Thirty-one athletes from 12 countries could be banned from competing in the Rio Olympics. The announcement comes after drug tests from the Beijing Games were retested and came back positive. The International Olympic Committee commissioned the retesting of samples from Beijing and London after a Russian anti-doping authority confessed to running a doping scheme during the Sochi Winter Olympics. Every Olympics sees records broken alongside new revelations about the use of drugs to enhance performance. Media coverage of doping tends to focus on the failure of individuals to honestly represent their country. But the nature of elite competition sports put…
Author: Camille Soulos-Ramsay
Two Wollongong art galleries will run youth-focused exhibitions this month, in an attempt to help emerging young artists get their foot in the door of the creative industries. Project Contemporary Artspace launched its “Youth on Fire” exhibition for International Youth Week. With contributions from artists aged 12 to 24, organisers hope the exhibition will help forge stronger connections between the region’s young artists. The Egg and Dart Gallery in Thirroul will launch its “Locals Lonely” exhibition later this month. It will showcase the work of four recent university graduates from the region. Coordinators claim exhibitions and events like these are…
Climate activists are targeting Federal MPs who accept donations from fossil fuel companies. 350.org released a report that claimed the two major political parties had received close to $3.7 million in donations from fossil fuel companies since the last election. In the wake of speculation about an early election, the group has called on Australian politicians to sign a “Pollution Free Politics” pledge. Last week, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull committed funding for two renewable energy agencies, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). Both agencies slated to close by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott. The 350.org…
University of Wollongong academics have encouraged locals to get down and dirty at tonight’s Uni in the Brewery talk on dumpster diving. Health nutritionist Associate Professor Karen Charlton and novelist Associate Professor Shady Cosgrove will host a discussion on the rise of dumpster diving and the Freegan movement as a response to food waste. A/Prof. Cosgrove spent time living in New York dumpster diving communities to research her latest novel. A/Prof. Charlton’s research focuses on public health and community-based lifestyle intervention. Together last year they wrote ‘Dumpster diving for dinner: do you have what it takes to eat ‘freegan’ food’ for The Conversation. Tonight they will…
Coalition MPs are outraged by the findings of a review into the Safe Schools education program. The Safe Schools Coalition initiative promotes itself as a program which aims to create safe and inclusive environment for homosexual, intersex and gender diverse students in Australian Schools. One government MP referred to the program as a “gateway drug” for children to experiment with sex, as reported by The Australian. The independent review was requested by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after Liberal Party members expressed concern the program’s focus on sexuality was inappropriate for children. Its findings were presented by University of Western Australia Emeritus’ Professor Bill Louden on Tuesday night. One coalition…