Australian Politics
Another so-called Aborigine -- blue eyes and all
"You can't be Aboriginal, you're too smart for that," Benjamin Wilson was told when he was at school.
But the 23-year-old Wiradjuri man dismissed those slurs and instead focused on storytelling and learning — which has seen him named a recipient of the Dr Charles Perkins Memorial Prize.
"I think that's because I had really strong role modelling from my family and the people around me," he said.
One of those strong role models is his 84-year-old grandmother, Elsie Heiss, who instilled in him a love of learning and reading, as well as resilience and a strong work ethic.
"At 16, she hopped on the train at Griffith to Shepparton in Victoria, to go and work in a fruit cannery," he said, "that kind of drive has always been in my family".
That drive is also clear in Benjamin — and why he has been named a recipient of the Dr Charles Perkins Memorial Prize at Sydney University, for excelling at his studies in a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communications.
Dr Charles Perkins AO was a ground-breaking civil rights activist, academic, and public servant.
The awards would usually be presented in a ceremony in the University's great hall, but as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing restrictions, that wasn't possible this year.
Filmmaker, director and screenwriter Rachel Perkins is the daughter of the late Dr Perkins and announced the recipients of the awards.
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University of Tasmania joins others in ditching face-to-face lectures in favour of online learning
A large and important part of the university experience takes place on university premises outside the classroom so much will be lost if this idiocy prevails
While many universities are adapting to the post-COVID world by continuing both online and in-person lectures, some are ditching the on-campus lecture experience entirely.
The University of Tasmania is the latest to say it will scrap in-person lectures in favour of online meetings, even though the state has been relatively isolated from the pandemic so far.
The university's management described the move as offering a more "flexible" and "effective" path to education.
UTAS academic executive director Mitch Parsell said traditional lectures had been "poorly attended".
"Small group, on-campus activities such as workshops, tutorials, practicals, and seminars are a focus … our students have been clear that these are the activities they value most," he said.
But while many university students have benefited from the flexible schedule online lectures afford, some lament the lack of face time with their peers.
UTAS Student Association president-elect Sophie Crothers said she had seen a significant change in her student experience in the past two years during the pandemic.
Ms Crothers, a fourth-year student, said "it meant that all of a sudden you weren't seeing anyone, new students didn't get to make any new friends, and they do not know anyone they study with.
"It's been an isolating experience for some."
Ms Crothers said while online lectures offered people flexibility to fit their learning around their day, the format could take longer to get through.
"Usually you would have three hours of lectures a week, but it can sometimes take up to eight hours in a recorded format because lecturers don't have to worry about how they deliver the content as much," she said.
Melbourne resident and university student Roz Casey is currently doing her second masters degree online and said it suits her lifestyle and helps to balance work and family.
"Students need to have a positive attitude going into any learning environment because having a positive attitude will help you to stay motivated and engaged in the learning process," she said.
Fears unis will recycle recorded lectures
A union representing academics said there were pros and cons when it came to the educational value of face-to-face lectures, but added there were risks in scrapping them entirely.
Pat McConville, from the National Tertiary Education Union, said staff had "concerns that the university will look at recycling and reusing lecture recordings and there doesn't seem a plan to keep lectures up-to-date at this present moment".
"It's a shame [UTAS] has taken a crisis operating model and converted that to the standard operating model."
But Mr McConville said there were still positives in regard to the university's move towards workshops, tutorials, practicals and seminars.
Some universities scraping lectures entirely
UTAS is not the only university to offer a mix of online and face-to-face learning.
Western Australia's Curtin University has a range of online study options for students, and while it has a focus on face-to-face teaching, some lectures will remain online, even post-pandemic.
The University of the Sunshine Coast has gone even further and chosen to ditch all lectures — in-person and online — from next year, in favour of tutorials, podcasts and quizzes.
The university's pro vice-chancellor of students, professor Denise Wood, told the ABC's RN Breakfast: "We've taken on board student feedback and will offer more contemporary and flexible approaches to learning."
"We are increasing the opportunities for small group occasions like tutorials and workshops, which is a more interactive learning style."
The University of Tasmania said putting lectures online was not a cost-cutting measure, but one that would provide the "best possible learning experience for students".
UTAS said the changes would be reviewed next year.
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Anti-coal protesters in Hunter/ Newcastle region face 25 years in prison
A group of climate activists have been blocking coal trains in the Hunter Region from entering the Port of Newcastle for more than a week, resulting in NSW Police establishing Strike Force Tuohy.
On Tuesday, Police Commissioner Mick Fuller issued a statement, saying the ongoing protests were placing public safety at risk and endangering the lives of those who use the rail network. “They will not be tolerated,” he said.
“I have sought further legal advice and am warning anyone who intends on behaving in the manner we’ve seen over the past week that they could be charged with offences ... which carry a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.”
Mr Fuller said this was in addition to the various trespass and rail disruption offences numerous protesters have been charged with since Friday, November 5.
The statement from Mr Fuller comes after Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce claimed protesters had disrupted $60 million worth of coal exports in the past week.
“If they’ve got other ways that the nation can earn money right now, then we’re all ears,” Mr Joyce said from the Singleton train station on Monday.
“In the meantime, we've got to make a buck. “For each one of these (trains) that goes through, that’s about $1 million in export dollars.
“It’s about $100,000 in royalties, so what you’ve got here is payments for your NDIS … payments for pensions and unemployment benefit.”
Mr Joyce said protesters believed their views were “more important than the law”. “They are a different breed,” he said. “(They) believe they can shut things down, a legal industry that underpins their standard of living.”
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Glasgow summit is 'green light' for more coal mines, Senator says
The Glasgow COP26 climate summit was a "great result" for the Australian coal industry, Senator Matt Canavan has said.
His declaration came us UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UN get-together had sounded the "death knell" for coal power.
Appearing on Today with a screen behind him displaying the slogan "Glasgow: A huge win for coal", Senator Canavan said there had "never been stronger demand" for the industry.
"Given the fact that the agreement did not say that coal needs to be phased down or taken out, it is a green light for us to build more coal mines," he said.
The agreement finally reached by 197 countries yesterday did in fact include a commitment to "phase down" the use of coal, but the phrase was changed from "phase out" after an intervention by India.
Senator Canavan also speculated that numerous countries would not take the commitment seriously. "The agreements themselves have wiggle room," he said. "We always see countries not comply with the agreements."
He claimed there was "not really any country around the world" taking it seriously. "The countries in our region, like India, like China, like South-East Asia, are growing and developing their industries, and their demand for coal almost has no limit," he said.
"So, we have got the best quality coal in the world and we should be supplying that to the world, because it is good for the environment to do that, and it is, of course, very good for people's growth, development, and getting people out of poverty."
Negotiators at Glasgow said the final agreement was aimed at keeping alive the overarching goal of limiting warming to 1.5C since pre-industrial times. The world has already warmed 1.1C.
Coal is among the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the UN climate summit as a "game-changing agreement" that sounded the "death knell for coal power" - although he added that his delight at the progress on fighting climate change was "tinged with disappointment."
Mr Johnson said it was "beyond question" that the deal coming out of the Glasgow conference marks an important moment in the use of coal, because most of western Europe and North America have agreed to pull the plug on financial support for all overseas fossil fuel projects by this time next year.
Mr Johnson also said the compromise that saw the language changed to "phase down" did not make "that much of a difference."
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Also see my other blogs. Main ones below:
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM -- daily)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://snorphty.blogspot.com/ (TONGUE-TIED)
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Evelyn Rae, a 
Sahara Ray is undoubtedly a good-looking woman. Since she is Australian-born there is even a possibility that we may be distantly related
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