R[0]="2086"; T[0]="Learn new skills through a FarmBis course"; A[0]="By ... Editor"; Dn[0]="20071024"; Dt[0]="Wednesday 24 October 2007"; Acats[0]="a07a53"; B1[0]="      North Queensland primary producers are being urged to take advantage of training subsidies, and they can discuss their options next week during "; B2[0]="a visit to regional centres by a FarmBis networker... "; B3[0]=" "; B4[0]=" "; B5[0]=" "; S1[0]="      North Queensland primary producers are being urged to take advantage of training subsidies, and they can discuss their options next week during "; S2[0]=" a visit to regional centres by a FarmBis networker.
      FarmBis Queensland networker Ian Durham will be visiting Townsville, Ingham, Innisfail and Cairns "; S3[0]=" from Monday October 15 to Friday October 19.
      He is encouraging anyone who is thinking about improving their skills to make an "; S4[0]=" appointment and find out more about FarmBis.
      To contact Mr Durham phone 0428 103 043.
      'The courses subsidised under "; S5[0]=" the FarmBis program which is funded by the Queensland and Australian Governments are many and varied, so I would encourage primary producers who have been "; S6[0]=" thinking about formalising their skills, or learning new ones, to give us a call so we can match a course to your training needs,' Mr "; S7[0]=" Durham said.
      'Whether it is skills to improve the farm's bookkeeping, to natural resource management or computer skills, there are courses available.
"; S8[0]="       'Even those primary producers who have bad memories of their school days shouldn't fear, because adult learning is about providing new information "; S9[0]=" and skills at a pace that suits you, not necessarily behind a desk, reading text books and sitting exams.' Mr Durham said the FarmBis program "; S10[0]=" had also recognised the difficulty of people living in rural and remote areas getting to their courses, and had subsidies for accommodation and childcare.
  "; S11[0]="     'If a group of producers get together and want to do courses together, we can organise trainers to come to the group and "; S12[0]=" deliver customised training that suits your industry and region.
      Training subsidies are available and we want to make sure primary producers know "; S13[0]=" what is on offer,' Mr Durham said... "; R[1]="1907"; T[1]="Botanical interns start to bloom"; A[1]="By ... Editor"; Dn[1]="20070222"; Dt[1]="Thursday 22 February 2007"; Acats[1]="a53"; B1[1]="      Ten tertiary students from around Australia will graduate today from the Student Volunteer Botanical Internship Program (SVBIP) after spending the last seven "; B2[1]="weeks working as botanical researchers in Canberra... "; B3[1]=" "; B4[1]=" "; B5[1]=" "; S1[1]="      Ten tertiary students from around Australia will graduate today from the Student Volunteer Botanical Internship Program (SVBIP) after spending the last seven "; S2[1]=" weeks working as botanical researchers in Canberra.
      The annual SVBIP is run by the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, a joint venture "; S3[1]=" between CSIRO Plant Industry and the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG).
      During the program students obtain professional botany skills, working closely with "; S4[1]=" scientists from the Australian National Herbarium (ANH) and the ANBG.
      Topics such as specimen collection, plant identification and taxonomy are covered in "; S5[1]=" practical sessions and lectures.
      'The practical nature of the Program is a real drawcard for students as it builds on their tertiary "; S6[1]=" training,' says SVBIP Coordinator, Bronwyn Collins of CSIRO Plant Industry.
      'They especially enjoy the field trip to Jervis Bay where they can "; S7[1]=" really demonstrate what they've learnt during the Program.' As well as research skills, students are introduced to other factors involved in successfully pursuing a science "; S8[1]=" career such as how to effectively communicate ideas and how to attract research funding.
      'The Program aims to give students a real-world "; S9[1]=" experience, so we cover things like compiling a grant proposal and where to find jobs.
      Guest speakers come in to talk to "; S10[1]=" the students about jobs in the public and private sectors and conservation agencies,' Ms Collins says.
      Students also make practical contributions to "; S11[1]=" Australia's botanical science, providing support for ongoing scientific projects and adding to and maintaining plant collections in the ANH.
      'As well as "; S12[1]=" research skills, students are introduced to other factors involved in successfully pursuing a science career such as how to effectively communicate ideas and how to "; S13[1]=" attract research funding.' Charlotte Hurry from Monash University says: 'I don't think any of us realised how much of an impact this internship would have "; S14[1]=" upon our lives.
      We've had the opportunity to work with inspirational people whose love of plants and generosity of knowledge has given "; S15[1]=" us the tools to progress with our careers.' The students will celebrate their graduation today with a special ceremony held at the ANBG Theatrette from "; S16[1]=" 11.15 am followed by a barbecue at the Australian National Herbarium.
      The Botanical Internship Program is conducted by the Centre for Plant "; S17[1]=" Biodiversity Research - a joint venture between CSIRO Plant Industry and the Australian National Botanic Gardens... "; R[2]="1878"; T[2]="Regional Updates focus on seasonal issues"; A[2]="By ... Editor"; Dn[2]="20070207"; Dt[2]="Wednesday 7 February 2007"; Acats[2]="a53a54a57"; B1[2]="      Key seasonal issues affecting farmers will be the focus of this year's Department of Agriculture and Food Regional Crop Updates.... "; B2[2]=" "; B3[2]=" "; B4[2]=" "; B5[2]=" "; S1[2]="      Key seasonal issues affecting farmers will be the focus of this year's Department of Agriculture and Food Regional Crop Updates.
    "; S2[2]="   Seven Regional Updates are being held in key agriculture areas this year starting with Merredin - February 20, Jerramungup - February 21, Northam "; S3[2]=" - February 22, Corrigin - February 23, Buntine - March 7 and concluding in Esperance and Dongara on March 8.
      The "; S4[2]=" Agribusiness Crop Updates will be held on February 14 and 15 at Burswood Entertainment Complex.
      Department Crop Updates convenor Greg Shea "; S5[2]=" said with the recent summer rainfall and flooding in Esperance, a number of key issues including disease and weed management would all be addressed through "; S6[2]=" the Regional Updates.
      'Regional Updates will continue to provide farmers with a forum to update their information on cropping and pastures, "; S7[2]=" but also allow an opportunity for other key issues to be addressed,' he said.
