The executive director of the Australian Coal Association, Ralph Hillman, said governments were making serious investments in renewable and clean energy production.

“People are working on all these technologies because everyone can see climate change science is real and we are facing a carbon constrained future, “ he said.

Mr Hillman said coal industries were working towards methods to address carbon emissions and they have Coal21 Fund, which is dedicated to carbon capture and storage technologies.

“Coal is going to have to address its greenhouse gas emission via carbon capture and storage, which is central to a global solution to climate change,” he said.

Energy ‘boost’

Australian Conservation Foundation climate change campaigner Phil Freeman said the survey results released in September would hopefully spark renewed action to promote clean energy.

“What we need next is a boost for the emerging clean energy technologies like large-scale solar, geothermal hot rocks and tidal and wave power,” he said.

Urban and Regional Planning and Sustainability lecturer at Queensland University of Technology, Mellini Sloan, said it was significant the survey shows an overwhelming majority of people in both areas care.

“It’s a great challenge for young engineers and it certainly seems like it’s a direction that we are going in,” she said.

“It’s quite exciting”.

‘Expensive to perfect’

The Zero Carbon Australian 2020 Stationary Energy Plan said it was “technically feasible, practical and economically attractive” to have 100 per cent renewable energy in Australia in 10 years.

But Mr Hillman said both renewable energies and cleaner traditional methods would be essential to meeting future energy demands.

Mr Hillman said renewable technologies were expensive and took time to perfect and these costs would transfer to consumers.

However, Mr Freeman said electricity prices would continue to increase regardless of whether or not the energy was being produced by renewable or clean energy sources.

“[Electricity prices have] already doubled in the last 10 years and that’s got nothing to do with clean energy policies or putting a price on pollution,” he said.

The estimated increase outlined in the Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan would be an “affordable” $8 per household each week.

But Mrs Sloan said whether homeowners would find this a reasonable amount they are willing to pay was still hard to tell.

“Eight dollars doesn’t sound like a lot but if you are strapped financially [it may be hard],” she said.

Queensland Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Stephen Robertson was not available for comment on the issue.

Energy efficient measures

However, Mr Freeman said there were many measures homeowners could take to reduce their energy usage and there energy bills.

“It’s a smart hip-pocket move to think beyond the next electricity bill, invest some time and money in smart technologies like solar hot-water and better insulation, that will reduce energy use,” he said.

The Queensland GreenHome Guide said the top five things to do to reduce energy were:

• switch to green power;
• install solar hot water system;
• heat and cool homes efficiently;
• have an energy efficient fridge;
• and do not leave appliances on stand-by.

Sustainable communities

Meanwhile, master plan communities, which offer shared lifestyle centres and self-contained communities, are taking great steps towards becoming more environmentally friendly.

Future master plan community, Rochedale Estates, south of Brisbane’s CBD, began construction this month and will have recycled water for gardening and flushing toilets and 5,000-litre water tanks standard in each home.

The homes are also designed with the housing orientation in relation to sun and wind patterns in mind, which Mrs Sloan said was sensible and could help reduce energy usage.

Brisbane Lord Major Campbell Newman said Rochedale Estates had made outstanding developments in water sensitive design and efficient use of power and water.

“This is a significant master plan community that’s finally on its way,” he said.

Peter Brown CEO of FKP, the property and investment group behind Rochedale Estates, said a great amount of environmental work was done because purchasers appreciated it.

“Within limits buyers are willing to pay a premium for [more sustainable housing],” he said.

Related Links:

• Queensland GreenHome Guide – Australian Conservation Foundation.
• Media Release Survey – Australian Conservation Foundation.
• Zero Carbon Australian 2020 Stationary Energy Plan.
• Ezy Green – Brisbane City Council and The Queensland Government

Water quality not improving for Brisbane's surrounding areas. Source: Sebastian Sinclair

The latest report on water quality has shown only slight improvements.

The Healthy Waterways report is released every year and this year, results on 400 sites across the south-east of the state show little change.

