On-field violence again reared its ugly head this week.

NRL’s prestigious State of Origin series has become the latest fiasco, with Blues captain Paul Gallen’s swinging fist against Nate Myles overshadowing an inspiring NSW victory over long-time favourites Queensland.

When the stakes are high, and the pressure is on, there has always been the expectation of a ‘bit of biff’, as it is so affectionately called by fans, as, alongside the disapproval and jeers of bad sportsmanship, exists an expectation and lust for an on-field brawl.

Addressing this mindset is a battle judiciaries and local sports teams continue to fight, and it is made all the more difficult when public figures, at the top tier of sport, demonstrate assaulting another player can only earn a couple of weeks off the field and an insignificant monetary fine.

“I believe it’s considered an acceptable thing almost for punch ups to happen in top level sport, people say it’s shameful but I know it’s the case most of the time when people talk about the game, the first thing out of their mouths is, oh did you see the punch up,” said the Illawarra Bulldogs AFL Club’s Lee Murray .

Gallen faced the NRL judiciary this week and earned a one-game ban. He will be allowed to continue in the series as Blues captain for game three. 

Murray said, in the heat of the moment, people forget the implication of their actions.

“What needs to be made clearest to players it that when you aren’t at that level like the State of Origin or equivalent is that you are liable to criminal charges of assault,” he said.

“If you knock a bloke out on the field it’s not only going to be the judiciary coming after you, it’s the police as well.”

Gallen has attacked the NRL for its use of past State of Origin brawls to promote the series on television. 

“When you look at all the promotions promoting Origin there’s stinks, so I hope the NRL steps in now and doesn’t allow the footage to promote the game,” he said.

Each week, Twilight Tournaments encourage youth to participate in local sport by running a free sports program on Saturday nights.

The program runs eight weeks a term, four terms a year, and includes basketball, hockey and indoor soccer.

The younf participants are not only provided with free sport but free transport, a nutritious meal and a life-skills workshop. The tournament encourages youth and community participation as well as promoting health in youth. Twilight is run on a volunteer basis.

A newly approved $250 million mixed-use development site in Tallawarra will aim to boost employment opportunities in Wollongong, according to a Wollongong City councillor.

The NSW Planning Commission approved plans this week for the 560-hectare development site. The area will include 40 hectares of commercial and industrial land and 16 hectares of retail development.

Wollongong City Councillor Ann Martin welcomed the plans saying the site will provide valuable employment opportunities for new and existing Illawarra residents.

“This will be extremely good for us,” Cr Martin said.

“The Illawarra has amongst the highest unemployment rate in Australia and as a council we feel it is important the Tallawarra development focuses on employment opportunities.”

Cr Martin said young families and working mothers were among those who would benefit from the development.

“This plan means we can keep jobs close to everybody so they don’t have to travel to work,” Cr Martin explained.

In a recent statement, the NSW Planning Commission said the overall plan aims to provide both immediate and long term employment benefits, as well as social and economic advantages for local government areas.

The statement explained the construction phase would create initial employment opportunities within the area, as well as assist in long term benefits. The statement further said that housing, commerce and employment opportunities in the region would improve as a direct result of the development.

“The Commission is of the opinion the benefit the employment lands provides for the region is a priority and should not be compromised by uses that could restrain their development potential,” the PAC said.

Ward 3 Councillor Bede Crasnich told The Illawarra Mercury the plans have the potential to change he demographic make-up of Dapto.

“It will mean more money coming into the area and more money being spent in the area too,” Cr Crasnich said.

Megan Stores, a previous resident of Figtree who recently moved back to Wollongong after living in Sydney, said new housing opportunities would provide an incentive for young families to relocate to the area.

“Wollongong is booming with great education systems and is the perfect place to bring up kids,” she said.

Cr Crasnich further said the Tallawarra site is among several new land developments planned for the coming decades and will contribute to a boom in the population of the Illawarra region.

