Insight (1995)
Season 2010
TV-G
Talk show with real everyday people with a story to tell. Hosted by Jenny Brockie. Variety of topics across a broad spectrum. Very thought provoking
Where to Watch Season 2010
31 Episodes
- Housing 36 MillionE1
Episode 1Housing 36 MillionHow will Australia’s growing population put pressure on housing availability and house prices? The Federal Government’s Intergenerational Report says our population will increase 65% to almost 36 million people by 2050. From those numbers, Melbourne and Sydney may have to find homes for 7 million people. Brisbane would double its population by 2050. Australia already suffers from a housing shortage with the government's National Housing Supply Council estimating a shortfall of more than 200,000 dwellings by 2013. Property developers say this gap will continue to drive up house prices. Their answer? More land releases. But some urban planners say expanding the city fringes is unsustainable and that Australians must change the way we live to cope with a higher population. They say medium and high density living is the future - but are Australians ready for it? - Rising TideE2
Episode 2Rising TideHow do we plan for the future when the facts are disputed and the consequences might not be seen in our lifetime? Hundreds of thousands of residential building across Australia are potentially at risk from sea level rises according to a new report from the Federal Government. Its research states that replacing these homes could cost up to $63 billion. Scientists can’t agree on the research, and many local councils are asking how they are supposed to plan. All the while local residents are caught in the middle causing them huge financial and emotional strain. State and local governments have a different planning response to sea level rises, some mandatory and some not. Some are following guidelines while others are not. The lack of legislation means disputes are being resolved in court and many councils are worried about taking any action in case it lands them in litigation. And, who should be held accountable? - FamilyE3
Episode 3FamilyWhat's it like growing up in not your 'typical' family? We hear from young people who’ve grown up in not your usual types of Australian families, to see how they’re turning out. While the nuclear family is still seen as the norm in Australia, population statistics show that’s changing, and "couple families with children" are no longer the majority household in Australia. Thousands of kids are growing up without both their biological mum and dad around. Some have two mums or two dads, others have been adopted from overseas or lived with a grandparent, some were conceived using donor sperm, or were raised in foster care. Recently the idea of what makes a normal family was hotly debated in Queensland, as the State government legalised surrogacy, extending those rights to single people and same sex couples. Critics argued that a child’s fundamental right to enter the world with both and mother and a father is being denied. Insight will hear directly from the children of these families. We will be joined by young people aged between 13 and 25 who’ve grown up without both their biological mother and father around. We’ll be finding out how their family works, and asking if they’ve missed out on anything because of it. - Taking SidesE4
Episode 4Taking SidesWhat are voters thinking about Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott? Today the leaders go head to head in a nationally televised health debate. Tonight our audience will give their verdict on this and the leaders. In 2007 'Insight’ brought together swinging voters from across Australia to talk about what was swaying their vote back then. Now we are bringing the same voters back to find out what they are thinking now. Has Kevin Rudd and his team lived up to expectation? How do they feel about Tony Abbott as PM? What factors are really swinging their vote? What are the issues biting voters in their electorate? Is it hospital reform, climate change or parental leave? Or is just more about leadership style? What will Rudd and Abbott have to do in the coming months to win their vote or have they made up their mind already? All of our guests on Insight this week are swinging voters who have appeared on previous election shows in the lead up to the 2007 Federal election. Who will they vote for in 2010? - Fixing HospitalsE5
Episode 5Fixing HospitalsWill the federal government’s health reform work in fixing the problems on the ground? Nurses, patients and doctors on the inside talk about their experiences on the frontline of public hospitals. We’ll be discussing bed shortages, staff shortages and waiting times in emergency departments. Are regional and rural hospitals going to be winners or losers with the health reforms? We’ll hear from patients who are waiting for elective surgery, and others who have recently had emergency surgery. What do they feel about their experiences in the hospital system? - InfidelityE6
