University of Wollongong journalism alum has encouraged students to embrace the opportunities provided by UOW’s journalism program. Speaking on RadioU’s Alumni Stories: From Here On, UOW alum Isla Evans, who works as an ABC reporter in Bega, told hosts Koda Way and Caleb Arkapaw to jump in and say yes to every opportunity presented to them. “What I loved about UOW and what I’ve raved about for years to other people considering going down the media route is how hands-on and how broad the opportunities are,” Ms Evans said. “The benefit of where you’re at is to just jump in…
Author: Lilli Davison
Concerns for child safety has increased in NSW, according to figures released by the NSW Ombudsman. The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) is the primary government body responsible for the protection of children in NSW, operating under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998. Risk of significant harm (ROSH) has jumped in recent years, with reports to the DCJ increasing, straining staffing and resources and resulting in some cases being under-investigated. A NSW Ombudsman report has found that in 2024-2025, 65 per cent of the 244,710, risk of significant harm reports were closed on the basis…
Changing climate conditions have caused a backlog of hazard reduction burns, with the NSW Rural Fire Service struggling to keep targeted areas under control. Hazard reduction burns are a crucial method in reducing the risk and intensity of bushfires by deliberately reducing forest fuels like dry leaves, sticks, and undergrowth. Rural Fire Service Commissioner, Trent Curtin said that changing weather conditions are limiting the opportunities to conduct hazard reduction burns, and that this has created a build-up of fuel in areas across the state. “We’re dealing with higher fuel loads and increasingly narrow windows to safely carry out hazard reduction,”…
The rising popularity of devices among children aged 5-17 is impacting their sleep patterns. Sleep is crucial for both mental and physical health with known benefits tied to focus, memory, learning, mood and the immune system. For children, sleep is essential for physical health, brain development and learning. Kids Academy lead childhood educator, Mia Cini said the use of devices before sleep can be disruptive to regular sleep patterns which promote learning and provide children with a sense of safety and security. “Screens can be overstimulating making it harder for children to wind down and fall asleep,” Miss Cini said.…
It was not all about the Easter egg hunt these holidays, this year the hunt extended to the supermarket shelves, with shoppers searching for value amongst shrinking chocolate egg sizes. Shrinkflation refers to the notable size and price difference of easter eggs compared to previous years, of which a major cause has been the cocoa shortages, which peaked during 2024. Big brands across the market have been affected by shrinkflation, most notably Cadbury, with consumers now paying 73 percent more per 100 grams compared to 2024. Other brands such as Lindt and Nestle have seen similar shifts in their products.…
By Kalina Filceski and Lilli Davison The Sunday mass starts as usual. Patrons find their seats and greet their fellow parishioners, waiting for the service to begin. But something is missing: the voices of the youth, the new generation, the ones who will continue the services and ensure the church has a future. Their absence is noted, but nothing seems to change. The church once served as a pillar of the Wollongong Macedonian community but has since become a distant memory for many. Community gatherings and youth engagement, once vibrant and frequent, have dwindled, leaving behind only echoes of shared…
The World heritage status of the Blue Mountains has been threatened due to Western Sydney Airport’s proposed flight paths. Blue Mountains Deputy Mayor Romola Hollywood said council is concerned about what the new airport means for the heritage status of the Mountains and the inequality between the eastern and western airports. “The World Heritage Listing was granted nearly 25 years ago because Badgerys Creek Airport at that time was stopped,” Romola Hollywood said. “So, the thing is if it was a concern when we were seeking listing then it’s very easy to argue that Western Sydney Airport could threaten our…
A single mother has expressed outrage on social media after her son was berated in the Springwood Aquatic centre bathroom, where he was accused of being too old to be in the women’s change room. Single mum Liv Ali had taken her eight-year-old son and two nieces to Springwood Aquatic Centre; when going to use the change rooms, an elderly lady barged into her son’s cubicle and began yelling at the boy. “I’m a single mum and was by myself. An old lady went into my son’s shower cubicle aggressively and yelled at him that he is too old and…
A medical team from the Nepean Hospital in Penrith has postponed their next trip to the Solomon Islands due to a shortage in intravenous fluids. Following the Solomon Islands’ acquirement of their first CT scanner, a medical team led by Dr Matthew Tait and Dr Narko Tutuo have performed the first-ever brain surgeries in the Pacific nation. The team’s next trip has been pushed back due to unforeseen circumstances but is hopeful that it will be rescheduled before the end of the year. “We were planning on going in the last week of August and the first week of September,…