However, Cr Crasnich expressed his concern for the initial land sales.

“The site will include great features like access wetlands, nature reserves and bikeways but in the early days developers will have the work hard to get people to settle in the area,” he said.

The Tallawarra development includes 1000 housing lots and 360 hectares of dedicated conservation land.

Video: HARRISON VESEY

Audio visual: SARAH NAVIN

Words: HANNAH SHIELDS

Free sport is on offer at URAC to encourage people to get involved in sport and discover the facilities available to them at uni.

Audio/Visual: GERARD MCDONOUGH

The Final Draft project has been running since 2009

Not content with latent librettos, UOW’s young playwrights are having their words breathed to life by performance students in a series of plays being exhibited at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre in June.

Final Draft, the brainchild of UOW Creative Writing lecturer Dr Joshua Lobb and IPAC’s Fiona Finley, is a collaboration between Creative Writing students and the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre’s Drama Studio.

Established to allow emerging playwrights to engage in all stages of the production process, the Final Draft program enables the students to develop their creative voices while gaining hands-on experience in the field.

Third year writer and former Drama Studio student, James Poole says the program has been particularly beneficial for his craft.

“It’s practice, and it’s practice in a very realistic, practical setting for a writer. We had a script deadline, we had editing dates, we’ve had printing issues, everything you could imagine, we’ve gone through it,”James says.

The venture has been rewarding for all involved. (See below video)

In enabling creative writers to work actively with senior high school students, Final Draft generates a mutually constructive experience.

“It’s also beneficial for the people down at the Drama Studio,” Dr Lobb says.

“Because they’re young actors. They get to work with writers and see how that process works.”

Dr Lobb said the practical lessons gleaned from having the work performed beyond a classroom setting are invaluable.

“It’s a really good experience for a writer to work out when a line in a play lands- when somebody finds it funny or when they’re moved by it- and when it doesn’t. It’s much better than seeing it in just a workshop situation or just down on the page.”

This year’s production features six short plays exploring Greek Mythology, with ventures quite creatively undertaken.

Final Draft will be showcased at IPAC on Saturday, 15 June at 7.30pm.

Students have enjoyed showcasing their talent

Words & Video: SHARRI LEMBRYK

A forum to discuss the growing need for employment in the Illawarra was held in Dapto today.  The Unemployment Forum, hosted by Bruno Conte at the Ribbonwood Centre, was an attempt by the Centre for Community Enterprise to identify the underlying issues of unemployment in the Illawarra, with the hope of launching an informed campaign to lobby politicians and gain support funding.

Throsby MP critical of Budget unemployment snub

The Member for Throsby, Stephen Jones, has criticised his own party after this month’s Federal Budget failed to increase the unemployment benefit.

Mr Jones has joined a string of social service organisations across the country that are urging major political parties to increase unemployment support payments in attempt to stop the rise in poverty.

“I believe that we do need to increase the level of unemployment benefit, and I was disappointed that we didn’t do it in this budget,” Mr Jones said.

The criticism follows the 2013 Federal Budget decision to cut payments to over 80,000 parents, which was derided by the social services sector.

“It’s a policy of ours that we increase the level of unemployment benefit,” Mr Jones said.

“The gap between the unemployment benefit and other pensions has grown too great, and we’ve got groups as diverse as the Australian Council of Social Security and the Business Council of Australia saying that the government should act on this, because something’s wrong,” he said.

The release of the Salvation Army National Economic and Social Impact Survey earlier this month shows that over 60% of people seeking relief from the Salvation Army cannot afford dental treatment, 35% go without prescribed medication and 37 per cent can not afford to send their children to school excursions.

Australian Council of Social Services CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie is disappointed the Federal Government chose not to include an increase in the Newstart payment, despite widespread community support.

“We know that the $35 a day Newstart payment is now grossly inadequate and has been allowed to fall further behind community living standards,” Dr. Goldie said.
“An increase in the lowest social security payments for single people including single parents is the one policy that would have the most immediate and widespread impact on the lives of people affected by poverty.”