      'This year, keynote speaker Dr John O'Donovan "; S8[2]=" will also attend both the Agribusiness and the Regional Updates at Merredin, Jerramungup, Northam and Corrigin.
      'Dr O'Donovan, a Canadian research "; S9[2]=" scientist, will address delegates in Perth and then travel around the State discussing issues including Roundup Ready® technology and integrated weed management.' More information "; S10[2]=" and registrations forms can be found by visiting www.agric.wa.gov.au and clicking on the 'Crop Updates 2007' link.
      The Grains Research and "; S11[2]=" Development Corporation is a major supporter of Agribusiness and Regional Crop Updates... "; R[3]="1842"; T[3]="New incentive to help promote training"; A[3]="By ... Editor"; Dn[3]="20070129"; Dt[3]="Monday 29 January 2007"; Acats[3]="a53"; B1[3]="      FarmBis has introduced an exciting new initiative to help ensure the success of training courses held for primary producers throughout the State.... "; B2[3]=" "; B3[3]=" "; B4[3]=" "; B5[3]=" "; S1[3]="      FarmBis has introduced an exciting new initiative to help ensure the success of training courses held for primary producers throughout the State.
"; S2[3]="       It has introduced a brokerage fee of up to $1,000 that will be payable to local facilitators who work with training providers "; S3[3]=" to promote courses and attract participants to courses being offered in their region.
      Peter Cooke, the Chairman of the FarmBis State Planning "; S4[3]=" Group, said the new initiative would provide an invaluable marketing tool for training providers and help ensure that sufficient numbers attended courses to make them "; S5[3]=" viable.
      'Our aim with this initiative is to ensure that as many people as possible are aware of courses that are planned "; S6[3]=" for their area and, hopefully, make the time to attend them.
      'Research by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and "; S7[3]=" FarmBis shows that farmers who do training are making a valuable investment in their business.
      They are more positive about their future "; S8[3]=" productivity and believe there is considerable scope to improve it.' Mr Cooke said that under the new initiative local facilitators who were eligible for the "; S9[3]=" payments could include industry organisations, telecentres and individuals within the community who could help trainers attract local course participants.
      He said that "; S10[3]=" discussions with these groups had shown there was a lack of financial and staff resources to initiate training events.
      The FarmBis grants "; S11[3]=" were to offset costs incurred in promoting courses including staff, phone, advertising and printing.
      Groups will be sent a form to apply "; S12[3]=" for grants when they enquire with FarmBis.
      The funding will be paid in two instalments.
      The first, half the "; S13[3]=" anticipated costs, will be paid when the application is accepted with the balance payable on confirmation of the courses being completed.
      To "; S14[3]=" be eligible, the training events must have an anticipated minimum attendance of 10 people.
      Events can include on-line and teleconference training.
  "; S15[3]="     Those who take part in the courses will still be eligible for a rebate from FarmBis of up to 65 per cent of "; S16[3]=" the cost, providing a Training Needs Analysis has been completed.
      The FarmBis web site www.farmbis.wa.gov.au has more information on how to these "; S17[3]=" can be completed.
      For further information or interviews, please contact Paul Byrne on (08) 9385 9941 or 0417 922 452... "; R[4]="1824"; T[4]="Wagga Wagga conference focuses on drought recovery"; A[4]="By ... Editor"; Dn[4]="20070129"; Dt[4]="Monday 29 January 2007"; Acats[4]="a02a05a35a53a54a72a89"; B1[4]="      Scientists from across Australia will gather in Wagga Wagga in February for a conference that will focus on helping grain producers recover "; B2[4]="from the drought... "; B3[4]=" "; B4[4]=" "; B5[4]=" "; S1[4]="      Scientists from across Australia will gather in Wagga Wagga in February for a conference that will focus on helping grain producers recover "; S2[4]=" from the drought.
      The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) will hold its annual Advisers' Update at Charles Sturt University on February "; S3[4]=" 13-14 with the aim of positioning growers for a rapid recovery from the worst drought on record.
      GRDC Southern Regional Panel chair "; S4[4]=" David Shannon said managing climate variability had become an important operational and research priority for farmers in Australia's southern grain belt, due in part to "; S5[4]=" climate extremes experienced in recent seasons.
      'The past few seasons have been anything but average,' Mr Shannon said.
      'While "; S6[4]=" the climate has always been the main factor impacting on Australian agriculture, and Australian farming success has always been characterised by our versatility in coping "; S7[4]=" with severe weather, recent seasons have highlighted the need for more than just sound farming practices developed by generations of experience.
      'New "; S8[4]=" South Wales, particularly with regard to the southern and western areas of the State, has perhaps been the hardest hit by prolonged dry weather over "; S9[4]=" the past few years.
      NSW growers will recover from these poor conditions because they are resilient and innovative, but they can't do "; S10[4]=" it alone.
      'The role of the research community and farm advisers is to improve the tools and techniques by which growers will "; S11[4]=" emerge from this difficult time stronger and more productive than before.
      'Through organisations such as the GRDC, farmers are now driving scientific "; S12[4]=" research aimed at providing them with better tools to manage climate risk from a whole range of angles - agronomy, planning, natural resource management, marketing "; S13[4]=" and finances.' Mr Shannon said farmers' advisers were playing an increasingly important role in providing the information that growers needed.
      'The GRDC "; S14[4]=" recently surveyed growers and found that increasing numbers were engaging private advisers in addition to greatly valuing the research and agronomic information coming from sources "; S15[4]=" funded by growers and taxpayers,' he said.
      'The GRDC Adviser Update is about bringing advisers and scientists together to discuss the issues "; S16[4]=" and ensure they have access to all of the information they need for their grower clients.
      Communication between them is essential to "; S17[4]=" improving research outcomes and the GRDC considers it a priority to facilitate this with initiatives such as the annual Adviser Updates.' The main topics being "; S18[4]=" presented at the Update include energy in agriculture (the changes and impacts on the grains industry associated with biofuels), planning for a year following drought, "; S19[4]=" adapting to climate change, weed biology and better weed management, insights into farmer decision-making, and soil inoculants as the 'fourth wave' in agricultural production.
  "; S20[4]="     'Many of the scientists and advisers speaking at the Wagga Wagga update are based in New South Wales, a fact which underlines the "; S21[4]=" substantial contribution to national grains research made in the state,' Mr Shannon said.
