Issues in Society: 2017-2019 Issues

This title reveals the various major forms of gambling activity and expenditure in Australia; explores the issues involved in dealing with problem gambling; and investigates gambling advertising and its impacts on young people. Why are Australians the world's biggest gamblers? Are we really winning against the odds?

There is a lot of discussion about the possible effects
of online pornography on children and young people
and the messages pornography generates about
gender, equality and sexuality. In 2016, the Australian
Institute of Family Studies was engaged by the
Department of Social Services to review what the
available research evidence tells us about the issue.1

Plastic products and packaging are integral to modern daily life. Plastic is durable, cheap, light and can be flexible or rigid, with multiple uses, however plastic is also making the planet a victim of its own success. Plastic pollution has become an epidemic, afflicting land, waterways, coastlines and oceans. More than 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the world's oceans each year, killing marine life as it breaks down into billions of microplastic pieces, without decomposing. Consumption of plastic has increased exponentially, but while recycling is well established, only a small proportion of plastic is recovered for recycling or energy recovery. How can we reduce the amount of plastic waste, increase recycling and minimise impacts on the environment? What are governments, industry, retailers and consumers doing to eliminate the use of plastic packaging to reduce landfill waste and ocean pollution? This book offers confronting facts on the impacts of plastic, but also features strategies aimed at tackling plastic pollution. Now is the time to save our planet from the growing perils of plastic.

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a group of procedures used to assist people in achieving a pregnancy. Recent advancements in the use and availability of ART treatments such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), gamete donation and surrogacy have raised numerous ethical considerations. This book explores reproductive concerns and opposing opinions on a range of issues including: the ethics of IVF treatment for older women; success rate claims of commercial clinics;access by IVF offspring to the identities of their donor parents; the fate of excess frozen embryos; public funding of IVF; payment for egg and sperm donation; 'social egg freezing' by younger women delaying motherhood; the dilemmas of preimplantation genetic screening; the sex selection debate;collection of gametes and embryos from dying and deceased loved ones;and commercial surrogacy arrangements. Are existing guidelines and laws in Australia in step with the many ways we can now reproduce ourselves? Or are we going too far in dictating the terms of human fertility?

Only about a third of children and under half of adults are meeting Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines. Most children exceed the recommended amount of screen-based activity time, while time spent sitting at leisure goes up in adults as they get older. Inactivity increases overweight and obesity, raising the risk of chronic and life-threatening diseases like cardiovascular disease, dementia, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Regular physical activity not only reduces health risks, it improves social and emotional health and wellbeing. Which groups of inactive Australians are most at risk of lifestyle-related illness? What levels and types of activity and exercise are required for optimal health at each life stage, and how can we incorporate regular activity into our daily lives? This book explains the risks and consequences of physical inactivity, and in turn promotes the benefits of being active. It's time to move it or lose it.

Australia is a prosperous country, yet there remains a sizeable portion of the population who lack a regular supply of nutritious and affordable food, either going hungry or relying on assistance from charities and food banks. In the past year alone, more than four million Australians have been in a situation where they have run out of food and have been unable to buy more. Conversely, we also waste a lot of food right through the supply chain; the cost of food waste to the national economy is a staggering 20 billion dollars each year. What are the many ways in which we could reduce our individual food waste? How can Australia address the needs of people who are food insecure, and by the same token minimise food waste, to encourage an equitable and sustainable approach to food? One thing is clear: we could do more to live by the old adages, 'you are what you eat' and 'waste not, want not'.

Indigenous Australians are among the most incarcerated people on Earth. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders make up 2% of all Australians, yet constitute more than a quarter of the nation's prison population. Over-representation in the criminal justice system by Indigenous men, women and young people is a persistent and growing problem. What are the reasons for these high imprisonment rates; and what reforms are being proposed to reduce Indigenous people's contact with the criminal justice system? Are 'tough on crime' policies flouting deaths in custody recommendations and further entrenching Indigenous disadvantage before the law? After the recent Northern Territory Royal Commission, prompted by the exposure of shocking abuses, has anything changed in relation to youth detention? This book examines the latest research and statistics on Indigenous imprisonment, and reviews progress on addressing Aboriginal deaths in custody recommendations and reforming the detention of young Indigenous people. How can governments reduce incarceration and commit to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to implement overdue interventions? What will it take to unlock the problems of Indigenous inequality and over-representation in the criminal justice system?

Australia has experienced its longest ever period of economic growth over the last quarter century. Yet, there are growing concerns and debate about the distribution of benefits from this growth, and the extent to which inequality is increasing. One in eight adults and more than one in six children are living in poverty, while the share of income going to the top is growing at the expense of low- and middle-income earners. The disparity between rich and poor Australians extends beyond income to educational, postcode, intergenerational and technological inequality - all of which are at the core of opportunity. How are poverty and inequality measured; what are the features of deprivation experienced by people living with entrenched economic disadvantage, struggling with rising costs of living and housing pressures, and reliant on social security and charity? Is Australia - long seen as the egalitarian land of the 'fair go' - now a divided nation of haves and have-nots? How do we tackle economic disadvantage and poverty, and facilitate fairness and opportunity for all?

Most people suffer from stress at some point in their lives, yet it affects people in different ways. A certain level of stress is necessary to motivate us to reach our potential, however if we experience too much stress, it can become a serious health concern. This guide is aimed at helping young Australians to identify and understand stress and its impacts on their mental and physical health. It features a range of tips, strategies and tools for managing and reducing stress, including relaxation techniques. The title also dedicates a chapter to handling exam stress, showing readers how to reduce stress caused by study pressures and most effectively prepare for exams. Learn how to stress less and be at your best under pressure.

