Queensland schools using discredited literacy teaching method

OUTDATED methods for teaching children to read were the cause of Queensland's dismal performance in national tests, a literacy expert claims. Smart State students came seventh out of eight states and territories in the first national literacy and numeracy tests, released last Friday. Only the Northern Territory, where absenteeism and social disadvantage rates are highest, fared worse.

Private literacy consultant Carol Christensen blamed the state's dire literacy test scores on Education Queensland bureaucrats who were obsessed with "whole language" reading philosophies. Ms Christensen, who co-ordinates school reading programs based on the rival phonics method of reading, said it was time the bureaucrats stopped "covering their butts" and start worrying about their students. "You wouldn't believe the amount of (Queensland) children in Years 9 and 10 who can't read simple, three-letter words," Ms Christensen said. "It breaks your heart. "(The department's) practices are the cause of the misery of our children, compromising their whole life opportunities."

Education Minister Rod Welford downplayed the claims, saying academic opinion on the best reading techniques was diverse. "There are a number of academics with varying views," he said. "(Ms Christensen) has one perspective and Professor Ken Rowe, who wrote the national literacy inquiry report, has expressed another that encapsulates world's best practice."

He said the Government was spending $35 million over four years to target literacy blackspots and millions more in one-to-one tuition for struggling Years 5 and 6 students. "Every (Queensland) teacher is being brought up to speed on how to teach literacy and numeracy successfully and effectively," he said.

While he admitted to being surprised at the gap between the state's results and performance in NSW and Victoria, he was confident recently introduced measures would lift future performances. The national test results released last week showed Queensland students in all year levels tested were below average competency in reading, writing, spelling, punctuation and grammar.

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Emissions trading 'worse than drought'

The Rudd Government's attempts to combat climate change through an emissions trading scheme will do more damage to the farming sector than the drought, senior industry figures warned yesterday. The claims were made as new economic modelling showed farm profitability under the proposed trading scheme could drop to zero. The research by the Australian Farm Institute suggests that under an ETS, the $100 billion sector could be forced into debt, with livestock farms and smaller holdings worst affected. Using 10 model farm businesses and three future emissions price scenarios, the research showed far-reaching changes for the farm sector.

Institute head Mick Keogh said that even if agriculture were not included in the scheme until 2015, as recommended in the green paper from Climate Change Minister Penny Wong, the impact would hit the sector from 2010 because of the increased prices farmers will have to pay for inputs such as fuel, freight, electricity, fertilisers and chemicals. "Reductions in farm profitability of between 5 per cent and 10per cent are projected even with quite modest emission prices," Mr Keogh said. "Under scenarios where farmers are required to pay the full cost of estimated farm emissions, the modelling projects farm profit reductions of more than 100 per cent, especially for farms running sheep and cattle," he said. "The sector, which is fully trade-exposed, is going to be significantly impacted."

The institute's findings mirror recent modelling from New Zealand's Ministry of Agriculture, which showed profitability across all farm types plummeting under an ETS. Farmer Howard Crozier, 72, is sceptical of global warming, and says the ETS is a waste of time. Speaking from his 1000ha farm at Bungendore, near Canberra, he said it would mean high input costs and lower profitability. "Even if they don't include agriculture before 2015, we're still going to have to pay the higher input costs, with no relief on the credit side," the cattle and sheep farmer said. "Our ability to sequester carbon won't be counted because native pastures and native forests aren't counted under Kyoto. "We have young earnest bureaucrats from Penny Wong's office saying all we have to do is adjust the prices of our products. How? There is no capacity for us to increase our prices to adjust to the huge losses we would suffer."

Queensland Farmers Federation chief executive John Cherry said the concerns of the rural sector were being ignored by the Government, even though the costs associated with an ETS will start to hit within 18 months. "We will be less competitive on world markets from 2010," Mr Cherry said. "With 70 per cent of agricultural produce exported, there is no opportunity to pass these costs on. It's going to cost a fortune. It is an insanity."

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New conservative government unlocks uranium riches

The pro-uranium mining stance of Colin Barnett's newly installed WA Government will spark a significant drilling program in the state that is likely to deliver billions of dollars to both state and federal coffers, according to analysts and the industry. Uranium miners with projects in Western Australia have been on a knife edge since the poll, waiting to see whether the pro-uranium Nationals would support the pro-uranium Liberal Party or form an alliance with the anti-uranium Labor Party. Liberal leader Colin Barnett was yesterday announced as Premier after the Liberals secured the support of the Nationals in a move that will launch a new chapter for uranium prospects in the state.