      'Organisations such as Charles Sturt University and the NSW "; S22[4]=" Department of Primary Industries are at the forefront of research aimed at improving agricultural production, sustainability and international competitiveness.'.. "; R[5]="1815"; T[5]="School science competition focuses on stored grain pests"; A[5]="By ... Editor"; Dn[5]="20070123"; Dt[5]="Tuesday 23 January 2007"; Acats[5]="a53"; B1[5]="      Primary and secondary school students entering the annual Hermitage Research Station Schools' Plant Science Competition will know just how much damage flour "; B2[5]="beetles and rice weevils can cause to the grain industry... "; B3[5]=" "; B4[5]=" "; B5[5]=" "; S1[5]="      Primary and secondary school students entering the annual Hermitage Research Station Schools' Plant Science Competition will know just how much damage flour "; S2[5]=" beetles and rice weevils can cause to the grain industry.
      Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries competition organiser, Kerrie Rubie of the "; S3[5]=" Hermitage Research Station near Warwick, said stored grain pests was the topic of this year's competition, which featured observations of the breeding habits of the "; S4[5]=" rust-red flour beetle over a range of temperatures.
      Ms Rubie said although the 2007 academic year was just starting, teachers from 28 "; S5[5]=" Queensland schools had already registered and requested kits.
      The students needed to start their projects by early February to be finished in "; S6[5]=" time for judging, she said.
      Ms Rubie said the competition topics supported Education Queensland's school science curriculum and were popular with teachers, "; S7[5]=" and students who enjoyed the required observation, recording and practical activities.
      Both the junior and senior sections of last year's competition featuring "; S8[5]=" plant water use produced high quality entries, with winning entries coming from schools around the state, she said.
      'In this year's competition, "; S9[5]=" students from Years 1 to 12 are asked to store rust-red flour beetles in containers of wholemeal flour at various temperatures within the classroom and "; S10[5]=" compare the breeding results.
      'Students will also be given a container of rice weevils in wheat so they can monitor the damage "; S11[5]=" the weevils cause to the grain.
      'They are asked to record their observations and do extra research into the problems farmers may "; S12[5]=" experience when storing, selling and exporting grain,' Ms Rubie said.
      'When requested, students will receive a free kit containing rust-red flour beetles, "; S13[5]=" rice weevils, storage containers, a sieve, a paintbrush and further information on the topic,' she said.
      Prizes for each category included cash, "; S14[5]=" books, CD ROMs, certificates and trophies, and would be presented in June at the Hermitage Research Station.
      'Education Queensland, Queensland Country Life, "; S15[5]=" Pioneer Seeds, the Grain Research Foundation, the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Blue Ribbon Seed and Pulse Exporters, HSR Group, Dr and Mrs "; S16[5]=" Joe Baker, and Selected Seeds are sponsors of the competition in 2007,' Ms Rubie said... "; R[6]="1803"; T[6]="Sound theory as to why fish don't get lost at sea"; A[6]="By ... Editor"; Dn[6]="20070123"; Dt[6]="Tuesday 23 January 2007"; Acats[6]="a53"; B1[6]="      If people could hear as well as fish do, says Mark Meekan, we would not need telephones.
      'I could "; B2[6]="call my wife at home by leaning out the window and giving her a hoy,' the fish biologist from the Australian Institute of Marine Science "; B3[6]="said yesterday... "; B4[6]=" "; B5[6]=" "; S1[6]="      If people could hear as well as fish do, says Mark Meekan, we would not need telephones.
      'I could "; S2[6]=" call my wife at home by leaning out the window and giving her a hoy,' the fish biologist from the Australian Institute of Marine Science "; S3[6]=" said yesterday.
      Dr Meekan is part of a team of scientists exploring something virtually unknown little more than a decade ago: the "; S4[6]=" amazing sensory skills of fish, smaller than a person's finger, that inhabit Australia's coral reefs.
      After being born on a reef, infant "; S5[6]=" fish are swept by tides and currents far out to sea, sometimes hundreds of kilometres.
      A month or two later, they somehow "; S6[6]=" make their way back.
      'These guys have to find a reef,' Dr Meekan said.
      'That's where they hang out "; S7[6]=" most of their adult life.' How they find them is a mystery that Dr Meekan, with Dr Steve Simpson, from the University of Edinburgh, and "; S8[6]=" Dr John Montgomery, from the University of Auckland, want answered.
      US researchers studying cardinal fish collected from the Great Barrier Reef believe "; S9[6]=" they smell their way home.
      Dr Jelle Atema, from the Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts, placed thousands of the fish in tanks "; S10[6]=" with water flowing from different sources.
      The fish consistently chose to swim in water flowing from their patch of reef.
    "; S11[6]="   The fish may be sniffing organisms living in their reef, or pheromones from their own population.
      While fish almost certainly sniff "; S12[6]=" their way close to home, Dr Meekan believes hearing is crucial at greater distances.
      If people could hear what fish hear, he "; S13[6]=" said, the sea would sound 'like a subway station at rush hour'.
      'There are fish trumpeting, grunting and making noises like sawing "; S14[6]=" wood, shrimp snapping claws, sea urchins chewing on the reef and waves crashing.' Experiments in which sea noises were played to fish showed they were "; S15[6]=" attracted to the sounds.
      Whether they simply followed the noise, or sifted out sounds of other fish, was still unknown.
    "; S16[6]="   If the sounds or smells fish followed could be identified, scientists may be able to herd them, attracting them back to reefs where populations "; S17[6]=" had decreased... "; R[7]="1800"; T[7]="Students fall below literacy standard"; A[7]="By ... Editor"; Dn[7]="20070123"; Dt[7]="Tuesday 23 January 2007"; Acats[7]="a53"; B1[7]="      ABOUT one in five students who completed Year 7 in Western Australia last year are functionally illiterate, failing to meet minimum national "; B2[7]="standards in reading, writing and spelling, and performing well below the national average... "; B3[7]=" "; B4[7]=" "; B5[7]=" "; S1[7]="      ABOUT one in five students who completed Year 7 in Western Australia last year are functionally illiterate, failing to meet minimum national "; S2[7]=" standards in reading, writing and spelling, and performing well below the national average.
      But two years ago when the same group of "; S3[7]=" students were in Year 5, they recorded one of the nation's highest performances in literacy tests, with more than 90per cent reaching the minimum standard.