Episode 6InfidelityWhy are some couples able to survive infidelity while for others it’s the end of their relationship? We love reading about high profile cheaters. Is it because they touch a nerve in our own lives? Tiger Woods, John Edwards, Jesse James.. is monogamy realistic? While statistics on infidelity are notoriously unreliable, some surveys say up to 70 per cent of us cheat – and women are catching up to men. Despite our cheating ways, it seems that marriage and monogamy remains what most of us want. So why are some couples able to survive infidelity while for others it’s the end of their relationship? Does it matter if it was just sex? Should you always tell your partner if you have strayed, or is it better to keep it secret? We want to explore whether it’s really possible to forgive and forget or whether the damage always stays with us. Is monogamy still the best model? Join us as we bring together couples from all walks of life to talk about how they have worked through infidelity in their relationship. - What Women WantE7
Episode 7What Women WantDo women want it all? 'I am really not interested in breaking the glass ceiling breaking the glass ceiling is hard work." Meet Su Amaranayaka, she’s 36 and a mum to a two year old boy. She gave up a career with GE Money to become a stay-at-home mum. She says having it all is a myth. 'I honestly don’t know why I ever thought about doing it all. I don’t know how these parents, who have had 3-4 hours sleep, get up, put on their makeup, and go and work a full day." Recent reports show women still lag behind men in the workplace and the gender wage gap is the widest it has been in twenty years. The Government says it’s determined to close the gender wage gap and increase women’s participation in the workplace. But will the Government’s plans to provide equality and make the workplace more family-friendly shatter or strengthen the glass ceiling? And do women want it all anyway? This week Insight brings together women, employers and government to find out what women really want. - Top of the ClassE8
Episode 8Top of the ClassWhat makes a great teacher? We test two young teachers in front of a class to see if they have what it takes. The results are fascinating. Currently across Australia, experiments are underway to target and build better teachers. In New South Wales, the first group of super teachers have started in schools. These 'highly accomplished teachers" - paid more than $100,000 a year – have the task of raising teaching standards in some of the state’s most disadvantaged schools. In Victoria, a new program called 'TEACH FOR AUSTRALIA’ is recruiting university graduates from a range of backgrounds to teaching for two years in the state’s most challenging schools. Some argue that student test scores should be taken into account in assessing the teacher. But teacher unions are dead against using student test scores – like the NAPLAN test they’ve decide to boycott – as a marker of teacher performance. The union argument is that merit pay for teachers ruins the collegiality of the profession. But what are great teachers doing differently? And can it be taught? - No Pain, No GainE9
Episode 9No Pain, No GainHow healthy is the fitness industry? What do you hear as the sun is rising? Is it birds chirping and crashing waves, or is it a voice yelling "10 more, push through! Keep going!"? The fitness industry in Australia is booming with boot camps and personal trainers filling our parks and beaches. It is now estimated to be worth over 800 million dollars per year but how qualified are the people who are pushing us to our limits and could potentially cause us serious injury? The minimum qualification for a personal trainer can be attained in eight weeks and many veteran trainers and allied health professions feel it is no where near long enough. Should we be looking to personal trainers to help us move the extra pounds? Or are they simply ripping us off and endangering our health? - Cheating to WinE10
Episode 10Cheating to WinRugby league has been hammered by scandal yet again. But this time it’s not a sex scandal. This time it’s about money and cheating to win. Amid reports of dodgy deals and secret bookkeeping, the game’s fans are being given more than a hint of just how complicated the links are between the sport, the media covering it, and the people running the game. And it’s getting ugly. Allegations have been made about 'rats in the ranks" and the finger has been pointed at former Storm boss Brian Waldron as the 'chief rat." Waldron has hit back, calling for independent inquiry, with full disclosure from everyone connected to the running of the club. Questions are being asked about who knew what about the breaches, how the cheating was able to continue undetected for years, whether other clubs are also flouting the salary cap, and if the National Rugby League’s penalty against the Storm will damage the entire 2010 season. Can News Limited afford to let the Storm fold and lose a rugby league presence in Melbourne? If there is an open inquiry into the rorting, can the game handle the truth? This week we will bring together fans along with key figures from across rugby league and other football codes, to discuss the real story behind the cheating at the Melbourne Storm, and what it means for the business of sport in Australia. - A Bigger AustraliaE11
Episode 11A Bigger AustraliaHow big is too big? Australia is taking unprecedented numbers of migrants – permanent and temporary. We will examine whether a bigger Australia is really a better Australia. We talk to migrants, business groups, economist, demographers, politicians and a mayor about Australia’s fast pace growth. Polls show Australians are resistant to fast growing migration. Are they? Is it really because of the sustainability – or is it something more? Is population growth key to economic growth and the prosperity of the country? What do migrants think about the population and migration discussion. We’ll talk about whether there are hints of social problems arising in our fastest growing cities. - Religion in the ClassroomE12
