Background Briefing

In the name of protecting children, the government will decree we'll be forbidden to see 'unwanted' and 'inappropriate' things on the web. But exactly what that means is a secret, and the thin end of the censorship wedge. Reporter, Wendy Carlisle.

Wall to wall coverage of carbon trading has eclipsed another scheme aimed at overhauling Australia's dirty power industry. How to find tens of billions of dollars to get renewable energy to take over from coal power. Is Australia locked into a second best scheme, and why aren't we following the lead of world leaders in Europe? Reporter Di Martin.

Robotic technology is forging ahead, and there are benefits. But the costs are huge, and there's not yet evidence that (in prostate cancer surgery for instance) the eventual outcome is much better than before. On the frontier of modern surgery, reporter, Ian Townsend.

Are business media watchdogs acting in the public interest, or are they merely messengers? To whom does the media owe allegiance when global economic meltdown looms. Reporter, Stan Correy.

Free trade and globalisation have changed the sources of food. Regulations are being weakened or disregarded in the pursuit of low prices and more choice. Poor quality kills, and Japan imports 60 per cent of what it needs. Reporter, Bronwyn Herbert.

The law in Australia may not have caught up with modern medicine, and doctors and the authorities are caught between a rock and a hard place. So argues Dr Rodney Syme, who refers to himself as a Christian Humanist. He says the current situation for people who are terminally ill and in great pain is a scandal.

The rich are deserting the old city of Cairo and moving to luxurious, Hollywood style, gated communities in the desert, with lush golf courses and artificial lakes. Water is a big issue, as old Cairo is left to the poor and the tourists. Reporter, Hagar Cohen.

Bats carry many of the nasty viruses, even SARS, Ebola, Nipah and Hendra. Scientists think bats may be using these deadly viruses in a war with other species, including horses and man. (This program was originally broadcast on 31st August 2008.)

For years it's been one of the science community's great taboos but the idea of global climate control is starting to be openly discussed. Ideas like placing giant mirrors in space or firing sulphur particles into the stratosphere to cool the planet are no longer just in the domain of science fiction. Many scientists now believe the time for these ideas will come. Reporter, Wendy Carlisle (This program was originally broadcast on 6th April 2008.)

Most people rate noise as a bigger problem than rats, drugs, or dog poo. It's highest on the list of citizen complaints, but it's listed low by councils and politicians. But noise can have cultural value too. (This program was originally broadcast on 28th September 2008)