"; S4[7]="       The 2006 results of the West Australian Literary and Numeracy Assessment released late last year show almost 84 per cent of "; S5[7]=" Year 7 students met national reading standards while about 85 per cent met writing standards and 84 per cent met numeracy benchmarks.
      "; S6[7]=" By comparison, 92 per cent of the same students in Year 5 met reading standards for that level of school, with 87 per cent "; S7[7]=" meeting the Year 5 writing standard and the numeracy standard.
      Nationally, 91 per cent of Year7 students in 2004, the latest "; S8[7]=" available figures, met the reading benchmark while among Year 5 students nationally, almost 89 per cent met the reading standard.
      When "; S9[7]=" last year's group of West Australian Year 7 students were in Year 5 almost 94 per cent met the reading benchmark, a national report says.
"; S10[7]="       The head of the federal Government's literacy review, Ken Rowe, said part of the problem had been the poor teaching of "; S11[7]=" reading in previous years, with inadequate teacher training compounded by the whole language method, which relied on children recognising words rather than sounding them out.
"; S12[7]="       Dr Rowe, from the Australian Council for Educational Research, and the University of Western Australia's Bill Louden, who have just completed "; S13[7]=" a literacy and numeracy review for the state Government, said a flattening of results was expected between Years 5 and 7, reflecting the onset of "; S14[7]=" adolescence and the more demanding standards.
      But national reports show some states report a rise in student performance, compared to when the "; S15[7]=" same students were in Year 5.
      The national benchmarks adopted by all states and territories define the levels of literacy and "; S16[7]=" numeracy a student needs to make sufficient progress at school.
      The reading standard for Year7 says students should be able to "; S17[7]=" identify the main purpose and idea of a text and make connections between the ideas and information.
      The examples given include "; S18[7]=" labelling a step in a flowchart, identifying the meaning of an unknown word and interpreting a simple simile such as 'spaghetti ends dribbled from his "; S19[7]=" mouth like wet mop ends'.
      The acting executive director of curriculum standards in the West Australia Education Department, Chris Cook, said "; S20[7]=" the literacy and numeracy trends remained stable over time, indicating student performance had not significantly changed.
      'To achieve the Year 7 "; S21[7]=" benchmark in reading, students are expected to apply sophisticated interpretation and comprehension skills to dense and complex texts that take into account the reading ability "; S22[7]=" required in secondary school.
      This is significantly more demanding for students than the standard expected in Year 5,' she said.
    "; S23[7]="   Professor Louden said the state's results had remained stable over the past few years.
      'My first hypothesis if there's a "; S24[7]=" drop-off in the score is that the benchmark has changed or the items around the benchmark were a bit harder.'.. "; R[8]="1788"; T[8]="NSW DPI course delivers feed, profit and sustainability"; A[8]="By ... Editor"; Dn[8]="20061223"; Dt[8]="Saturday 23 December 2006"; Acats[8]="a35a53a72a89"; B1[8]="      As the drought continues to impact on stockfeed availability, good quality lucerne hay is in demand and with prices hitting $500 per "; B2[8]="tonne those who have hay for sale are in a prime position... "; B3[8]=" "; B4[8]=" "; B5[8]=" "; S1[8]="      As the drought continues to impact on stockfeed availability, good quality lucerne hay is in demand and with prices hitting $500 per "; S2[8]=" tonne those who have hay for sale are in a prime position.
      Lucerne growers across Australia have ensured they make the most "; S3[8]=" from their crops and resources by attending the Department of Primary Industries' (DPI) PROfarm Irrigated lucerne for profit course.
      Course presenter, NSW "; S4[8]=" DPI agronomist Mary-Anne Lattimore, said as water resources become more limited and costly farmers need to make every drop count.
      'The most "; S5[8]=" important outcomes we try to deliver are to improve not only their profitability but to improve the sustainability of the farm and the environment,' Ms "; S6[8]=" Lattimore said.
      According to Ms Lattimore most irrigators won't have access to enough water to grow annual crops this season.
    "; S7[8]="   'Because lucerne is a perennial crop it can still produce reasonable yields with water that is available now.
      And with feed "; S8[8]=" running low, high quality lucerne hay is in big demand.' Word of mouth has spread the news of this valuable learning experience, which has seen "; S9[8]=" increasingly more farmers investing in the two and a half-day course.
      Recently at the NSW DPI's Yanco Agricultural Institute, Western Australian farmer, "; S10[8]=" Rob Kuzich, said that as a newcomer to lucerne-growing the course was a huge benefit.
      'It's given me the confidence to build "; S11[8]=" lucerne production into our farming system,' Mr Kuzich said.
      'There was a mixture of farmers and agronomists attending the course and a "; S12[8]=" lot of extra information came from discussions with them.' Farmers learn how to best establish the crop, lift yields, maintain the crop and produce top "; S13[8]=" quality fodder for use as hay or silage.
      The NSW Government-subsidised course costs $535 and is fully subsidised for Murrumbidgee Irrigation shareholders "; S14[8]=" by Envirowise Training Incentives... "; R[9]="1779"; T[9]="Mallee and Wimmera forums to highlight drought dollar options"; A[9]="By ... Editor"; Dn[9]="20061223"; Dt[9]="Saturday 23 December 2006"; Acats[9]="a35a53a65a89"; B1[9]="      Forums being held at Birchip and Horsham next month will provide grain producers in the Mallee and Wimmera regions of Victoria with "; B2[9]="options for managing the financial ramifications of drought... "; B3[9]=" "; B4[9]=" "; B5[9]=" "; S1[9]="      Forums being held at Birchip and Horsham next month will provide grain producers in the Mallee and Wimmera regions of Victoria with "; S2[9]=" options for managing the financial ramifications of drought.
      Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) will hold forums at Birchip on December 19 and Horsham "; S3[9]=" on December 20 at which they will encourage growers to take a proactive approach in managing their finances to optimise the outcome.
      "; S4[9]=" 'We particularly want to focus on those who are a bit daunted by the ramifications of another year of virtually no crop and who are "; S5[9]=" unclear on how to tackle the future,' BCG chief executive Alexandra Gartmann said.
