BtN: Episode 29 Transcript 25/10/16
Hello, I'm Nathan and this is BtN.
Coming up today,

Why one travel website is refusing to promote elephant rides or tiger selfies
anymore.

How these rocks might prove that Aboriginal people were the world's first
astronomers.

And ever wanted to live in a castle and knock people off a horse for a living?
Maybe jousting's for you.
You can see more of that crazy sport later on. But first.
Nauru Kids
Reporter: Amelia Moseley
As you'd know a few weeks ago we launched the BTN Welcome Book. The aim of it
was to help welcome all refugee and migrant kids that come to Australia to live. But not
all refugees that want to come to Australia are accepted. That's a fact a lot of people
have been talking about after a report came out about two kids that wanted to come
here but were settled on an island called Nauru instead.
This is Misbah, she's 13, and her friend Shamim who's 17. Both fled their home country
in South-East Asia when it became too dangerous for them.
MISBAH: In Burma the Muslim people and Buddhist people are fighting and the
Buddhist people doesn't want Muslim people to stay in Burma that's why they doesn't
like us, so they kill, they kill mostly the Muslim people.
That's why the girls, along with some of their family members, got on boats run by illegal
people smugglers and headed for Australia.
MISBAH: On the boat it was so dangerous and even my little sister she was crying, she
was like, "Oh I'm so scared of this swimming pool." She was like she thought that that
there was a swimming pool and my mum was crying too. But when we get to Christmas
Island we are so happy that we are here, we are safe, and we, I was thinking that I
would get to meet my father again.
They arrived at Christmas Island, which is an Australian territory a long way off the
coast of Western Australia. There they applied for asylum, which means they asked for
a safe place to live.
The Australian government puts all asylum seekers in detention while it works out if they
are in genuine need of protection. For asylum seekers that arrive by boat that usually
means being placed in a detention or processing centre far away from Australia. These
centres are paid for and run by the Australian government and the people sent to live in
them can be there for anywhere between a few months and a few years. Misbah and
Shamim didn't stay on Christmas Island for long.
SHAMIM: When they told us about you going to Nauru, and then I was like oh we're
going to Norway it's so good. Like Norway is so beautiful. Mum, Granny, why are you
crying, this is, we're going to Norway.
But Nauru's a long way from Norway. It's a tiny, remote island just six kays long, four
kays wide and one of the poorest countries on Earth.
Misbah and Shamim say life wasn't easy in detention here. Everyone lived in tents in
really hot conditions and kids were called by their boat numbers not their names.
Charity workers say the kids became really sad.
JUDITH REEN, SAVE THE CHILDREN: You could see the light drain out of their eyes.
You could see them go flat. Sadly, you know, students would come in and I just
remember one particular girl lying in the beanbag and just weeping for three hours.
While in detention the kids on Nauru still get to go to school. At first they attended a
school at the centre. But one day, the government closed that school and sent all the
kids to a Nauruan one instead. Misbah and Shamim say the Nauruan kids and teachers
didn't want them there and that they experienced some really bad things.
MISBAH: I really wanted to learn, I really wanted to be an educated person so I always
tried my best to go to school, but I did try in here too, I did try my really, really best to go
to school but I don't feel safe in there.
Shamim and Misbah were eventually found to be refugees in need of a safe place to
live. But instead of coming to Australia, they were settled on Nauru.
Australia's government says all asylum seekers on Nauru will be settled there if found to
be refugees and when that happens it's up to the Nauruan government to look after
them and keep them safe. On Nauru, refugees are free to move around the island, but
some say they don't feel safe there. It's also really hard for them to move somewhere
else.
MISBAH: I asked my mum that let's go back but she said 'no it's not possible - if we go
back we will get killed'.
For Shamim and Misbah the future is uncertain, but for now they say they just want the
chance to be kids.