The Australian Uranium Association has conservatively estimated that uranium mining in WA would increase the gross state product by $3.2 billion in net present value terms to 2030 and provide an extra $200 million in royalties over the same period. The association also estimates that WA's export values would be $4 billion higher and Australia's GDP would be $2.25 billion higher to 2030 with uranium mining in the state.

During the election campaign, former Labor premier Alan Carpenter pledged to legislate against uranium mining, prompting Canadian explorer Mega Uranium to threaten to pull out of Australia. Mega yesterday forecast a fast-tracking of their Lake Maitland project after learning that the Nationals would support the Liberals to form government. Mega vice-president of project development Peter McNally said the pro-uranium Government would reassure investors, explorers and international customers. "It will lift their confidence in WA a hell of a lot -- you'd expect a lot of money to be invested now," Mr McNally said.

The most advanced uranium projects in WA include BHP Billiton's Yeelirrie project, the Cameco-Mitsubishi's Kintyre joint-venture, Energy and Minerals Australia's Mulga Rocks and Paladin's Oobagooma/Yampi and Manyingee projects.

According to the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics, Australia exported 10,151 tonnes of uranium oxide or yellowcake worth $887 million in 2007-08, a 5.8 per cent increase on 2006-07 exports.

UBS analysts said last week that a Liberal-National government in WA would be "positive for uranium stocks with significant assets in the state" and would spark a "significant drilling program". But they warned that the majority of deposits were still at an early stage and lacked a JORC-compliant resource. They said they would require significant exploration to firm up the potential resource. "Potential first production would be unlikely within a five-year time frame, due to time needed for exploration, permitting and construction," the UBS analysts said.

Despite renewed enthusiasm for uranium exploration in the west, the Australian Uranium Association said the extended ban meant WA lacked "the policy and regulatory infrastructure and expertise". "You would need to build that capacity within the resources department, the environment department and in the indigenous affairs department as well," said the association's executive director, Michael Angwin. "The ban in WA has left a legacy that will take some time to overcome. But there's scope to make quick gains. You can develop the policy and regulation infrastructure faster than you can develop mines. "The development of mines would take three or four years and you could do the policy and regulatory infrastructure in 12 to 18 months."

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Public hospital blamed for woman's death

ROYAL Darwin Hospital forgot to X-ray the bowel of a grandmother who died days later of septicaemia when the bowel burst, her family says. Alma June Green, 83, was admitted to the hospital after complaining of bowel pain, family members told the Northern Territory News. But while she was waiting to have an X-ray she fell out of a wheelchair and broke her leg. Doctors operated on the broken leg before sending Ms Green home. Her son-in-law, Jim Egan, said he believed the hospital staff had forgotten to X-ray Ms Green's bowel.

Ms Green died at her Palmerston flat on November 11 when her bowel burst, causing blood poisoning. Royal Darwin Hospital spokeswoman Michelle Foster said the death was reported to the coroner's office, but she could not comment further.


Mr Egan, 63, of Bakewell, said what started as a complaint of bowel pain at RDH around November 9, 2007, ended in disaster. He said his mother-in-law went in for a bowel obstruction and was admitted and booked for an X-ray. Although she could walk, she was given a wheelchair before a nurse allegedly left her waiting for the radiographer. When called to be X-rayed, Ms Green stood up and the weight of the chair pulled it over, knocking her to the ground and breaking a bone at the top of her right leg near the hip. She was taken to theatre where doctors put "all the plates and pins in".


Mr Egan said he suspected hospital staff forgot to X-ray Ms Green's bowel before she was released from hospital. "Two days later, her bowel burst and she died of blood poisoning," he said. "As far as I am concerned, it is neglect - she should have had a nurse with her. "I think they let the bowel X-ray go and it killed her."

Mr Egan said despite the great-grandmother being aged 83, she was healthy. "There was nothing wrong with her other than the bowel obstruction," he said. "I was wild, she wasn't just a mother-in-law, but a friend for over 30 years."

Justice Department spokeswoman Lorelei Fong Lim said the matter was with the coroner's office. "A decision about whether it will be an inquest or not, has not been made," she said.

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