Mr Jones says he committed to being being outspoken on the issue.

“I’ve raised it at Caucus meetings, and I was able to get some improvements around single mums and other parts of the unemployment benefit,” he said.

“I want to see us go further, and I’ll continue to push it.”

Dr Goldie said Australia can and should do better to support the unemployed.

“We call on our elected representatives to show leadership on this issue and legislate a much needed $50 increase in Allowance payments for single people as a matter of urgency,” she said.

Australia’s unemployment rate is forecast to jump to 5.75 per cent by the middle of next year and remain high into 2015 with annual job growth being below the historic average. More than one million Australians seek help from the Salvation Army every year.

Words: SHANNON KELLEHER
Video: AMELIA CADDY

Let’s Talk Recognition at UOW

The University of Wollongong is leading the Illawarra’s Reconciliation Week celebrations this year with hip-hop performances, parades and speeches.

Thursday’s premier event will be the ‘Walk for Reconciliation’, starting at 11:50am.

Beginning at Wollongong TAFE’s canteen, the walk will progress over the freeway footbridge to the university’s Jugglers Lawn. Participants will place a plastic hand in the ‘Sea of Hands’, and then finish at the Duck Pond Lawn.

Other attractions will include a barbeque lunch and performances by indigenous hip-hop group Street Warriors, as well as other local aboriginal dancers and guest speakers.

This year’s theme, “Let’s Talk Recognition”, is described by the National Reconciliation Week’s website as having “a focus on how Australians can better recognise each other, and recognise the contributions, cultures and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”

A Representative from the ACT Branch of Australian for Reconciliation, Flora MacDonald, highlighted the importance of Reconciliation Week.

“We need to include Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders in our communities so that we can all learn from one another and develop a real awareness, understanding, appreciation and respect for the culture and history of Indigenous Australia,” she said.
“Its basis is the inclusion of the Indigenous peoples of Australia, not their exclusion, and that is healing for all of us.”

First held in 1996, National Reconciliation Week helps celebrate Indigenous history and culture in Australia, encouraging reconciliation discussion and activities.
The week’s starting date, May 27, commemorates the 1967 referendum, which first recognised Aboriginal people in the Australian census. It also incorporates the June 3 1992 High Court ruling to reject the Terra Nullius doctrine, which paved the way for Native Title and land rights.

It will be the third year that the university has been involved in the celebrations, with numbers expected to grow from last year’s 250 in attendance.

WORDS: LIAM NETHERY

PHOTOS: ALYSSA MARTIN

VIDEO: VANESSA CONRY

The University of Wollongong will be the home of environmental awareness next week when celebrations begin for the 40^th annual World Environment Day.

On campus events have an eye to engaging students and promoting the idea of a more sustainable future.

Alexandra McPaul of the Environmental & Sustainable Initiatives Unit (ESI) at UOW, believes the week provides a great opportunity to educate students on environmental sustainability.

“Often when you hold events you get the same people coming every time which is why this year we’ve decided to go with events which are less obvious or expected,” says McPaul.

“Any opportunity we get to engage with people we do because we really enjoy interacting with people and getting that message out there.”

Events will include a comedy debate, an EnviroFilm screening, composting workshop, food swap and much more.

The Great Comedy Debate will be held on the McKinnon Lawn at 12:30pm on Wednesday with special guest panelist Alex Dyson, from Triple J, spearheading the proceedings.

“The two teams will be debating whether people should be punished for leaving food on their plate and it’s about raising that issue of food waste but in more fun way,” says McPaul.

“It’s something that we think will be a success because it’s a bit different and engaging for the audience.”

ESI will also be teaming up with the student run UOW Environment Collective to host an EnviroFilm screening in Building 11 on Tuesday at 5:30pm.

Bess Murphy of the Enviro-Collective thinks the value of a week of celebration can not be underestimated.