SHAMIM: I don't care what country it is. But I just want to study good and have a good
time and healthy and safety and happy. I just want to be same person like everyone.
This Week in News
To other news now, and lots of people have been talking about Iraq this week because
there is a big battle going on there right now to take back an important city from
extremist group Islamic State.
Mosul is the second biggest city in Iraq and two years ago it was taken by IS fighters.
Now Iraq's military is leading a force of more than 30 thousand soldiers to take it back.
Other countries like the US and Australia are supporting them too. But many aid groups
are worried about the welfare of people that live in Mosul whilst the fighting continues.
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have gone head-to-head in their final debate before
the US presidential election in two weeks!
¶
Both candidates had to answer questions on things like the economy, immigration and
whether they're fit to be president. Of course, things got heated!
HILLARY CLINTON: Well that's because he'd rather have a puppet as President of the
United States.
DONALD TRUMP: No puppet, no puppet.
¶
Trump caused controversy by suggesting the election is rigged and that he might not
accept the results if he doesn't win. That's made a lot of people angry but his supporters
are standing by him.
And in Queensland scientists have confirmed the discovery of a new type of dinosaur!
¶
They've named it the Savannasaurus Elliottorum. And it belongs to a family of really big
sauropods known as titanosaurs. They existed here about 95 million years ago and are
the biggest animals to have ever walked the earth!
STEPHEN POROPAT, DINOSAUR MAN: Savannasaurus is one of the most complete
sauropod dinosaurs, so a long necked dinosaur that has ever been found in Australia,
and it's only the 20th Australian Mesozoic dinosaur to have actually been given its own
name.
The fossilised bones were discovered by a farmer in Central West Queensland back in
2005. But it's taken more than a decade for volunteers to dig them all up and confirm
that it's a new kind of dinosaur.
Heritage Hydro
Reporter: Jack Evans
Next up, it's been announced that the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme has made the
National Heritage List. It's one of the most complex projects ever undertaken in
Australia. Here's the story of how it came to be.
On the 17th of October 1949 huge blasts marked the beginning of one of the world's
biggest engineering projects, the Snowy Mountains Electric Scheme. The government's
plan was to use all the melting snow up here by directing all of that water into rivers
and through huge turbines. That's called hydroelectricity. Some of the water was also
directed inland to help water farmers’ crops too.
At the time some people thought it was pretty controversial to build a power station in
the middle of the Kosciuszko National Park. Environmentalists were concerned about
the impact it might have on the environment but the project still went ahead and it took
25 long years to complete. Roads were bulldozed through the ranges, mountains were
dug into a series of connecting tunnels and wide gullies were turned into dams.
Nearly a hundred thousand people worked on the construction of the massive power
station and many of them were immigrants from different countries.
REPORTER: And your name? And where are you from? Paris. England. Denmark.
Greece. Well, we're a pretty mixed bag, I’m from Melbourne.
During the late 1940's, a lot of people in Europe were leaving their countries looking for
work to start a new life. So the Australian Government started an international campaign
to encourage them to come to Australia to work on the Snowy Mountains Scheme. It
was incredibly popular and those workers brought with them their families and their
culture. But the conditions were really tough for the workers and their families had to
adapt to freezing temperatures and the isolated location. When I was 14, we came to
Australia and went to Adaminaby and my experience there was like I was coming to a
wild west town.
Today the Snowy Mountains Scheme is still considered one of the largest and most
ambitious engineering projects ever undertaken in Australia. Not only did it change the
way Australia sourced its energy, it also transformed our cultural landscape and helped
build the multicultural nation we know today.
QUIZ
Time for our first quiz. How much of New South Wales' power is produced by the Snowy
Mountains Hydro Scheme?