The data has been compiled by the Queensland and local governments, research organisations and community groups.

President of Wildlife Queensland Simon Baltais said there is room for improvement.

“They should be repairing the riparian areas. There should be re-vegetating of any cases. Until they do that, the problem is only going to continue,” he said.

The Ecosystem Health Report Card scores catchments and estuaries on a scale from A to F.

The program manager for science and monitoring at Healthy Waterways South East Queensland, Piet Filet, said urban waterways are struggling.

“All of our urban freshwater streams have continued to struggle for their scores because of legacies of impacts over the last 100 years,” he said.

He said storm water and flooding do impact on the quality of our water.

“Storm water is always part of the impacting process on our waterways and what we have seen in the last 12 months is a mixture of run offs from both rural and urban areas,” he said.

Information released over a 12 month period shows the Moreton Bay area jumped from D to a C rating.

The Oxley, Redlands and Lower Brisbane River catchments have again scored an F rating.

Engineering academic Dr. Les Dawes said environmental projects need more funding to improve the quality of waterways.

“The problem with the State Government and local governments is that they don’t have the man power or the money to do this sort of stuff,” he said.

He also said urban developers can help improve water systems.

“I think developers also have to take responsibility, to make sure that there’s lots of guidelines produced for what we call water sense of urban design in any new residential development.”

Mr Baltais said urban areas are by far the worst contributors to contaminating the quality of water.

“Comparing hectare to hectare urban areas are by far the worst contributor of nitrogen phosphorus in silt into the system,” he said.

He said better partnerships between communities, local authorities and developers are crucial to improving the region’s waterways.

“Until we actually understand that if we want a healthy community and a healthy economy, you have to have a healthy environment.”

One in four Australian children are overweight or obese. Photo: Ellen-Maree Elliot

A producer has defended an advertisement to highlight the problem of childhood obesity that equates parents giving their children junk food to injecting them with heroin.

Precinct ad agency managing director and producer Henry Motteram says his agency created the ad to “spark discussion” and was “happy to be the enemy”.

“I don’t think we would have got a quarter of a million hits in two weeks if we hadn’t done something shocking,” he said.

“I know the analogy towards heroin and junk food is very strong – but both kill.

“Junk food kills a lot more people than heroin does in this country every year.”

Mr Motteram says the Breaking the Habit ad was made for “purely philanthropic” reasons.

“What we’ve done is drawn attention to something that really needed attention drawn to it,” he said.

‘Hard-hitting’

Cancer Council NSW nutrition program manager Colleen Glasson says the ad’s concept is “very hard-hitting” but she has “major problems” with it.

“We all need to eat – we don’t all need to take heroin,” she said.

“It’s okay to have a little bit of junk food – it’s not okay to have a little bit of heroin.”

She says one in four Australian children are overweight or obese.

“Many of those children will grow up to become obese adults, increasing their risk of chronic diseases, like certain cancers, heart diseases and diabetes.” she said.

“It’s a huge problem.”

Unhealthy food advertising

Junk food advertisements directed at children are self-regulated by two separate bodies, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) and the Quick Service Restaurant Industry (QSRI).

Both bodies have voluntary “initiatives” that outline guidelines for responsible food advertising to children.

A report compiled by the University of Sydney and the Cancer Council found there was a significant reduction in “non-core” food advertising to children by AFGC signatories between 2007 and 2009.

However, the report found the voluntary nature of the self-regulated codes limited their effectiveness and did not “adequately protect children”.

Ms Glasson says there ”are a lot of loopholes”.

She says although parents need to be educated about the link between too much junk food and obesity, the “real problem is the environment and the volume and the nature of unhealthy food advertising for children”.

“Everywhere they turn, children are being confronted by junk food ads,” she said.

Stronger regulation needed

Ms Glasson says the Cancer Council believes self-regulation does not work.

“The government needs to impose stronger regulations on junk food marketing to children,” she said.