Many of us, particularly young consumers, are constantly connected online and increasingly informed by digital media. For the first time, Australians' use of online news has surpassed traditional offline news sources. In this confusing age of misinformation, how do we make sense of media messages? Media literacy and education are essential tools; we need to be able to tell fact from fiction in news that is rapidly and pervasively generated by multiple sources via websites and digital platforms, including social media. This book is a timely guide aimed at teachers and students, featuring expert advice on how to promote the necessary skills to access, understand, question, critically analyse and evaluate digital media. If we are to be well-informed and entertained by online content, it is important that we understand the news media environment and our engagement with it, in all of its factual, social and ethical dimensions. How is 'fake news' spread, and how can you detect it? What sources should you trust, and why?

Explores the basics of bushfires, how and where they occur, the threats they pose and their hazards. The book also explains in detail how to effectively prepare your home for a bushfire, and when to safely leave. Future bush fires are expected to get worse. Learn now how to prepare, act and survive. Also includes: worksheets and activities, fast facts, glossary, web links, index.

Australia has a national approach to gun-related violence, however there are more firearms in the community than ever before. This book explores the ongoing debate with a range of opinions on firearms restrictions from both gun control advocates and the gun lobby. Is gun ownership a right or a privilege? Are we going backwards on gun control? Also includes: worksheets and activities, fast facts, glossary, web links, index.

Examines Australia's international and domestic human rights obligations and how they are being addressed in relation to controversial and challenging issues including asylum seeker detention, racial discrimination, free speech, indigenous advancement, juvenile incarceration, disability rights, gender equality and same-sex marriage. Also includes: worksheets and activities, fast facts, glossary, web links, index.

Many Australians are struggling to meet their payments for mortgages, investments, personal debt, student debt, and credit card debt. This is a helpful guide for young people to understand and avoid financial stress, with advice on how to deal with debt, manage money through budgeting and savings, and develop your financial literacy. Make the most of your money and manage debt. Also includes: worksheets and activities, fast facts, glossary, web links, index.

This book identifies the various forms of bullying, explains its causes and effects, and presents advice on school anti-bullying strategies and how to tackle cyberbullying. Whether you are an educator, student, parent, bystander, offender or victim, there is an abundance of helpful information in this book to assist in understanding bullying and how to deal with it. Bullying should never be accepted as a regular part of growing up.

Genes are the instructions for the growth and development of our bodies, however mutations in a person's genome can result in a genetic condition or disease. What are the dilemmas, risks and regulations associated with genetic testing and its related privacy and discrimination issues, gene patenting, and the prospect of human genetic enhancement? What are the ethical implications of gene therapies and gene editing (CRISPR)? Scientific progress, or playing God?

Alcohol consumption is widespread and frequently consumed at harmful levels. Binge drinking and excessive long-term alcohol consumption are significant causes of injury, addiction, disease, violence, crime, family breakdown, accidents, lost productivity and death in Australia. What are safe drinking levels, and what are the immediate and long-term risks of alcohol consumption? How do we prevent harmful impacts of excessive alcohol intake and promote responsible drinking choices, especially among younger people?

168 million boys and girls work as child labourers in farms, fields, factories, homes, streets and battlefields around the world. A staggering 85 million are engaged in illegal, hazardous work which is harmful to physical, mental, spiritual, moral and educational development. What is the extent of child slavery around the world, and what are the industries which exploit children? This book tackles the myths and misunderstandings surrounding child labour and explains the international labour standards and approaches aimed at eventually eliminating the exploitation of children. The book also measures global progress in reducing child exploitation, including the role of Australian companies and consumers in ensuring the goods they produce and purchase meet minimum age standards. Child labour is everyone's business.

Australia is in the process of updating and strengthening its defence capabilities with increases in military spending. This book examines the operational priorities and capabilities of the Australian army, navy and airforce as well as exploring the nation's planned strategic direction. When should Australians take up arms, and what are the costs and consequences of war? Are Australia's strategic defence policies, capabilities and alliances enough to protect us from attack? Also includes: worksheets and activities, fast facts, glossary, web links, index.

Excessive sugar consumption can lead to serious health conditions. This title explains the latest sugar consumption guidelines and details the amount of sugar added to common food and beverage items. It also offers helpful advice on reducing unhealthy sugar intake through personal dietary behaviours and government policy approaches. How much sugar is it OK to eat, what are its health impacts, and how can we manage its consumption? Also includes: worksheets and activities, fast facts, glossary, web links, index.

nfectious, or communicable, diseases are a major global health concern. Managing and preventing the spread of diseases takes a concerted public health effort to deal with deadly outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics. This book reveals the global trends and challenges in the fight against the major types of infectious disease, and looks at vaccine-preventable diseases and immunisation in Australia. Are we doing enough to win the ongoing fight against infectious diseases? Also includes: worksheets and activities, fast facts, glossary, web links, index.

Freedom of expression and tolerance are core features of our democracy. How is free speech justified in Australia? What laws are in place to protect people from defamation and discrimination such as racial vilification? Which speech deserves special protections; should some speech acts be punished? When does the right to freedom of expression become a right to offend? Is free speech at risk in Australia, or is the balance right? Also includes: worksheets and activities, fast facts, glossary, web links, index.

The challenges to Australian agriculture have been many: changes to land use and farm management practices in response to climate change, water restrictions, farm debt, pressures on farmers, reliance on seasonal and migrant workers, as well as variable productivity and international competition. This book examines the current state of the agriculture sector and the environmental and economic outlook. What is the future of farming in Australia? Also includes: worksheets and activities, fast facts, glossary, web links, index.