Episode 12Religion in the ClassroomIs there still room for God in the classroom? There's an upheaval happening in the teaching of religion in NSW's public primary schools. For more than 100 years more church leaders and volunteers have given religious instruction to primary school kids in public schools across Australia. This goes right back to legislation put in place in 1880. But for the kids whose parents don't want them to receive the religious instruction on offer, they often find themselves watching videos, colouring in or as some have put it 'twiddling their thumbs". Parents have asked for a more productive alternative. Currently in NSW, 10 primary schools are trialling a 10 week "ethics class" as an alternative to religious instruction. Sydney Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen has come out strongly against it and penned '10 reasons the Ethics Trial is not a good idea’’. The Catholic Church has said children who opt out shouldn’t be involved in any kind of formal class. The Anglicans reported that they lost 47 per cent of their religious classes to the ethics trial and they are not happy. They have joined with other Christian churches and launched a petition to save their scripture classes. Given that Australia is a secular country and home to people of many faiths, what religious education is appropriate in public schools? Insight brings together parents, children and faith leaders to discuss how religion should be taught in our public schools and whether there’s still room for God in 2010. - Stopping the BoatsE13
Episode 13Stopping the BoatsThis week an alleged people smuggler speaks exclusively to Insight about why he thinks more boats are arriving. And his comments are explosive. He says that if Australia wants to stop the boats, they shouldn't accept any more people. "People see Australia as easy. After three or four months it's done. The important thing is we definitely get citizenship. We will become Australian citizens immediately." The Opposition echoes this sentiment that the Rudd Government policy is soft and they have pledged a return to Temporary Protection Visas, off-shore processing and the possible turning back of boats. Human rights activists are angry with both the Rudd Government and the Opposition saying that Australia is breaching international law and returning to the Howard era policy of indefinite detention. A recent Newspoll shows that 44% of people believe that the Coalition would best handle the issue of asylum seekers arriving into Australia compared with only 26% of people supporting Labor. But how should the Government deal with asylum seekers and will the new laws stop the boats and put an end to people smuggling? - State of PlayE14
Episode 14State of PlayIs Soccer in Australia as healthy as it looks? 'The World Game’ in Australia seems stronger than ever, but some of its biggest supporters say fundamental problems across the board mean the game is in danger of sabotaging its golden opportunity. There’s little argument soccer -or football- as plenty of people in the game call it - has come a long way since the dark days of 2002 when the game’s former governing body was virtually broke. Now Australia is about to take part in the biggest show on the planet, The World Cup for an unprecedented second tournament in a row. The national women’s team 'The Matildas’ just won the Asian Cup for the first time. Australia is also bidding to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022. Locally, the national domestic competition, the A League, is expanding with new teams. But average crowds have dropped off, several clubs have struggled financially, and critics argue that there are major flaws in the administration of the game. Many grassroots clubs say they’re barely surviving, and yet some were part of the foundation of soccer in Australia. Many junior clubs say there is not enough money, support or a clear pathway for developing quality junior players, undermining Australia’s ability to become a top soccer nation. So on the eve of the World Cup in South Africa, Insight asks: Is the future of 'The World Game’ in Australia in jeopardy because of the way it’s run? Insight will be broadcast from Sydney’s Marconi Stadium. - Mental HealthE16
Episode 16Mental HealthOpposition Leader Tony Abbott has promised $1.5 billion for mental health if elected. According to the Coalition, the funds would go into mental health services, including 60 new youth mental health centres, 20 new Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centres and 800 acute and sub-acute early intervention beds. In February, Insight spoke exclusively to Australian of the Year Professor Patrick McGorry about the state of mental health in Australia. - Game OnE17
Episode 17Game OnThe campaign's on and we're taking the temperature of the electorate. Liberal powerbroker Senator Nick Minchin and Labor’s campaign spokesman, MP Chris Bowen, will try to win over a room of undecided voters when Insight returns tonight. We've recruited voters from the most marginal seats in Australia to follow the election campaign. We'll be hearing from them each week of the campaign as they give us their frank assessment - on air and online - of the leaders and their policies. We'll track them over the course of the five week campaign to see which issues are getting traction, and what sways their vote. Hear what they think of the two leaders – Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott – and find out what might sway their votes between now and polling day on August 21. - Mental HealthE18