1%

10%

80%
The answer - 10%
Animal Attractions
Reporter: Nic Maher
Okay, while on holiday overseas many families visit an animal exhibit to see some local
wildlife. For example, you might go for a ride on an elephant or you might pose for a
selfie with a tiger. But tourism website Trip Advisor says it's now going to stop selling
tickets to or promoting many of these experiences because it believes they're often
cruel for the animals involved.
Wacky colours, spotted coats and whatever this weird looking thing is, our planet sure is
packed with some unique and wonderful animals.
KID 1: I like monkeys because they're really cute.
KID 2: I would love to see any type of tiger in its natural habitat.
KID 3: I would go and see some wolves because I like how they're the ancestor of the
dog
Unfortunately, not all of these cool animals live in Australia. So, sometimes you have to
head overseas to see them. It's a big reason why animal tourism has become such a
massive industry, whether it's taking selfies with big cats, swimming with dolphins or
riding elephants.
That all might sound pretty awesome, but it can be a lot less awesome for the animals
involved. It can lead to wild animals being taken from their homes, or sometimes, the
animals are treated really badly.
For example, elephants can be beaten and kept in tiny cages while being trained to
carry people. Tigers and lions can be drugged, to make them calmer and safer around
tourists. And Dolphins can be kept in enclosures, without room to hunt, roam or play as
they would in the wild.
For a long time, animal rights groups have been trying to stop tourism companies from
promoting these kinds of activities.
NICOLA BEYNON, WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION: A good rule of thumb is, if you
can ride it, if you can hug it or if you can have a selfie taken with it, then there's a good
chance that that animal has suffered from cruelty. So, don't buy the ticket.
Nicola works for World Animal Protection. Recently, a petition of theirs led to
TripAdvisor, one of the biggest travel sites in the world, changing its policies.
TripAdvisor announced it would stop selling tickets to certain attractions that are often
linked to animal mistreatment, like those where tourists get to touch captive, wild or
endangered animals.
It also promised to put info about the issue on its website. However, the ban won't apply
for domestic animal attractions, like those involving cats and dogs, certain rescue
programs or things like feeding programs that are run by approved animal experts.
Animal rights groups have praised TripAdvisor for taking a stand. But, some people
involved in the industry argue that some of these attractions are just a way of life, or that
in poorer countries, they just give people a chance to make a living.
Others say, they give tourists a chance to learn about the animals in them and that
some actually help to raise money for conservation. However, many conservationists
say no matter what the reason, wild animals should stay in the wild where ever possible.
So, what do you guys reckon?
KID 3: I think it is a good thing if it's supporting conservation
KID 4: It's not okay if it's forced
KID 1: You need to know if the place you're going to, if the animals are treated well.
KID 2: I'm 100% fine with animal tourism, as long as the animals are treated with the
respect we get as humans. Because, you do have to remember, they are just humans
on 4 legs essentially. They can feel pain, they can feel emotion and why should we treat
them like they’re just toys for our enjoyment.
Ask a Reporter
Got a question about animal attractions? Ask me live on Friday during Ask A Reporter!
Head to our website for all the details.
Poll
And this issue will also be our poll this week. Let us know what you think on our
website.
Should all wild animal experiences be banned?
Aboriginal Astronomy
Reporter: Jack Evans
Scientists think they may have found the world's oldest astronomical map right here in
Australia. The sacred Aboriginal site is believed to have been made to map the position
of the sun, moon and stars in the sky. And studies suggest it might be old enough to
predate some much more famous examples from overseas.
Some say it was created by aliens, others say it was the site of ancient rituals and
sacrifices. But most people in the know, reckon that Stonehenge was actually one
massive star map. And while there are still some arguments about its purpose, one
thing everyone agrees on is its age. Stonehenge is old - like 7,000 years old. Which
would make it the oldest known astronomy site in the world. But here in Australia some
scientists think that these stones could prove that Indigenous people actually created
their own astronomical site thousands of years earlier than that.
The egg-shaped ring of stones is known as the Wurdi Youang stone arrangement. It's
located in Wathaurung country which is near Ballarat in Victoria. These scientists say
that it might be more than 11,000 years old, which would make the Wathaurung people
the world's first astronomers.
The Wurdi Youang stone arrangement seems to map the different setting positions of
the sun throughout the year. That would show the changing of seasons, allowing the
Wathaurung people to identify when certain foods were available throughout the year.
You can think of it like an ancient calendar.
But Australia's Indigenous people used the skies for more than just that, they were also
used for storytelling. For example, while most western cultures know this group of stars
as the saucepan. For the Yolngu people in the Northern Territory it's known as Djulpan
or the Canoe. It tells the story of three brothers who went fishing. All they could catch
were king fish.
But because they were from the Nulkal clan, which means King-fish, they weren't
allowed to eat any of them one of the brothers became so hungry he ate one anyway.
Walu, the sun woman, saw this and got angry so she created a waterspout that lifted
them right up into the sky where they stayed forever.
Other Indigenous groups saw the stars differently. Instead of using the stars to map
shapes, they used the dark spaces between them. Like the Emu in the sky, which is
used in various East Coast Aboriginal groups and is located right next to the southern
cross.
Scientists are still studying Wurdi Youang stone site to uncover more proof about its
age. At the same time, they're working with traditional owners to better understand
Wathaurung astronomy and the amazing world-firsts they might have achieved.
QUIZ
Quiz number 2 now.
How long does it take for the sun's light to reach earth?