She says restrictions need to:

• Be effective for children under 16 years old across all media;
• Have a standard definition of unhealthy foods across the board;
• Be effective for whenever children are watching television (for example, the children peak viewing time of 6-9pm);
• Restrict pervasive marketing techniques (for example, no promotional characters, sporting figures or premiums);
• Be monitored by an independent statutory body;
• Have meaningful penalties for non-compliance.

However, a spokesperson for the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing says they take childhood obesity “very seriously” and are taking steps to address it.

“Food marketing is but one element of what is a complex challenge in addressing obesity,” the spokesperson said.

“Effectively tackling this issue in Australia will require collaboration across industry, the community, families and individuals.”

Education environment

University of Sydney Associate Professor Dr Margaret Allman-Farinelli says encouraging an environment where children can make good food choices is just one aspect of combating childhood obesity.

“One thing is always education, perhaps for parents and communities as a whole, as to what constitutes a healthy diet,” she said.

Dr Allman-Farinelli says healthy food needs to be more accessible to busy families.

“It might be difficult to get public transport to and from getting the source of fresh food, but it might be only a walk to get some form of takeaway food,” she said.

She says community and local councils can improve and implement infrastructure like parks, footpaths and cycle ways, that are safe for children to use.

Dr Allman-Farinelli says everyone needs to pitch in.

“It’s not just a health issue – it’s an issue that goes across society if we’re going to be really serious about addressing it,” she said.

Related Links:

• Cancer Council’s website – Junk Busters
• 2010 International Journal of Pediatric Obesity: Industry self regulation of television food advertising: Responsible or responsive? – Joint research project by University of Sydney and Cancer Council NSW.
• AFGC Responsible Children’s Marketing Initiative Core Principles
• QSRI Initiative for Responsible Advertising and Marketing to Children

Dance stage and food stalls: Roma St Parklands on October 17. Photo: Jin Kok

Set over six performance areas, there were performances by ethnic dance groups, ensembles, traditional instruments groups and well known cultural performers like The View from Madeleine’s Couch.

Multicultural Affairs Minister Annastacia Palazczuk said in an earlier press release the event would show Queensland had a strong multicultural identity.

She said people would experience many of the state’s 200 cultures at the festival.

Russian ensemble

Among the acts on the “Unplugged Stage” was the Russian folkloric ensemble Samotsevty, who performed at similar events such as the Mariner’s Cove Fraser Coast Cultural Festival in south-east Queensland and the National Folk Festival in Canberra in the ACT.

Domra player Vladis Kosse said the Russian ensemble was established in 2000.

“The members come from the five republics of the former USSR – Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan,” he said.

Traditional Russian costumes, which the ensemble make themselves. Photo: Jin Kok

Mr Kosse’s wife, Alla Ekzarkho, is the founder and artistic director of the ensemble.

Mr Kosse says his wife is the only “professional” in the group and with her background as a piano teacher, she organises musical arrangements and leads rehearsals.

“One of the main objectives of the group is to collect Russian folklore, preserve it and perform it,” Mr Kosse said.

“Usually some of the songs we find in recorded music, books with songs that are brought in from Russia … it is difficult to find the text of songs with musical notes so she [his wife] has to write in the notes.

“It is also necessary to divide it to different voices like sopranos, altos, tenors and bass.”

Mr Kosse says the ensemble has performed at the festival at least four times.

“It is really important and people [ensemble members] are proud that they represent the Russian culture and Russian folklore,” he said.

Another performer, Obertas Polish dancer Matthew Swiderek, said he was very nervous before taking the stage.

“It is my first time doing it at this time – I’ve only started dancing this year,” he said.

‘Excellent crowd’

Meanwhile, Tribal of Jubal managed to get the crowd on their feet and dancing to its fusion of Papua New Guinea traditional music and western tunes.

Tribal of Jubal performers in dressing room after the show. Photo: Jin Kok

Ben Hakalitz, founder of Tribal of Jubal said the crowd was excellent.

“I love the Brisbane crowd and it’s a real multicultural setting, so people come here to expect something different every time,” he said.