      'We see a real risk that they will do "; S6[9]=" nothing and take a reactive approach.' While 2006 has been dry across much of the continent, in western Victoria it is merely the latest year "; S7[9]=" in a run of poor seasons.
      'Without a doubt it's been tough times in the Mallee and Wimmera - we're responding to "; S8[9]=" a trend, not a single poor season,' Ms Gartmann said.
      'Farmers in the region are looking for some one-on-one support and information "; S9[9]=" to get their heads around the issues and examine the longer-term viability of their businesses in the face of drought.' Speakers at the forums include "; S10[9]=" locally-based farm business consultant Phil O'Callaghan, who is also part of a project examining cost-of-production benchmarking for the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).
  "; S11[9]="     Mr O'Callaghan will present options by which farmers can assess their current financial position, and another topic on planning for next season.
  "; S12[9]="     'Farm enterprise choices are the building blocks to understanding financial exposure and risk in 2007,' he said.
      'These choices will "; S13[9]=" determine cash flow, income volatility, peak debt and equity levels.' Other topics will include the use of financial projections as a business tool for farmers, "; S14[9]=" understanding the financial value of the farm, leasing and share farming, and off-farm investment.
      A key topic will feature senior representatives from "; S15[9]=" major banks talking about the banks' perspectives on drought, while another will feature representatives of Centrelink discussing eligibility criteria for Government support... "; R[10]="1778"; T[10]="Maths a priority area for growth says CSIRO"; A[10]="By ... Editor"; Dn[10]="20061223"; Dt[10]="Saturday 23 December 2006"; Acats[10]="a53"; B1[10]="      CSIRO welcomes the recommendations of a review of the state of the mathematical sciences in Australia which was released yesterday by a "; B2[10]="committee of the Australian Academy of Science... "; B3[10]=" "; B4[10]=" "; B5[10]=" "; S1[10]="      CSIRO welcomes the recommendations of a review of the state of the mathematical sciences in Australia which was released yesterday by a "; S2[10]=" committee of the Australian Academy of Science.
      'The mathematical sciences are delivering great benefits to our society and economy,' says Dr Murray "; S3[10]=" Cameron, Chief of CSIRO Mathematical and Information Sciences.
      'But these benefits and our work at CSIRO are limited by the declining numbers "; S4[10]=" of quality mathematics graduates in Australia.
      'We fully agree with the conclusions of the Review and support its call for steps to "; S5[10]=" ensure more qualified maths teachers and to increase the number of students studying higher levels of mathematics.' Dr Cameron concurs with the Review's conclusion that "; S6[10]=" for Australia to be a high tech player on the world stage, its recommendations must be acted on.
      CSIRO's submission to the "; S7[10]=" Review stressed the value delivered by the mathematical sciences in multidisciplinary scientific research and the need for a high quality mathematics education system to develop "; S8[10]=" people for exciting maths-based careers.
      'Dr Cameron said that, while many of the Review findings and recommendations are about government and universities, "; S9[10]=" CSIRO and Australia as a whole will benefit if the recommendations are implemented.' 'CSIRO supports higher education in mathematics through scholarships for undergraduates to carry "; S10[10]=" out short research projects and for PhD students,' says Dr Cameron.
      'We also provide post-doc positions to support early career mathematicians and "; S11[10]=" statisticians.' CSIRO is an integral part of the Australian maths community.
      It is an employer, trainer, collaborator, intellectual property generator and research "; S12[10]=" provider with a long history of doing mathematical research for and with industry.
      The mathematical sciences at CSIRO are delivering great benefits "; S13[10]=" to Australia through multidisciplinary collaborations, from finding early detection methods for disease outbreaks to optimising use of multibillion dollar coal export facilities.
      "; S14[10]=" Dr Cameron said that, while many of the Review findings and recommendations are about government and universities, CSIRO and Australia as a whole will benefit "; S15[10]=" if the recommendations are implemented... "; R[11]="1773"; T[11]="World first for science teaching in Queensland classrooms"; A[11]="By ... Editor"; Dn[11]="20061223"; Dt[11]="Saturday 23 December 2006"; Acats[11]="a53"; B1[11]="      In what is a world first, Sunshine Coast high school students have been the willing 'lab rats' in a new program aimed "; B2[11]="at bringing biotechnology into Queensland classrooms... "; B3[11]=" "; B4[11]=" "; B5[11]=" "; S1[11]="      In what is a world first, Sunshine Coast high school students have been the willing 'lab rats' in a new program aimed "; S2[11]=" at bringing biotechnology into Queensland classrooms.
      Senior students from Maroochydore, Kawana and Beerwah state high schools, under the guidance of scientists from "; S3[11]=" the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) and the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), are excelling in a biotechnology program introduced this year.
"; S4[11]="       Course coordinator and Maroochydore State High School teacher Gary Turner said the course, now halfway through, was much needed by teachers and "; S5[11]=" the project outcomes have been excellent.
      'Teaching the latest science in high schools is a challenge,' Gary said.
      'While "; S6[11]=" teachers can master and communicate the theory required, the practical aspects of the 'newest' science areas such as biotechnology are often a new area for "; S7[11]=" them.' Gary said this was where DPI&F and USC scientists were of greatest assistance.
      'With DPI&F and USC's help, we have developed "; S8[11]=" low cost ways of doing high end biotechnology,' Gary said.
      'No other schools in the world are offering this level of biotechnology "; S9[11]=" experiences to their students.' 'We have also developed a structured course over six months for all biology students in our own school labs.
    "; S10[11]="   'In addition, we are creating a package including a DVD, a booklet and videos so that this intellectual property will be available for free "; S11[11]=" to other schools.
      'It's a world first and we hope that it will soon become a major part of senior biology courses "; S12[11]=" right throughout Australia,' Gary said.
      'So far the kids have just loved this program - it is an immensely exciting opportunity for "; S13[11]=" the team involved in this project to produce something so unique.' 'So far we can report success (with the plant tissue culture and gene cloning) "; S14[11]=" so it's probably fair to say we are well on our way to being world leaders in putting advanced biotechnology within the reach of mainstream "; S15[11]=" high school students.' Gary also praised the work of DPI&F and USC in guiding the project and interacting with the students.
      'The "; S16[11]=" student feedback was very positive in terms of the 'wow' factor and they liked the 'scientificness' of it all.
      The plant growth "; S17[11]=" was tremendous and contamination levels were low,' Gary said.