1 minute

4 minutes

8 minutes
Answer: 8 minutes
Sport
Australia has won the Constellation Cup for the fourth year in a row! It's one of the
biggest comps in World Netball which sees Australia take on arch-rivals New Zealand in
a four game series. The Diamonds claimed victory in the final match beating the Silver
Ferns by 4 points.
Geelong superstar Jimmy Bartel has retired from the AFL after a massive career. He's
played 305 games for the Cats and in that time won 3 premierships, a Norm Smith
medal and a Brownlow medal.
Bartel also spent this year growing his beard to raise awareness about domestic
violence.
Adelaide's wheelchair basketball team has broken a world record for the longest game
ever played - a whopping 32 hours!
The gruelling match was set up as a fundraiser for their team the Adelaide Thunder.
Three years ago the club had to pull out of the national league because of money
problems. They're hoping this big achievement will help them raise enough cash to
return.
DAVID GOULD: All the players around the court have just been fantastic, to just keep
going and keep going, they're fatigued - most people haven't been able to sleep
because obviously the whistles are going, the music is going. But you know we just
keep going. We just want to get that record.
And over the weekend India was crowned the world champions of Kabaddi. It's a sport
most Aussies have probably never heard of but despite that there was an Aussie team
there representing us anyway.
¶
Basically it's kind of like a mix between tag and wrestling. And it's really popular in some
parts of the world like India and Bangladesh.
Unfortunately the Aussie team didn't get too far in the comp but it looks like a lot of fun
once you work out what's actually happening.
¶
Jousting
Reporter: Nic Maher
Finally today, can you imagine if it was your job to put on 30 kilograms of armour and try
to knock other people off the back of their horse? That's the medieval sport of jousting
and there is one man in Australia that lists it as his occupation. We met him to find out
what it takes to become a champion in this ancient sport.
PHIL: When I first got here, I use to have to pinch myself every now and then, it’s sort of
become almost normal for me now. Yeah, I do live in a castle but that's pretty handy if
you want to joust and dress up like a knight a lot. It’s worked pretty well for me.
You heard that right, Phil here lives in a real life castle in Ballarat and is also Australia's
only full-time jouster.
Jousting is when two knights fully decked out in very heavy armour charge at each other
on horseback with big sticks, called lances; and they do it all while trying to hit each
other as hard as possible.
Sounds pretty insane right? Well, yeah okay, it is pretty insane. Jousting started all the
way back in the Middle Ages, but not on the battlefield. It was actually a sport for rich
people. Knights would travel from across the land to compete for money and honour. To
win a joust, you can knock your opponent off their horse, or score points by landing the
best hits or breaking your lance.
The sport faded away with the Middle Ages but has reappeared over the past 50 years,
with new comps popping up all over the world. Earlier this year, Phil, the jousting
master, decided to take his mate Cliff under his wing.
PHIL: Cliff started here as a much better horseman than I am. But even then, he still
had a lot to learn to actually joust.
The pair spent months training up for the St Ives Medieval Faire in Sydney, one of
Australia's top jousting tournaments.
PHIL: Having won it before, I suppose I need to win it again.
CLIFF: If I can just present myself and do okay with it, that's a win. Anything more than
that, that's a great win!
When the big day finally came around, a twist of fate saw the pair matched together in
the first elimination final.
ANNOUNCER: These two brothers in arms from Victoria, they will be jousting for a
place in the semi-final!
It was friend vs friend, but Cliff shocked just about everyone by beating the man who
taught him everything he knows. Cliff then scored another big win to make the Grand
Final.
The well struck blow forced Cliff's opponent to retire, making Cliff the underdog, the new
champion of jousting! The two mates shared a big hug, at the end of a day neither are
likely to forget any time soon.
CLIFF: I owe him so much. He's one of my best mates, my mentor, my teacher.
PHIL: One of us had to go, and there's no other person that I would rather lose to.
Closer
And that's it for today! But as always there is more to see on our website including
teacher resources and activities for all of our stories. Stay well and bye for now.