Episode 18Mental HealthThis week we discuss who has the best mental health policy? The Government has announced a $277 million package focused on suicide prevention, men and young people. The Opposition has already pledged to inject 1.5 billion into mental health if elected. But does any of it address the real problems in the community? The Government and the Opposition face off with Psychiatrist and Australian of the Year Patrick McGorry and former advisor to the Government John Mendoza. - The GreensE19
Episode 19The GreensThis week we look at The Greens As the election nears, the Greens' polling is the highest in the party's history. So high, that pollsters and election analysts are predicting that they could end up with the balance of power in the Senate. The Greens could even be poised to win their very first Lower House seat, after the retirement of Labor's Lindsay Tanner in the electorate of Melbourne. But who votes for the Greens and why? Apart from their views on the environment and asylum seekers, what else do they stand for? Greens leader Bob Brown will join Insight as we ask what all of this means for the next Government. - The EconomyE20
Episode 20The EconomyWho do you trust with the economy? Confidence has been heading south and interest rates have been on the rise since the end of the GFC. The support the government received during the GFC is fading. But will the Liberal Party do a better job? We'll talk about the policies around maternity leave, business tax, superannuation and the cost of living issues affecting all Australians. INSIGHT brings together our regular panel of swinging voters, small business owners and politicians. Jason, from Bowman in Queensland, married with 4 children is feeling the pinch with "constantly increasing grocery bills, fuel bills..and interest rates." Melanie, who owns a sandwich bar in the West Australian electorate of Hasluck, says..."Shop wise, we've had a 30-40% downturn but we're lucky, I have catering and catering is booming.." - ENDGAMEE21
Episode 21ENDGAMEPolicy substance has been missing in action during this election campaign. Complex, bold plans have been thin on the ground. And on some issues, the differences between the parties' positions is slight. With the election just around the corner, Insight gathers together some big thinkers to talk about what they've made of the campaign, what's been missing, and what their one big idea would be to make Australia better. And our undecided voters from Australia's most marginal seats will tell us whether they're any closer to actually making a decision. - The Science of Sexual AttractionE22
Episode 22The Science of Sexual AttractionWhat causes that spark when we first meet someone? This week, Insight is joined by scientists who have been unlocking the secrets of attraction. While it may seem like magic or fate the way we sometimes look across a room and lock eyes with a stranger, there may be very good reasons. Our faces, bodies and even our smells, are signalling information to potential partners. For some us, one look is all it takes to fall in love – or lust. For others it’s all the clues in that first conversation that sends our brains in overdrive. New York biological anthropologist Helen Fisher, has been scanning the brains of people in love and there is some serious chemistry going on. UK psychologist Ian Penton Voak has spent years researching what we find attractive in faces. Dr Barnaby Dixson can tell us what we are drawn to in male and female bodies. And Dr Paul Eastwick has investigating what causes that initial attraction with speed dating experiments in the US. Join Insight as we test these theories of lust, love and attraction with those that are in love, out of love and looking for love. - Hung ParliamentE23
Episode 23Hung ParliamentIt's a hung parliament and four Independents and a Green will be critical in determining who forms government. Two of the key players, Andrew Wilkie and Adam Bandt, are on Insight tonight. Rob Oakeshott, Tony Windsor and Bob Katter have withdrawn from the program, saying they will be attending meetings with the Government at the time of broadcast. The four independents and one Green state their priority is the formation of a stable government. Tonight we test that claim. How will stable government be delivered? Or are we looking down the barrel of a new election? You be the judge. - The Sceptics
E24Episode 24The ScepticsCan one climate change scientist change the minds of a roomful of climate change sceptics? In late June Insight recorded this program with internationally renowned climate change scientist Stephen Schneider. A few weeks after we recorded this program, Stephen Schneider died on a flight from Stockholm to London. He was 65 and had been battling a serious illness. Stephen Schneider was a passionate believer that science should engage directly with the public on the issue of climate change. It was in this spirit that he appeared on INSIGHT. He faced a crowd of 52 climate sceptics and they were asking the questions. Watch the debate and find out if anyone changed their mind. - Banning the BurqaE25