      DPI&F scientist and project leader Sharon Hamill said the course has been designed "; S18[11]=" to make biotechnology 'real' for students.
      'We aimed to develop an advanced, low cost, and hands-on biotechnology course that schools can implement "; S19[11]=" directly into their existing laboratories,' Sharon said.
      'The course demonstrates biotechnology using the areas of plant tissue culture and aspects of molecular "; S20[11]=" biology and covers up to date topics such as bioinformatics, plant micro-propagation, cutting edge theory of gene mapping and advanced genetic cloning.
      "; S21[11]=" 'DPI&F's Applied Plant Biotechnology group, including myself and team leader Dr Mike Smith, developed and delivered the plant tissue culture component of the course, while "; S22[11]=" USC staff developed the molecular biology component, including DNA and gene cloning areas.' 'We provided opportunities for students to better understand how plants grow in "; S23[11]=" tissue culture and how advanced tissue culture is used in science to develop new varieties or improve production.
      'Another important aspect "; S24[11]=" for us was to allow students to make the connection with science and how it helps to grow the food that we eat.
    "; S25[11]="   'We chose ginger as the plant to be studied because of its importance in this region.
      The students set up their "; S26[11]=" own experiments to investigate aspects of plants growth and studied the effects of sugar and light on plant growth, the effect of plant growth regulators "; S27[11]=" (hormones) on plant development and how pH affects nutrient uptake.
      'It has been a very cooperative process, where we have worked from "; S28[11]=" the ground up with not only teachers but with school technicians to train them how to prepare tissue culture, media and equipment.
      "; S29[11]=" 'The students have been very interested in their tissue culture projects and showed enthusiasm and attention throughout the experimental process.
      'Plant tissue "; S30[11]=" culture scientists of the future perhaps?' Sharon said.
      The project received federal funding as an Australian School Innovation in Science, Technology and "; R[12]="1719"; T[12]="FNQ farmers go bananas for FarmBis training"; A[12]="By ... Editor"; Dn[12]="20061130"; Dt[12]="Thursday 30 November 2006"; Acats[12]="a07a53"; B1[12]="      Far North Queensland's banana industry has developed and implemented an innovative workplace health and safety training program, supported by the Department of "; B2[12]="Primary Industries and Fisheries... "; B3[12]=" "; B4[12]=" "; B5[12]=" "; S1[12]="      Far North Queensland's banana industry has developed and implemented an innovative workplace health and safety training program, supported by the Department of "; S2[12]=" Primary Industries and Fisheries.
      Demonstrating a steely resolve in the aftermath of Cyclone Larry, banana growers from Tully to Mareeba were keen "; S3[12]=" to participate in the training, which is designed to cover topics from legislation to best practice harvesting and packing.
      Organised and conducted "; S4[12]=" by Growcom, FarmBis responded with state and federal joint funding to subsidise the training for the grower's benefit.
      FarmBis networker Ian Durham "; S5[12]=" said the course had proven so popular with growers, an additional course was scheduled for early December.
      'The banana industry's experience from "; S6[12]=" Cyclone Larry was, among other things, a reminder that being prepared is the smart approach.
      In the same way, they are meeting "; S7[12]=" these new requirements proactively.' One banana grower said the course had allowed her business to 'take control of the changes in workplace health and safety "; S8[12]=" requirements, and will be implementing what is needed immediately.' However, the grower said that she, like others in the industry, would not have been able "; S9[12]=" to undertake the course without the financial assistance offered by FarmBis.
      'FarmBis Queensland provides financial assistance to primary producers, commercial fishers and "; S10[12]=" rural land managers to undertake business and natural resource management learning activities.
      FarmBis Queensland is coordinated by the Department of Primary Industries "; S11[12]=" and Fisheries,' Mr Durham explained 'It offers a host of training opportunities - from one day computer-based, do-at-home modules to farm-based seminars to university course "; S12[12]=" modules - that can be tailored to suit any age and skill level.' For more information about the banana workshop, or other training opportunities that "; S13[12]=" can be accessed with FarmBis assistance, contact Ian Durham, FarmBis NQ networker on 47 222 511 or mobile 0428 103 043... "; R[13]="1716"; T[13]="War over school history"; A[13]="By ... Editor"; Dn[13]="20061130"; Dt[13]="Thursday 30 November 2006"; Acats[13]="a05a53"; B1[13]="      The Queensland Government is preparing for a stand-up brawl with Canberra over attempts to impose history as a compulsory subject for high "; B2[13]="school students... "; B3[13]=" "; B4[13]=" "; B5[13]=" "; S1[13]="      The Queensland Government is preparing for a stand-up brawl with Canberra over attempts to impose history as a compulsory subject for high "; S2[13]=" school students.
      Queensland Education Minister Rod Welford will defy federal Education Minister Julie Bishop and refuse to mandate history as a compulsory, "; S3[13]=" stand-alone subject for Years 9 and 10.
      'I am happy to mandate some essential knowledge of key components of Australian history into "; S4[13]=" a subject,' Mr Welford said.
      'But it simply does not make sense to mandate history as a stand-alone subject.' History is taught "; S5[13]=" in Queensland public schools as part of Studies of Societies and Environment and is optional from Year 9.
      Canberra is also facing "; S6[13]=" a showdown with South Australia, where history is available until Year 11 as part of SOSE.
      Western Australia, where history is called "; S7[13]=" 'Time, Continuity and Change' and mingled in a Society and Environment course, is believed to be considering Ms Bishop's proposal.
      NSW and "; S8[13]=" Victoria offer history as a stand-alone subject.
      Other territories and states have not made their position clear.
      Ms Bishop "; S9[13]=" has refused to rule out withholding money from the next $40 billion education funding round from those states that resist her push for a stand-alone "; S10[13]=" compulsory history subject.
      'In the last funding round the Government provided $33 billion to the states and territories to run their schools "; S11[13]=" and I believe that the Australian taxpayers would expect us to make the states and territories accountable for that investment,' she said last month.
  "; S12[13]="     Yesterday Ms Bishop's office said: 'The Minister hopes the state will agree with the proposal voluntarily.' The warning follows news that a report "; S13[13]=" commissioned by federal and state education ministers found that more than three-quarters of Australian teenagers did not know the significance of Australia Day.
