Monthly Archives: September 2010

Atheists and agnostics know more about religion than any group of religious people, according to new research. Researchers from the independent Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life phoned more than 3,400 Americans and asked them 32 questions about the … Continue reading →

Workplace bullying is on the rise, with technology making making it easier to harass colleages, according to an academic. Vaughan Bowie from the University of Western Sydney said that email, facebook and texting made it easier to bully workmates. “They … Continue reading →

Commonwealth Bank chief executive Ralph Norris’ total pay package for last financial year increased 75 percent to $16.1 million. Mr Norris ‘earned’ an increase of almost $7 million in the value of his entitlements to CBA shares. Westpac’s Gail Kelly, … Continue reading →

The recent earthquake in New Zealand will improve its economy, according to the measure most commonly used by mainstream economists. Christchurch and nearby regions were hit by an earthquake this month. The quake caused widespread damage and several power outages, … Continue reading →

Newcastle City Council will spend over $1000 turning a table. The table around which the council conducts civic business was rotated to face the public gallery in 1996. However the council has elected to rotate it back, at an estimated … Continue reading →

Children in Mount Isa are suffering brain damage from lead released into the environment by mining company Xstrata, according to a professor of neuroscience. Five families who are suing Xstrata, the Queensland Government and the local council over alleged lead … Continue reading →

Air pollution data is routinely fabricated and accepted by government without checking, placing public health at risk, according to a former worker in the industry. The scientist, who remained anonymous, said that “while I was [working for an air testing … Continue reading →

The Australian embassy in Iraq is using privately-contracted Chilean mercenaries as guards, who may have been recruited illegally. The Defence Department plans to fully privatise security at Australia’s Baghdad embassy by the end of the year, after outsourcing most of … Continue reading →

Both major parties appealed to racism in the recent election campaign, according to the head of the Human Rights Commission. Graeme Innes told an audience at the University of New South Wales that “we haven’t had any multicultural policy or … Continue reading →

An investigation of nursing homes has revealed a culture of neglect and abuse. Rosie Squires spent three weeks as a volunteer in two nursing homes. One was operated by the Domain Principal Group, Australia’s largest privately owned aged care provider, … Continue reading →