Showing results by publisher "ABC Audio" in Politics & Social Sciences

The film Rabbit-Proof Fence is based on this true account of Doris Pilkington's mother Molly, who as a young girl led her two sisters on an extraordinary 1,600 kilometer walk home. Under Western Australia's invidious removal policy of the 1930s, the girls were taken from their Aboriginal families at Jigalong on the edge of the Little Sandy Desert, and transported halfway across the state to the Native Settlement at Moore River, north of Perth. Here Aboriginal children were instructed in the ways of white society and forbidden to speak their native tongue.

Acclaimed Australian actor and theatre director John Bell, AO, OBE, will set the stage for William Shakespeare's lessons on life and leadership in the 21st century in this years' ABC Boyer Lectures. Bell's four lectures, which mark the 63rd year of the ABC Boyer Lectures, will explore how Shakespeare remains essential reading in the 21st century, including his role in setting the stage for strong, smart and compassionate women. Bell will also draw on his personal experiences to reflect on what Shakespeare might teach us about how to live a 'good life'.

Discover the resilient and inspiring people who live outside the big Australian cities - indeed off the beaten track altogether. Defined by their strength and humility, these are characters whose grit and good humour will uplift and inspire. Meet strong women like Joan Sinclair, still riding horses in her 80s; Heather Jones from the Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls; and Diane Reeves, a transgender former dairy farmer, shearer and truck driver....

I am delighted to be presenting the 2014 Boyer Lectures and to have the opportunity to contribute to the national discussion about science through such an influential and historically significant platform. I hope to raise awareness of great scientific achievements, and of the vital importance of science to the future health and prosperity of Australia.

Like the best sort of conversation, the Boyer Lectures have taken Australians down countless paths - enthralling, challenging, unworn paths. My hope is to open yet another pathway; one that speaks to the importance of human rights in building neighbourhood, community and citizenship.

When W. E. H. Stanner delivered the Boyer Lectures in 1968, "After The Dreaming: Black And White Australians - An Anthropologist's View", he gave credence, perhaps inadvertently, to the widely held assumption at that time that Aboriginal life was incommensurate with modern economic life. Today, the expectation is quite the reverse.

The Hunter River is the lifeblood of the Hunter Valley. But since early settlement it hasn't been treated like a life blood; it has been exploited, turned into a dumping ground and over-run by weeds. In 2001, ABC Newcastle's Phil Ashley-Brown interviewed people along the 470km Hunter River between Barrington Tops and Newcastle Harbour. In 2003 the series highlighted the poor state of the waterway and tapped into a passion that many people have for the Hunter River. In 2011 Phil went back to the river to see how much change there has been over the last 10 years.

hilanthropist and business leader Dr Andrew Forrest calls on Australia's business sector to invest in clean energy, ocean conservation and closing the inequality gap for the good of the nation. Dr Forrest's series makes the case for business to collaborate with philanthropy to drive positive change on multiple fronts.

Most Australians know that climate change is real, but many don’t know what to do about it and feel powerless. In Fight for Planet A, Craig Reucassel shows it isn’t as scary as we think and we can make a difference to help protect the world for future generations. Craig sets out solutions and practical day-to-day changes we can make to reduce our carbon footprint, as well changes governments need to make without further delay.

You’ve probably heard that famous 'Well may we say' speech made by Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam on the day he was sacked by the queen’s representative, or seen the grainy footage from the steps of old parliament house. But do you properly understand the extraordinary events leading up to the most dramatic day in Australian political history? How did The Dismissal actually happen? This audio series takes you inside the highest circles of power to uncover pieces of this story that have never been told before.