    "; S14[13]="   Ms Bishop's push for compulsory history in schools has the strong backing of Prime Minister John Howard.
      On Australia Day, Mr "; S15[13]=" Howard foreshadowed his desire to see history established as a compulsory subject on Australia Day.
      He has specifically attacked Mr Welford's proposal "; S16[13]=" for blending history with other curriculums.
      'Too often, it is taught without any sense of structured narrative, replaced by a fragmented stew "; S17[13]=" of themes and issues,' Mr Howard said.
      Mr Welford last night vowed to strongly support Queensland public schools which want to establish "; S18[13]=" a separate history curriculum.
      But he believes the practicalities of many smaller Queensland high schools require history be incorporated into other areas "; S19[13]=" such as social studies or environmental education.
      He warned Ms Bishop that Queensland would not be swayed by Canberra's 'rigid inflexibility' on "; S20[13]=" the issue... "; R[14]="1714"; T[14]="Four of our unis rank in top 50"; A[14]="By ... Editor"; Dn[14]="20061130"; Dt[14]="Thursday 30 November 2006"; Acats[14]="a53"; B1[14]="      Australian universities have a world-class approach to the high-demand disciplines of science, medicine and engineering, according to a new ranking that places "; B2[14]="four of the nation's institutions in the international top 50... "; B3[14]=" "; B4[14]=" "; B5[14]=" "; S1[14]="      Australian universities have a world-class approach to the high-demand disciplines of science, medicine and engineering, according to a new ranking that places "; S2[14]=" four of the nation's institutions in the international top 50.
      As debate continues about Australia's lack of elite universities, the latest Melbourne "; S3[14]=" Institute ranking reveals some institutions have cracked the upper echelons of tertiary education, beating overseas competitors.
      Engineering is the stand-out in the "; S4[14]=" rankings that focus on disciplines and are research- focused, with the University of NSW the best performer in Australia.
      Medicine at Melbourne "; S5[14]=" University also ranks highly and science at the Australian National University is an international leader.
      'To be in the top 50 in "; S6[14]=" the world is a great achievement when you consider the depth of quality in the US,' said economist Ross Williams from the Melbourne Institute.
  "; S7[14]="     'In engineering, medicine and science you have a number of universities rating with the best in the world.' It is the third year "; S8[14]=" Professor Williams and Nina Van Dyke of the Melbourne Institute have ranked Australian universities according to their academic standing, but the first year they have "; S9[14]=" ranked them by disciplines alone.
      The seven fields were humanities, business and economics, education, engineering, law, medicine and science.
      "; S10[14]=" Melbourne, Sydney and NSW universities and the Australian National University in Canberra appear in the top 50 in at least one of those areas.
  "; S11[14]="     The University of Queensland (education, engineering and medicine) and Monash University (engineering and medicine) appear in the top 100 for performance.
    "; S12[14]="   ANU is the leader in science, the only Australian university to appear in the top 50 for this field.
      Melbourne is "; S13[14]=" the stand-out in medicine and business.
      Professor Williams and Dr Van Dyke asked about 540 leading international scholars here and overseas to "; S14[14]=" identify the best universities worldwide in their discipline.
      They also did their own performance charts using measures such as publications output, resources, "; S15[14]=" quality of staff and students, and student satisfaction.
      Australian universities have resisted rankings in the past - in large part because they "; S16[14]=" do not truly reflect performance across all areas.
      However, consumers like them, overseas students love them, and the federal Government continues to "; S17[14]=" link a growing proportion of funding to performance.
      Education Minister Julie Bishop said they were a useful guide for students, led to "; S18[14]=" greater competition among universities, raised standards and encouraged diversity.
      'The international reputation of universities will increasingly be determined by rankings: they are "; S19[14]=" an inevitable part of the global education market,' she said... "; R[15]="1680"; T[15]="Peter Hayman wins GRDC Seed of Light Award"; A[15]="By ... Editor"; Dn[15]="20061123"; Dt[15]="Thursday 23 November 2006"; Acats[15]="a22a24a53a93"; B1[15]="      Dr Peter Hayman's leading role in helping the Australian grains industry manage the risk of climate change was recognised today when he "; B2[15]="became the latest recipient of the Grains Research and Development Corporation's (GRDC) Seed of Light Award... "; B3[15]=" "; B4[15]=" "; B5[15]=" "; S1[15]="      Dr Peter Hayman's leading role in helping the Australian grains industry manage the risk of climate change was recognised today when he "; S2[15]=" became the latest recipient of the Grains Research and Development Corporation's (GRDC) Seed of Light Award.
      Principal scientist for climate applications with "; S3[15]=" the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), Dr Hayman had made a significant contribution to climate change awareness in southern Australia according to GRDC "; S4[15]=" Southern Regional Panel chair David Shannon.
      'Every year since 1999 the GRDC has presented the Seed of Light Award to recognise excellence "; S5[15]=" in grains research and development communications,' Mr Shannon said.
      'Dr Hayman has played a vital role in raising awareness in the grains "; S6[15]=" industry about climate change.
      He has been working with growers, scientists and the industry to communicate the findings and outcomes of the "; S7[15]=" GRDC's Managing Climate Variability Program, and to develop communication efforts between the program's four climate risk projects.
      'This work has included the "; S8[15]=" development of tools for farmers to manage the impact of climate variability in south-eastern Australia.
      The climate has always been the number "; S9[15]=" one factor affecting grain production, and Dr Hayman has played a vital role in helping us to understand it better.
      'He is "; S10[15]=" a highly effective communicator and producers in Australia's southern grains region, along with the scientific community and beyond, have welcomed his insights into the climate.
"; S11[15]="       His work also extends to the viticultural and natural resource management sectors, with his expertise covering the assessment and management of climate "; S12[15]=" risk in agricultural systems, agronomy and decision analysis.' Mr Shannon gave the Seed of Light Award to Dr Hayman at a surprise presentation at the "; S13[15]=" Waite campus of the University of Adelaide this afternoon.
      'Research plays a vital role in improving grain production and sustainability, and one "; S14[15]=" of the most important aspects of research is to communicate outcomes in a way that accelerates the adoption of better varieties and better practices by "; S15[15]=" producers,' he said.
