations on climate change and human rights.

    The ruling was an “advisory opinion”, and not legally binding. But it establishes the law on human rights obligations for the nations involved, and interpretations of international law for other nations.

    Pictured: judges from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
    JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty Images

    It comes as the International Court of Justice weighs up a request from the United Nations General Assembly, to clarify countries’ obligations under international law to protect Earth’s climate and environment from greenhouse gas emissions.

    The campaign for the case was launched in 2019 by a group of law students at the University of the South Pacific.

    This ruling will apply directly to Australia. Judges in the case are likely to take into account the findings of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights – and Australian policymakers will be watching closely.

    International law is catching up with the science

    Key instruments of international law, such as the UN Human Rights Conventions, were developed in the decades before a scientific consensus on global warming.

    But the science has moved on. And it’s now clear that nations have legal obligations to prevent human rights harms arising from climate change.

    In 2022, the UN Human Rights Committee found Australia was failing to meet its obligations to protect Indigenous Torres Strait Islanders from the adverse impacts of climate change.

    In May this year, UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change and Human Rights, Elisa Morgera, called on nations to end new fossil fuel projects and begin phasing out of fossil fuel production this decade, to protect human rights.

    Australia has argued only the Paris Agreement – which requires countries to set targets to cut domestic emissions – should apply when it comes to mitigating climate change. It has also argued protecting human rights does not extend to obligations to tackle climate change by cutting emissions.

    Such arguments have now been rejected by international courts and tribunals. Continuing to approve new fossil fuel projects, with no plan to phase out fossil fuel production, puts Australia in violation of international legal obligations.

    Australia’s obligations are also being considered in domestic cases. For instance, the Federal Court is next week due to hand down a decision on the government’s obligations to cut emissions to protect Torres Strait Islanders from climate impacts. If successful, the case may force the federal government to rapidly reduce emissions.

    The law is not on Australia’s side

    On his trip to the Pacific this week, Chris Bowen will emphasise Australia’s commitment to tackling climate change, and progress discussions on the joint Australia–Pacific bid to host the global COP31 climate talks next year. He told the media:

    Australia and the Pacific’s joint bid for COP31 is about ensuring that the region’s voice shapes global climate action for the benefit of the Australian and Pacific people.

    I look forward to deepening our cooperation with Pacific neighbours; not only to build a fairer, cleaner energy future, but to bring COP31 home for our region in 2026.

    People in the Pacific now know international law is on their side. Ultimately, a managed shift away from fossil fuels is inevitable – and the time for Australian policymakers to ignore the industry’s climate harms is ending.

    Wesley Morgan is a fellow with the Climate Council of Australia.

    Gillian Moon does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. A top court has urged nations to clamp down on fossil fuel production. When will Australia finally start listening? – https://theconversation.com/a-top-court-has-urged-nations-to-clamp-down-on-fossil-fuel-production-when-will-australia-finally-start-listening-259996

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  • MIL-Evening Report: If you have a pet as a kid, does this lower your risk of asthma and eczema?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Chan, Immunology and Allergy Lead, Snow Centre for Immune Health, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)

    Catherine Delahaye/Getty Images

    As the number of people with allergies grows worldwide, scientists are trying to work out precisely how and why these conditions – such as asthma and eczema – develop.

    One long-standing idea is the “hygiene hypothesis”. This suggests our modern indoor lifestyles are to blame, as they limit our early exposure to germs and allergens which help train the immune system.

    But growing evidence suggests having a pet may counter this effect. As any pet owner knows, our furry friends bring a lot of mess, germs and fur into our homes – along with the cuddles.

    So, does spending time with animals lower children’s risk of allergies? Here’s what we know.

    How allergies develop

    During early childhood, our immune systems learn what to attack and what to ignore to stop us getting sick.

    Evidence suggests early exposure – to family members, food, germs, dust, dirt, pollen and pet dander (skin flakes) – shapes this immune response.

    Allergic conditions develop when the immune system overreacts to harmless substances, such as dust, pollen or certain foods. These reactions can affect the skin, airways and gut.

    Dogs bring both love and mess – which might be just what a developing immune system needs.
    Samantha Chan/Author provided, CC BY-NC-ND

    However, we still don’t fully understand why some people develop allergies while others don’t.