He says Tribal of Jubal was formed in 2007 and fuses contemporary Melanesia rhythms with Western music by combing traditional and Western instruments.

Mr Hakalitz said the Brisbane Ethnic Multicultural Arts Council (BEMAC) a sponsor of the festival, first approached them to come and perform.

“It’s great, it’s fantastic, it’s the first time we have done the show with this line-up,” he said.

“We usually have one section and a keyboard player but we could not bring them all in so we had to do a different set.

“Hopefully if they like this, we will come with a full band next time – three horns – trumpet, trombone and saxophone and a keyboard.”

Locals are annoyed by the fact that more roadworks are just around the corner. 

Local businessman Kim Rolph-Smith said the upgrade lasted as long as twelve months and could have been handled better.

“The construction for that high volume of water just wasn’t appropriate,” he said.

Residents are annoyed the road was destroyed so easily. Source: ABC News

“It took far too long, and now we’ve got another inconvenience for the locals for several months while they repair it again.”

“It’s just a shame, especially this time of the year.”

Mr Rolph-Smith said before upgrading the road, the council resumed land from a local family to alter the route.

“The idea was the bridge was to go across to Willunga Street, and then hook back into Rafting Ground Road, and that never happened,” he said.

“So there’s a block of land they resumed, wasting tax payer’s money once again and never used it.”

Reverend George Barnes from Brookfield Uniting Church said the upgrade was a big inconvenience to those attending services.

“It meant more time that they had to allow, because coming from Pullenvale, Anstead and even the other end of Rafting Ground Road it took them much longer to get to church.”

He said residents were angered about the first round of roadworks and is sure it will happen again.

“They will be, because they’re going to be disrupted in travelling to and from places,” he said.

“I know some of the business in Brookfield were severely devastated by trade during the period of the upgrade.”

Kim Rolph-Smith says residents warned the council before the upgrade went ahead.

“They were all warned by locals,” he said.

“It just wasn’t a sensible construction. It should have actually been a bridge and it was just too low.”

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman has called for a report from the council’s CEO into why the recent $4.3 million upgrade didn’t stand up to the floodwater.

Suburbs in Brisbane’s north were hit the hardest with flash flooding occurring in Toombul, Boondall and Carseldine.

 Ben Annells, senior forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology says measured rainfalls were quite high.

High winds swept leaves and dirt everywhere. Source Caitlin Adams

“In parts of Brisbane we’ve seen falls up to around 190 millimetres, nearly 200 millimetres at Albany creek and even in Brisbane City, we’ve seen around 90 millimetres.”

Shane Woods, acting regional director of Emergency Management Queensland, says the state emergency service were busy all Monday morning last week.

“Our SES 132 500 number has been obviously fairly busy, we’ve got a number of jobs from about 3am which relate mainly to flood and storm damage.”

His main advice to the public was to be careful out there on the roads.

“Don’t drive through flooded roads or floodways,” he said.

“Even if you’ve got four-wheeled-drives and you think you can handle it, it may be deeper than what you expect or there may be damage to the road underneath and you may get yourself into trouble.”

Local parks flooded after enormous amounts of rain. Source Caitlin Adams

Graham Metcalf from Energex said over the weekend of October 9 to October 10 around twenty thousand homes and businesses lost power.

Mr Annells from the weather bureau said the rain was expected to ease off by this week.

“Spanish food is very popular in Brisbane and as we have a similar climate and similar personalities it works because we always need a change,” Ms Power said.

“I’m a total fan of Spain, they do everything well, eating to them is a total social component and something to share,” she said.

Spanish musicians play for locals in Brisbane. Source: Olivia Noakes.

As summer approaches and everyone dreams of squeezing into their itsy bitsy teeny weenie bikini, the Mediterranean diet appears to be in sync with both the Queensland climate and its health conscious, trendy population. 

The ingredients used in Spanish cooking are known to be fresh, natural and nourishing, with liberal use of herbs, oils and spices delivering scintillating flavours. 

Queenslanders are jumping on the Mediterranean bandwagon with nine Spanish restaurants currently operating within a 5 kilometre radius of Brisbane’s CBD. 

Additionally, people are trying new and exciting delicacies at places from fine dining eateries to backstreet cafes or even sharing tapas and sangria round the deck at home watching the Queensland sunset.

Bistro C on Noosa’s world famous Hasting Street has hosted a Latin night every Wednesday for the last two years and the atmosphere, including Latin dancers, Spanish inspired cocktails, cuisine and cool canasta beats spun by Spanish DJ Seanesco Rodriquiz, make the patrons and staff feel like they’re in the midst of magical, midnight Madrid. 

Bistro C waitress, Tania Martin, says she looks forward to Wednesday and the surprises the night may bring.

“I’ve been working here for a year now and Latin night is by far my favourite shift to work; it’s a crazy night with so much laughter and adventure,” Ms Martin said.

“The atmosphere is amazing and everyone from staff to families to groups of friends get involved in the food, dancing and sheer fun of it all,” she said.

Language and Latin dance schools are also seeing increased numbers of people seeking to learn Spanish and the sexy, seductive and sultry moves of the Tango and the Samba. 

Latin dance teacher Anthea Tert, who’s been dancing for 33 years, believes the Spanish way of life is taking over as the international flavour in terms of music, culture, food and dance.

“I teach private classes and there has been a huge growth in popularity in the last two years as there are more people wanting to learn just for fun,” Mrs Tert said.

“Spanish music is very rich, it makes you feel like dancing and it has a special way of reaching people internally,” she said.

Owner of Brisbane’s Pintxo Spanish Taperia Tapas Restaurant  Melissa Telecican attributes Spanish food’s popularity to an assortment of various taste sensations and its unique social atmosphere.

“People like having variety and trying lots of different things and as the food comes out gradually it makes it ideal for the individual with our tapas train, couples or larger social groups,” Mrs Telecian said.

“We have Spanish tourists drop by for an authentic meal, however, we mainly cater to Brisbane locals, particularly those who have travelled to Spain and are passionate about the food and culture.

“I opened the restaurant after a trip to Spain, realising there were Spanish quarters in both Sydney and Melbourne yet there was a market for Spanish food in Brisbane that had yet to be discovered,” Mrs Telecican said.

A patron dining at Pintxo, Jason Quinell, said he would definitely be back.

“It’s my first time trying Spanish food and I love it,” Mr Quinell said. 

Seeing as Spanish cuisine is sizzling hot right now, you may venture out this summer, sangria in one hand, flamenco fan in the other and adopt a fearless fixation for the ‘latest’ fashionable food!

The latest Spring 2011 collections featured skirts dipping below the knee. Photos Courtesy: Style.com, Yannis Vlamos, Monica Feudi

It seems this season’s fashion trends are going down, way down - but in a good way.

This lengthy fashion statement made an appearance in all the latest fashion weeks in Paris, Milan, London and New York.

From skirts that skim the ankles, to those that fall across the upper shins and every length in between, it’s time to put away the micro-mini and go long.

We’ve become accustomed to runways full of skin-revealing skirts short enough to be tops, but it seems the designers are embracing the longer style skirt.

But is this trend towards longer lengths a societal move towards more modest dressing?

An expert in fashion history and theory, Kathleen Horton, says although it may just be for the sake of difference from the flesh-filled runways of years past, the longer lengths could be seen as a throwback to more austere times.

 “Long skirts were last popular in the 1970s when they were called maxis, they were a reaction against the mini. At the time they symbolised a counter-culture movement, and were associated with hippies, who were in turn well versed in wearing their grandmother’s clothes – wearing long skirts at this time usually had a bohemian aesthetic,” Ms Horton says.
 
“Changes in style have less meaning than they had in the past – it seems like it is yet another ‘retro’ trend and could be a bit of a reaction against the very short skirts and high heels that have defined the youthful aesthetic for the last few years.”

Other than the super-long skirt another striking trend is the retro look inspired by the fifties and sixties.

Feminine and slightly flared skirts to the knee and just below – what you might call the ‘perfect housewife’ skirt of the fifties – could be seen as a nod to that era.

Horton also says it’s been a long time since we’ve seen this silhouette and that the long skirt can transcend to night and day.

“Everyone looks good in a long skirt – I have a wrap around red denim one that I bought at the markets for $5 recently – I love it!”

Brisbane-based fashion designer and style expert, Sacha Drake echoes this sentiment and thinks the new longer lengths will sell to all age groups.

“Eighty percent of clothing produced is based on some form of trend. Whatever is available in stores does influence people’s choices, especially at the lower end, it’s all fast fashion, copied from London, Milan.”

“This spring is all about the maxi dress or skirt. Whether you choose to take your hemline high or low, winning the style stakes involves following some basic styling which many people can embrace ,” Ms Drake says.

Drake says this look is fresh and a floor-length skirt can really make an impact.

“Perfect for an elegant night out, or pretty for a picnic with tea, skirt lengths are going from mini to major. Silky bias, full skirts in cotton or beaded in chiffon prove that the long skirt is a statement maker that will complement any girl’s figure,” Ms Drake says.

The long skirt, in all its forms, has always been an integral part of ladies fashion and no wardrobe would be complete without one.

So it’s time to reminisce about decades past and take things to new lengths.

Parklands is the host of the Big Day Out music festival, which is likely to move interstate upon its closure in 2013. (Image courtesy of aeryxz)

The plea comes after the State Government revealed its ultimate vision for Parklands to be a Transit Oriented Development acting as a support centre for the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct.

The redevelopment will contain a low-cost, high-density housing proposal and will see the closure of Parklands in June 2013.

It may also be used to accommodate athletes if the Gold Coast wins the 2018 Commonwealth Games bid.

Parklands was originally zoned by The Queensland Government to be a Health and Knowledge Precinct to contain The Gold Coast University Hospital project, before it was realised that Griffith University and University Hospital project did not require the land.

LNP member for Gaven Dr Alex Douglas, who is supporting the petition, says the critical issue is the loss of a venue for communities who use Parklands.

“I think the aspects are multi-dimensional. The Show Society is losing its site, The Indoor Sports Centre, and The Harness Racing Club is having their whole club closed and no replacement of it,” he said.

“What people don’t know is besides these three main groups there’s literally thousands of groups who use the space.”

Dr Douglas is also concerned about the loss of The Big Day Out festival, which will be moved interstate upon the closure of Parklands.

“For the Gold Coast it is our biggest young-person event every year,” he said.

“It also drives tourism, it basically gets people in the habit of just being able to go to The Gold Coast and we’re going to lose all of that – the state will lose it.”

Contrary to the petition’s suggestions, spokesperson for the Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Planning Stirling Hinchliffe ensures the development will boost employment and will not leave the Gold Coast Show without a site.

“The redevelopment of the State Government owned Parklands site as a vibrant office, retail and residential precinct could generate a total of up to 6380 jobs and an estimated $550 million per annum,” he said.

“The state government is currently investigating a number of options for an alternative showgrounds site on the Gold Coast. The leading option is at Carrara.”

Spokesperson for Save Parklands Action Group and Gold Coast Show board member Peter Johnston says the State Government has in fact offered this site to the Show Society an alternative, before it was determined unsuitable.

“The Gold Coast Show was offered 12 hectares of the Carrara Floodplain,” he said.

“12 hectares… is around about half the size of those required to conduct the activities currently being done at the Gold Coast Show.

“That tells me 104 years of Gold Coast Show history is now seriously in jeopardy.”

Plan for action

In addition to losing a venue, the communities based at Parklands are losing patience waiting for a proper answer on the State Government’s plans for the site.

In fear that the people of the Gold Coast have been sold out, Mr Johnston says everybody is being kept in the dark.

“The Government will not tell us why it is necessary for them to rip out this major infrastructure to put a village in for a commonwealth games that is going to last three weeks,” he said.

Mr Johnston says the government has alternative options and he is suspicious the move is about selling state assets.

“Parklands has an estimated value of between $75million and $100 million and it’s our understanding the state government is looking for partners to develop that land and sell it,” he said.

“The only commercial sense it makes in any way we look at it is the fact the state government are looking for funds.”

According to Dr Douglas, the state government owes keeping Parklands to the people of the Gold Coast.

“The reasons the show society agreed to move out was because if the hospital or the university needed the space for the knowledge precinct, and neither of them do,” he said.

“The government has no right to resume the title and they should withdraw.

“It does not belong to them and it is held in deed of trust for the benefit of the community that it serves.”

Despite the tension, Mr Hinchliffe’s spokesperson reiterates that there will eventually be a suitable site for the Gold Coast Show to resume operations.

“The Parklands site is state owned land,” he said.

“In 2007 the Government announced that the Parklands site would be transformed into the Gold Coast Hospital and Knowledge precinct… The Government announced on a number of occasions that as part of this process an alternative site for the Gold Coast Show would be identified.”

Queenslanders can have their say in the debate by signing the e-petition on the Queensland Parliament website.

Photo Courtesy of Mikhayla Auld, 12/10/2010.

The tragic death of an 18-year-old university student in the United States has raised dire concerns here in Australia over the state of western society’s acceptance of homosexuality for young people in residential colleges.

Tyler Clementi, a first year university student at New Jersey’s Rutgers University, committed suicide the day after he discovered his room mate streamed video footage on the Internet of Clementi’s encounter with another man in their dormitory room.

According to a statement released by Rutgers University president, Richard L. McCormick, two Rutgers University students have been arrested and charged with invasion of privacy for their actions in relation to the incident.

The death has sparked massive concern over the state of acceptance of same sex relations, particularly amongst the younger generations, here in Australia.

Paul Martin is the principal psychologist at the Centre For Human Potential in Brisbane and is a specialist in the counselling of troubled, young, gay and lesbian people.

He still believes there is a substantial amount of homophobia amongst younger people in our country.

“When a young gay person is growing up in the school yard the worst thing to be called is a fag,” he said.

Mr Martin says it’s often a case of providing a false exterior for these young people in order to deal with their day to day lives.

“They pretend to be straight and it’s called concealable stigma.”

“Concealable stigma has massive implications in terms of mental health and you see huge increases in the levels of depression and suicidalities (sic).”

Dennis O’Keefe, an 18-year-old University of Queensland student, says he has seen first hand the pressure on young gay friends and classmates in residential college environments.

Mr O’Keefe began boarding school at Nudgee College, an all-boys, Catholic school in year eight and has since attended St Leo’s college in St Lucia.

“There were definitely a few blokes, who as soon as school finished, they came out, but during the time (at school) they felt they would be targeted if they were to come out about their homosexuality,” he said.

Mr O’Keefe believes the heterosexual male stigma only became worse at his university, residential college.

“The college that I stayed at actually prided itself on dominant masculinity, it was important to be excessively drinking full strength beer and to be sexually active with women.”

Sally Morris is the Co-ordinator of Open Doors Youth Service, an organisation supporting disenfranchised young, lesbian, gay and trans-gender people.

She believes while society has made progress and is more accepting of a gay lifestyle, environments like student boarding houses are yet to catch up.

“Even though yes there has been change, we are not yet in a world yet that is completely accepting of same sex attraction and particularly of gay men,” she said.

“We get the message now that racism is not OK and sexism is not OK but there’s still the perception that homophobia is still OK.”

In a statement released on the Rutgers University website, Richard L. McCormick said a two-year initiative called “Project Civility”, will provide a “conversation” on the issues of privacy and tolerance surrounding the tragedy.

Anyone requiring more information or support can contact these services.

Kids Help Line
1800 55 1800 (24 hours)

Lifeline
13 11 14 (24 hours)

Gay Line and Lesbian Line
1800 184 527 (7 to 10pm)