“The ESI approached us and asked if we would like to hold a special screening for the week and we thought it was a great idea,” says Murphy.

“Every day should be World Environment day; I think it’s really important to have these sorts of events because they reach out to the wider public and show people how important our environment is.”

The 40^th anniversary of the event, run by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has adopted the theme of Think.Eat.Save with the focus being on reducing food waste.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, households in New South Wales waste up to $2.5 billion worth of edible food each year.

“When you think about all the energy involved in food waste like transportation, refrigeration and all the effort with growing the food there’s actually a much larger impact on the environment than you would expect,” says Murphy.

Events will be held on campus from June 3 – June 7 and ESI encourages everyone to come and check it out.

For more info contact ESI at: environment_team@uow.edu.au

Words: JULIAN KEITH
Audio/Visual: AMELIA LINDSEY
Video: KRISTY O’DONNELL

Gambling welfare advocates and politicians have welcomed the banning of live odds advertising during sports broadcasts, but say there is a much bigger problem to be addressed.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the restrictions on Monday, but in a compromise with bookmakers stopped short of restricting advertisements during quarter and halftime breaks.

Member for Throsby Stephen Jones has been a long-term supporter of the crackdown, and believes it is only the first step in providing relief for viewers.

“I think this is a big step forward; we’re kicking the bookies out of the stadium,” says Mr Jones.

“We’ve sent a very clear signal to [bookmakers] that if they start running wall-to-wall gambling ads during those breaks, we will come back and legislate to lock the lot out.”

The Labor MP is particularly concerned by gambling advertisements being run during children’s viewing time, and says he will continue to push the issue in Caucus.

“I sit down and watch the footy with my son and daughter, and if they can talk to you about the odds before they know the rules of the game and the players on the field, there’s something wrong,” said Mr Jones.

“Children’s viewing time stops at 8:30 [pm], so in some respects this goes further, because it says it doesn’t matter when you broadcast it, these restrictions will apply.

“They’ve been given a little bit of wiggle room on this; if they stuff it up, it gives me a very good argument to take this even further, and I am adamant that we will come back at them.”

Kate Roberts, Executive Officer at the Gambling Impact Society NSW, says that the effect on children is her deepest concern around sports betting.

Despite this, Roberts says that while sports betting is the most visible part of the problem gambling debate, it is merely a side-issue and the issue of electronic gaming should take centre-stage.

“None of us are born with the idea of developing a gambling problem; it actually becomes a learnt behaviour which comes about through the normalisation of gambling,” says Roberts.

“It’s exposure and access that creates problem gambling, and the largest amount of harm is actually produced by electronic gaming machines, or ‘pokies’ as we call them.

“They are on every street corner and in community facilities; there are more and more casino-type products being introduced into small clubs.

Roberts believes that the extensive media coverage of the announcement is also beneficial in starting a conversation about the wider issue of problem gambling.

“Thankfully, the types of questions being raised [around sports betting] do start to help give the community an indication that their voice is being heard,” said Roberts.

“It’s nowhere near enough though, and we need to continue having this debate and strengthening our approach to the issue of problem gambling.”

Mr Jones agrees, saying the oversaturation of bookmakers like Tom Waterhouse has inadvertently drawn community attention to the issue.

“Waterhouse has acted as a lightning rod for what was a blatant concern for the public,” he says.

“People didn’t like it, as they saw the gradual encroachment of gambling into our sport; not just the footy, but cricket and tennis too.

“He’s personified everything that was giving people a lot of agro because he just souped it up and went right over the top.

Everywhere you looked, you were seeing Tom Waterhouse, and people said ‘I’ve had enough of this’; he’s done himself and the corporate bookmakers absolutely no favours.”

Words: BLAKE FODEN

What will UOW being doing to support students during the stressful exam period? UOWTV had a chat with CSE and UOW Wellbeing to find out.

Video: ANDREA HOGAN & TESS BRUNTON