    Scientists have identified genes linked to allergic conditions. But most have subtle effects on the immune system and act as “risk factors” – they increase the chance of disease but don’t cause it outright.

    Recent research suggests exposure to bacteria in our environment could be another major factor.

    From birth, our bodies are colonised by bacteria, especially in the gut. This community of microorganisms is known as the microbiome.

    Ongoing “crosstalk” between the microbiome and immune system is crucial for healthy immune function. When this balance is disturbed, it can contribute to inflammation and disease.

    The effect of our early environment

    In the last few decades, studies of children raised on farms gave us some of the first clues that early environments can affect allergy risk.

    Compared to children raised in cities, children on farms are less likely to have allergic conditions such as eczema and asthma. This is especially true of those in close contact with animals.

    Notably, farm-raised children tend to develop a more diverse microbiome than children raised in urban environments. This may help make their immune system more tolerant to foreign substances (such as bacteria and dirt) and less likely to develop allergies.

    However, across the world children are increasingly living in urban areas.

    This means a pet may be the closest contact they have with animals. So, does this still lower their risk of developing allergies?

    Children raised on farms, especially those in close contact with animals, seem to have a lower risk of allergic diseases.
    Peter van Haastrecht / 500px/Getty Images

    What the studies show in eczema

    Some studies indicate children with pets may be less likely to have allergies.

    However this evidence hasn’t always been easy to interpret.

    It can be difficult to tell whether lower allergy rates are due to the pets themselves or other factors, such as location, lifestyle or a family history of allergies.

    A review of results from 23 studies found children exposed to dogs early in life were significantly less likely to develop eczema.

    Another 2025 study analysed genetic data from more than 270,000 people. It found a gene linked to eczema only increased risk of eczema in children who hadn’t been exposed to dogs.

    This suggests early dog exposure may help protect children who are genetically more likely to develop eczema.

    What about asthma?

    When it comes to asthma, the story gets trickier.

    One 2001 study followed more than 1,000 children in the United States from birth to age 13. It found those living with dogs indoors were less likely to develop frequent wheezing – a common asthma symptom – but only if they didn’t have a family history of asthma.

    A Korean study from 2021 found those who had dogs during childhood were less likely to develop allergies. But they had a slightly higher risk of non-allergic wheeze — a type of breathing difficulty usually caused by airway irritation or infections (not allergens).

    This suggests while growing up with a dog may protect against allergic conditions, such as asthma, it may increase the chance of certain non-allergic respiratory symptoms.

    What about cats?

    It’s challenging to tease apart the specific effects of cats versus dogs, since many early studies grouped all furry pets together.

    But in studies that have looked at them separately, living with cats didn’t seem to reduce allergy risk.

    One potential reason is cats and dogs carry very different microbes, which may influence how they shape the household environment.

    Cats and dogs carry very different microbes, which may influence how they shape the household environment.
    Photo by Mochamad Reza Aditya on Unsplash

    So, should you get a pet?

    If you’re already thinking about getting a dog, there’s decent evidence early exposure could reduce your child’s risk of eczema, and possibly other allergic conditions too.

    It’s not a guarantee, but a potential bonus – alongside companionship, joy and never having to worry about what to do with leftovers.

    And if a dog’s not on the cards, don’t worry. Spending time outdoors, encouraging messy play, and avoiding overuse of disinfectants can all help build a more resilient immune response.

    Samantha Chan has served on advisory boards for CSL Behring. She is in receipt of funding from the Allergy and Immunology Foundation Australia and Walter & Eliza Hall Institute. She is affiliated with the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. She is a physician for the Snow Centre for Immune Health, funded by the Snow Medical Research Foundation.

    In the past five years, Jo Douglass has served on advisory boards, provided advice or undertaken presentations on behalf of Astra-Zeneca P/L, GSK, CSL, Stallergenes, Immunosis P/L , Novartis and Sanofi. She is in receipt of funding from the Medical Research Future Fund for studies in allergic asthma. She is a clinical co-director of the Snow Centre for Immune Health, funded by the Snow Medical Research Foundation.

    – ref. If you have a pet as a kid, does this lower your risk of asthma and eczema? – https://theconversation.com/if-you-have-a-pet-as-a-kid-does-this-lower-your-risk-of-asthma-and-eczema-258581

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –