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.”

President Dr Maria Tomasic said Australia must move forward from Kevin Rudd’s apology in 2008.

Indigenous groups rally for rights. Source: Emily Carter (used with permission).

“The apology two years ago was a very important thing and it had great significance to Indigenous people in Australia but unless it’s followed up with some real changes I think that it could end up being seen as a hollow gesture,” Dr Tomasic said.

Dr Tomasic has worked in remote communities.

She said the amendment to the constitution is part of a much needed multi-faceted approach.

“In terms of the constitution I think that recognising all Australians as equals will ensure Indigenous people don’t feel a sense of alienation and marginalisation,” Dr Tomasic said.

Aboriginal activist Sam Watson doesn’t see how changes to a federal form will help.

He said it’s ”unadulterated, boulder-dash and garbage.”

“Aboriginal people need very real relief in terms of health, housing, education and employment; we need a treaty to be signed that will acknowledge Aboriginal people as human beings and our very sacred connection to country,” Mr Watson said.

Despite the changes made to the Queensland Constitution which now includes Indigenous people, Mr Watson sees no improvements.

“Over the past 12-14 months since the constitution was changed there’s been an actual increase in the arrest rates, an increase in the incarceration rates for Aboriginal people and an increase in the death in custody rates,” Mr Watson said.

Psychologists like author Dr Pat Dudgeon agree with the college in challenging the constitution.

Dr Dudgeon believes the move would restore self-worth within the community.

“Having Aboriginal people included politically would acknowledge them as human beings, that they are part of this society and I think it would increase the collective of self esteem and the psychological participation within society,” Dr Dudgeon said.

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!

Larry Olsen analysing the form at Eagle Farm. Source: Jemma Cutting

A famous saying in racing is that weight can stop a train. In 1987, Larry Olsen made one of the most inspirational comebacks in racing history. After five bouts with retirement due to ongoing weight problems, the Queensland jockey beat his demons and the critics to win the most famous two-mile handicap in the world.

These days, you’ll find former champion Larry Olsen at Brisbane race meetings, providing commentary for Sky Channel.

Born in 1948 and raised at Nudgee Beach in Brisbane, Olsen “was always mad on horses…working with them before and after school.” He dreamt of nothing but being a jockey. 

It was with trainer Mal Barnes where he “first learnt to ride ponies,” and a life-long passion was invoked. By the age of 13, Olsen had left school to pursue riding full-time.

“When I was 14 I could become registered so I started riding track work at Eagle Farm,” he says.  

At just 15, Olsen had earned his first race ride at Sydney’s Canterbury Racecourse in 1963, and his first win came in a three horse race at Gatton; ironically, it would be at the same track he would stage his final comeback decades later.

Let the weight battle begin

Young Olsen’s promising career had already begun to be plagued by his battle to ride at the then minimum of 47 kilos.  Today the minimum for jockeys is 53kg, with allowances.

“When I was a kid around 17 or 18, I would jump on the scales and be about nine stone (57kg); I was up and down all the time.  I suffered a lot with not being able to ride.”

Termed a “heavyweight” jockey, come race day Olsen was “lucky to get a couple of rides, whereas the lightweights could ride a full book.”

There were many occasions Olsen felt close to defeat, “Even if you were 51 kilos in those days you were considered heavy, these blokes today jump on the scales at 53 and think they’re a lightweight.

“Then I picked up the ride on Triton, who I won my first major race on, the 1972 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.”   Triton and Olsen then went on to beat all before them in the celebrated Epsom Handicap, beating the famous grey Gunsynd.

But the battle with the bulge continued to dog his otherwise burgeoning career.  “I always struggled to ride below 51 kilos, any day I could be 57 and then try and ride 51 so you can see how bad it was.” 

When asked how this was possible, Olsen replies he “did it wrong, a lot of sweating and dieting.  You’d starve yourself for days and sweat it out when you could eat, you’d eat your head off it was just like a toilet seat up and down, up and down,” he laughs.

Worth the weight: Olsen aboard Kensei at Eagle Farm in 1988. Source: Ross Stevenson, with persmission

Another early retirement

Between 1981 and 1983, Olsen repeatedly gave the game away and returned, no fewer than five times.  Finally, when the colt Best Western he was riding for Bart Cummings retired to stud, Olsen seemingly retired for good.

“There was a period around 1983 when I really gave it away.  I moved to my dairy farm in Kyogal where I milked over 160 cows.”  During his three year hiatus, Olsen and his wife Maureen sold the dairy farm and moved back to the Brisbane suburb Fig Tree Pocket in 1985. They opened the first Horseland store (a saddlery business) in Queensland.

It was here that the next stage in Olsen’s career began. “I lived about eight kilometres from the shop and I started walking and then running.  By this time the weight scales had been raised and thought I might be able to get back into racing.” 

Not many people believed he could make the comeback again, Olsen admits his weight had climbed to over 80 kilos.  By the time it was Christmas 1986, Olsen was down to 51 kilos. 

Olsen approached respected Brisbane trainer Pat Duff and started riding work for him at Eagle Farm.“I hadn’t been on a horse for three years but Pat was great, and I had my first ride for him at Gatton for him. I think I rode two seconds.”

Larry Olsen aboard Kensei the 1987 Melbourne Cup winner. Source: Ross Stevenson, with permission

He’s back and better than ever before

Before long, he found himself riding doubles and trebles all over Brisbane.  Eventually with further tweaking of the diet and exercise routine, Olsen dropped to 49 kilos and began his climb back to the top of the riding ranks.  “I was in Sydney and I won the Epsom Handicap again and was lighter than I had ever been in my life and I could ride anything, compete with the others, fit and well because I was doing everything right.”

On the first Tuesday in November 1987, Olsen finally achieved his childhood dream and rode the Les Bridge trained chestnut Kensei to victory in the 1987 Melbourne Cup.  A clever, tactical ride saw Olsen guide his mount along the fence in the dying stages, to surprise the leaders and race favourites, Empire Rose and the blue-blooded Rosedale, trained by Bart Cummings.

“It’s a lovely feeling and I could never, ever ride a better race than I did that day. Most are great rides but I had to pull that one out. To win something like the Cup, well nothing’s bigger than that, nothing.”

On the same day, Olsen was found guilty for ‘not letting a horse run on its merits’ and was subsequently disqualified for a year and warned off all racecourses.  “I had three rides that day, I rode two winners and the other horse I rode was Sound Horizon, who I’d won the Epsom on the start before…but the stewards charged me.  I appealed to the racing authorities and fought it and beat it, which I had to: it was just a joke.”

The affair left Olsen with a very sour taste in his mouth and much lighter in the pocket.  Later in the same season, he famously out-smarted fellow jockey Jim Cassidy in the 1988 Golden Slipper to win on Star Watch.

Larry Olsen now spends racedays interviewing trainers and jockeys for Sky Channel. Source: Jemma Cutting

The final curtain call

After returning to ride in Brisbane, Olsen finally hung up his irons in 1998, when he was 50-years-old.  “There was a meeting at Eagle Farm and one thing I was riding there was a 100-1 shot and I thought to myself what am I doing here?”

Olsen privately decided it would be his last ride as a professional jockey.  “I didn’t tell anyone I just came back and packed my port.  I didn’t think I would ever last that long, I thought by 18/19 there was just no way I could stay a jockey but along the way I persevered.”

Olsen believes the weight scales were raised too late in his career and if he was starting off today, he’d be much more competitive.   “But I can’t complain about my life. I had a wonderful time as a rider I rode all over Australia, overseas in Singapore, Hong Kong, England and represented Australia on a couple of occasions.”

With an interrupted career spanning 35 years, Olsen amassed over a thousand winners, 24 of them at Group One level.   

In 2007, he was inducted into the Queensland Racing Hall of Fame.

“It doesn’t matter where I go I’m accepted.  When you win a race like the Melbourne Cup it’s just wonderful thing in your own mind and the recognition goes far and wide because even if you travel over the world, everyone knows the race that stops the nation.”

Many Australians take food for granted. Source: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net. Photographer: xedos4

Australians waste food and need to rethink their attitude toward it, say global food experts, who met in Brisbane recently.

The challenge of feeding the world’s growing population was the focus of the summit held by the University of Queensland’s Global Change Institute (GCI).

Author Julian Cribb, a forum presenter, says to feed the earth’s predicted nine billion people in 2050, the globe will need to double its current food production with half the present fresh water, less land and, eventually, no fossil fuels.

“It’s going to affect every single human being on the planet in the next 50 years without exception,” he says.

While increasing food output is one part of the equation, so is changing the way people think about food.

Australians throw away over five billion dollars worth of food every year, while two million Australians do not have enough to eat.

Every year in Brisbane, each household throws about $650 worth of food in the rubbish, on average, says Professor Michael D’Occhio, the co-leader of the GCI.

“So, on one hand, we have an excess, an indulgence in food that we simply have no respect for and, on the other hand, we have people who need some sort of food aid,” he says.

This national imbalance of food distribution reflects the global situation.

There is enough

Malcolm Duthie, from the United Nations World Food Programme in Gambia, says 925 million people worldwide experience food shortages despite there being enough to feed everybody.

Poverty on a powerpoint. At Customs House, Brisbane, Malcolm Duthie talks about the silent tsunami: people without enough food. Source: Karin Adam.

“Most of the problems with food are people don’t have access to it or the quality is not adequate.

“They’re either unable to grow enough or they don’t have the incomes to purchase enough,” he says.

Over the next 50 years, food is predicted to be the primary source of conflict in the world, and it is already occurring, with 15 countries experiencing food riots in 2008.

Mr Cribb says there is a strong connection between hunger and war.

“Lack of food produces war and peace prefers a full platter,” he says.

Another hurdle in accessing food for some of the poorest countries in the world is the increased privatisation of food sources, says Jagjit Plahe, lecturer in International Political Economy at Monash University.

The poor are losing their right to save and exchange seeds as large multi-national companies, such as Monsanto, continue to grow their ownership of genetically modified plants.

The way forward

But Mr Cribb says there are solutions to one of the greatest challenges facing humanity.

“We need to redouble the global effort in agricultural science and we need to stop wasting half the food we currently produce worldwide.

“We need to teach the coming generation of human beings, who mainly live in cities, a new respect for food and a healthier, more sustainable diet,” he says.

The world also needs to support young women in choosing not to have babies, he says.

Mr Cribb warns it’s critical the world acts on food security.

“The success or failure with this will determine our destiny,” he says.