Making A Difference Junction Journalism

For many people, food and the simple act of cooking can provide solace and comfort, particularly for those who go through the upheaval of migrating to another country. Cooking reminds them of home – not just the food but the people and places as well. Nicole Alcantara from the University of Sydney spent an evening with two young men from Nepal. And as they cooked a traditional Nepali curry, the conversation around food revealed a lot more about their new life in Australia and the enduring con...

It’s hard enough for anyone to find a home to rent in Australia. The difficulty factor is multiplied many times more for hundreds-of-thousands of international students who come to the country each year, also needing a rental. In this episode, reporter Gwen Liu reveals the desperate measures many students are turning to that are exposing them to potential scams and exploitation.Reporter: Gwen LiuExecutive Producer: Simon BradyOriginal stories Crikey – Rental crisis: desperate students turn to...

Our Long Read series continues with a reckoning from Australia's past and the way it might influence our future. Our reporter Sydney Lang looks at the legacy of governor Lachlan Macquarie from the early colonial settlement days. Macquarie was considered a visionary who wanted to turn a penal colony into an egalitarian nation. But there is a dark side to his legacy that has an enduring, as well as painful, lesson.Reporter: Sydney LangExecutive Producer: Simon BradyMore stories from the best st...

In the next episode of our Long Read series, Tylah Tully from Curtin University reports on the site of two of Australia's greatest riches. The Burrup peninsula in the north of Western Australia is home to more than one million rock carvings by First Nations people that date back tens-of-thousands of years. It's also the site of a multi-billion dollar gas and oil development. Can the two co-exist as neighbours? And what threat does a petrochemical plant pose to a sacred rock art museum?Product...

In this episode, Aston Brown from University Technology Sydney – and now a rural and regional reporter at Guardian Australia – takes us inside the world of people who forage through rubbish bins to collect bottles and cans for cash. Are they environmental warriors? Is it a hobby job? Or are they trying to earn precious money to make ends meet? This is the first in our Long Read series where we focus on one, in-depth story each episode.Reporter: Aston BrownOriginal story on Guardian Australia:...

In this episode, our reporters from Deakin University look at how important health issues – period poverty, loneliness and therapy for young offenders – are being tackled. And there’s some fun in there, as well, with roosters on the loose, the cult following of an anime classic and how AI might be creeping into your music playlists.If you or someone you know is experiencing loneliness or struggling with mental health:Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: www.beyondblue.org.au/ Black Dog In...