Episode 25Banning the BurqaThe French Senate has voted to ban the burqa in public places. Similar laws are being considered in Belgium, Spain and Italy. President Sarkozy said in Parliament "We cannot accept that in our country some women will be imprisoned behind a fence cut off from all social life, deprived of identity. This is not a principle that the French republic has about women's dignity." In Australia, a recent decision by a judge to have a witness remove her face veil has sparked controversy and recent polls show that the majority of Australians support a ban. But what exactly is driving the ban? - AfghanistanE26
Episode 26AfghanistanThe war in Afghanistan. What are we fighting for and is the war winnable? Afghanistan is a complex war in a fractured country with complex tribal loyalties, rugged terrain, and systematic corruption. And against this backdrop Australian troops are in the middle of the deadliest year of fighting they've experienced in the nine years they've been there. 10 Australian soldiers have already been killed this year. Our commitment is relatively small, 1550 personnel, but there are calls from within the military establishment to increase troop numbers to fill the void created by the Dutch withdrawal from the province of Oruzgan. The Chief of the Australian defence force has said he expects Australia to be in Afghanistan for at least another four years but polls in this country indicate that support for the war is dropping. There has been recent criticism from within the Defence Forces in Afghanistan that Australian troops aren't being properly supported in battle. Insight brings together veterans of the conflict, military experts, Afghans and Afghan Australians to talk about Australia's role in this war. - Holding OnE27
Episode 27Holding OnPatients, loved ones and doctors are forced to make tough decisions in the face of death. When diagnosed with a terminal illness a patient might have just weeks or months to live. Should they fight on or accept the inevitable? Should their doctors hold out hope, however slim, or deliver the hard medical reality? These decisions are much tougher as medicine and medical technology becomes increasingly sophisticated . Patients , families and doctors wrestle with these ethical and moral dilemmas at the end of life. - Organic or NotE28
Episode 28Organic or NotWhat do you get when you buy organic? When you put organically labelled pork, eggs or brocolli in your trolley, what are you paying for? Many claim organic food is better for your health and the environment. While others believe these claims are questionable and organic farming is turning its back on decades of scientific advances in farming methods. And the poor consumer at the end of food chain can be easily bamboozled by an array of confusing labels compounded by the lack of a mandatory standard for "organic". Insight will investigate what's organic or not, and put the evidence to the test. - TasersE29
Episode 29TasersShould Australian Police use Tasers? Is the Taser the right non lethal option to a gun? They've been issued to frontline officers in tactical response groups in some states since 2000. This episode of INSIGHT will examine the use and abuse of Tasers. Revelations that a Perth man was Tasered 13 times in a police watchhouse has brought condemnation from the WA Police Commissioner. As a result of this WA case the Crime and Corruption Commission has recommended that Tasers be used only when there is an "imminent threat of serious injury". And this " imminent threat" can be very murky territory. How does a police officer gauge the level of threat in a highly charged situation? There was strong criticism in the recent West Australian CCC report that "Taser weapons are being used for compliance, including against indigenous people and those suffering mental illness." It is still grey territory that Tasers have been the direct cause of death, but there is evidence that if you suffer from heart disease or have taken stimulant drugs, you are more likely to die from a Taser shock. That's INSIGHT this week, just who is being protected by the use of Tasers? The police or the public? - NBNE30
Episode 30NBNDo we need to spend 43 billion dollars on a broadband network? The Gillard government is promising 'affordable, high speed broadband to all Australians, no matter where they live'. It's their promise to break the digital divide between city and bush 'once and for all.' Independent member for New England, Tony Windsor cast his lot with Labor on the basis of their national broadband scheme. Malcolm Turnbull, shadow Minister for Communications is spearheading the attack on the proposal for the Opposition. He describes it as a 'massive leap into the dark' where 'no cost benefit analysis has been done.' The big ask from the critics is - why is it so expensive and can the government logistically deliver this roll-out? So along with these criticisms this INSIGHT will examine and debate whether we should toss out the existing telecommunications network, just how enthusiastic the takeup will be in homes and what impact this high speed network will have on the delivery of health and education services. - Fear of IslamE31
Episode 31Fear of IslamIs anti-Islamic sentiment on the rise in Australia? What's fuelling the rise in anti-Islamic sentiment across Europe and the United States? Insight examines why it's happening at this time and what's really driving this backlash. European countries, where the doors were once wide open, are closing and the success of multiculturalism is being questioned. In the US, recent polls show that anti-Islamic sentiment is higher now than one month after the September 11 attacks. Is this anti-Islamic sentiment on the rise in Australia? Insight puts these questions to a very diverse audience.