Listen Now - 2010-03-17 | Download Audio - 17032010
The BBC is planning to roll back some of its services to give commercial operators more space. It comes at a time when media operators here claim the ABC is expanding beyond its charter. So what is the role of a public broadcaster in the digital age? Are there any lessons for the ABC from the UK experience? Is the ABC over-extending its reach?
Listen Now - 2010-03-16 | Download Audio - 16032010
While e-retailing is setting records overseas, particularly in the UK and the US, Australia is lagging far behind. Here, online makes up only three per cent of retail sales. So what are the barriers? Is e-retailing set to take off?
Listen Now - 2010-03-15 | Download Audio - 15032010
The Rudd Government's frustration with the Senate has boiled over with five ministers forming a chorus of complaint. The government says it has 41 bills stuck in the Senate. But can the current Senate be described as obstructionist? The opposition, the Greens and independent senators have accused the government of an unwillingness to negotiate. What do Australian voters expect of the Senate?
Listen Now - 2010-03-10 | Download Audio - 10032010
As our cities become more congested and we are encouraged to reduce our carbon footprint, more Australians are riding bicycles. In Melbourne alone, the number of cyclists on the cities' roads has soared by up to 50 per cent during peak hour in the past year. But each year, on average, 35 cyclists are killed in Australia, and more than 2,500 are seriously injured on our roads. Many more incidents go unreported. Is enough being done to safely accommodate the growing number of cyclists on the roads?
Listen Now - 2010-03-09 | Download Audio - 09032010
The federal government is looking at introducing an 18+ rating for computer and video games, and the Department for Home Affairs has received a record number of submissions on the issue. Gaming is a massive industry -- there has been a 50 per cent increase since 2008. So do we need an adult rating for games? Will it increase the number and availability of violent games, or lead to more control? How is the gaming culture evolving in Australia?
6pm Monday to Wednesday (3pm WA, 5pm Q/NT)
repeated 3am
Presented by
Paul Barclay
Monday 22 March 2010
The Federal Government's planning to introduce paid parental leave by January next year. It's proposing 18 weeks taxpayer-funded leave at the minimum weekly wage of $544. But the opposition's now come up with a more generous alternative scheme funded by a new tax on big business. Is the Government's scheme good enough? Can Australia afford to be more generous to parents?
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2am AEDT
Counterpoint
with Michael Duffy and Paul Comrie-Thomson
Because all great minds don't think the same...