      'Dr Hayman's work is a stellar example of this effort and he is a worthy recipient of the GRDC "; S16[15]=" Seed of Light Award... "; R[16]="1659"; T[16]="SA Education now a primary industry"; A[16]="By ... Editor"; Dn[16]="20061123"; Dt[16]="Thursday 23 November 2006"; Acats[16]="a53a68"; B1[16]="      South Australia's booming international education industry has passed the half billion-dollar mark for the first time, with Adelaide continuing to attract overseas "; B2[16]="students in record numbers... "; B3[16]=" "; B4[16]=" "; B5[16]=" "; S1[16]="      South Australia's booming international education industry has passed the half billion-dollar mark for the first time, with Adelaide continuing to attract overseas "; S2[16]=" students in record numbers.
      Estimates from the Australian Bureau of Statistics for 2005/06 show international students brought $553 million into SA's economy "; S3[16]=" in tuition fees and living expenses, such as accommodation, transport and shopping.
      This is up from $470 million in 2004/05, an "; S4[16]=" increase of almost 18 per cent.
      Further Education Minister Paul Caica said the ABS figures also showed 19,218 overseas students chose "; S5[16]=" Adelaide as their study destination in the first nine months to September this year - a 13.8 per cent increase on the same time last "; S6[16]=" year.
      'And well ahead of the national average rise of 9.5 per cent,' Mr Caica said.
      'It's "; S7[16]=" anticipated that by the end of this year, the number of international students in Adelaide will rise to more than 20,000.' Mr Caica said "; S8[16]=" the state had managed to almost double overseas student numbers in just four years, and had already topped the 2005 total of 18,031 students.
  "; S9[16]="     International education could move from fifth to fourth place in the state's ranking of export goods and services.
      "; S10[16]=" So far this year, Adelaide has also secured 5.4 per cent of the national overseas student market, up from 4.5 per cent in 2003.
  "; S11[16]="     'This puts us on target to capture 9 per cent of the Australian international education market by 2013, in line with the "; S12[16]=" goal set in the South Australian Strategic Plan,' Mr Caica said.
      Out of the international students in SA, 10,638 are at "; S13[16]=" university - a 14 per cent rise over the past year compared to a national average rise of 4.9 per cent.
      "; S14[16]=" Vietnam, India, China and South Korea are the fastest-growing source countries for students, with numbers from those countries rising over the past nine months by "; S15[16]=" 49.8 per cent, 35.9 per cent, 29 per cent, and 27.8 per cent respectively.
      Yan Xiao Xue, 18, from China; Nguyen "; S16[16]=" Thuy Huyen, 18, from Vietnam; Baek Jung Eun, 22, from Korea; and Madhab Raj Bhattarai, 29, from India; said yesterday they had chosen to study "; S17[16]=" in South Australia because of its reputation for great education and affordability.
      'South Australia is very friendly and is known for "; S18[16]=" its good education,' said Ms Nguyen, who will begin school here when her English course at Eynesbury College is completed... "; R[17]="1643"; T[17]="New edition of popular Small Landholder Guide"; A[17]="By ... Editor"; Dn[17]="20061111"; Dt[17]="Saturday 11 November 2006"; Acats[17]="a02a53a72"; B1[17]="      An updated edition of the popular practical guide for small rural landholders, The Land is in your hands has been released by "; B2[17]="the Department of Agriculture and Food... "; B3[17]=" "; B4[17]=" "; B5[17]=" "; S1[17]="      An updated edition of the popular practical guide for small rural landholders, The Land is in your hands has been released by "; S2[17]=" the Department of Agriculture and Food.
      Manager of the Department's Small Landholder Information Service Neil Guise said the number of small "; S3[17]=" landholders in Western Australia had increased by 20 per cent since the guide was first published in 1999.
      'Western Australia now "; S4[17]=" has at least 53,000 small landholders, collectively managing around 650,000 hectares of rural land,' Mr Guise said.
      'They are a very "; S5[17]=" diverse group, but many of their activities have key similar characteristics.
      Many small landholders don't have previous rural or land management experience, "; S6[17]=" and their income is almost invariably dependant on off-farm sources.
      'They also don't always know how to link into the traditional "; S7[17]=" information networks in landcare and agribusiness.
      So this guide has proved extremely helpful in assisting them with essential information they need for "; S8[17]=" the successful management for their properties.' Mr Guise said The Land is in your hands was a guide for small rural landholders throughout Western "; S9[17]=" Australia.
      'The guide covers essential areas such as landcare, water resources, vegetation, pests and diseases and bushfire preparation,' he said.
  "; S10[17]="     'It provides good basic information in an easy-to-understand format, with references, contact details and links to the many services available for small "; S11[17]=" landholders.' Project partners involved in publishing the guide include the Swan River Trust, the Serpentine Jarrahdale Shire and the South West Catchment Council.
  "; S12[17]="     The guide is being distributed to key partners, Shires and local DAFWA offices and can be viewed at www.agric.wa.gov.au Orders should be "; S13[17]=" placed with the Small Landholder Information Service at the Waroona DAFWA office, phone 9733 7777... "; R[18]="1553"; T[18]="Indigenous children focus on animal welfare"; A[18]="By ... Editor"; Dn[18]="20061020"; Dt[18]="Friday 20 October 2006"; Acats[18]="a53"; B1[18]="      Responsibility is the key to caring for animals.... "; B2[18]=" "; B3[18]=" "; B4[18]=" "; B5[18]=" "; S1[18]="      Responsibility is the key to caring for animals.
      That was the message delivered recently to more than 500 indigenous "; S2[18]=" children who attended boarding schools in Cairns, Ingham and Townsville.
      A Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries education team visited the students "; S3[18]=" at six boarding schools - Peace Lutheran, Djarragun and Wangetti colleges in Cairns; Shalom and St Patrick's colleges in Townsville and Abergowrie College near Ingham.
"; S4[18]="       DPI&F veterinary officer Jack Shield said the program to go out to boarding schools helped the animal welfare education team to reach "; S5[18]=" children who would otherwise miss out on the programs conducted in their own communities.
      'The program was so successful we would like "; S6[18]=" to expand it next year to include more boarding schools,' Dr Shield said.
      The DPI&F team included principal veterinary officer Allison Crook "; S7[18]=" and senior biosecurity inspector Greg Horrocks and their four animal welfare dogs.
      The presentation included a talk about animal welfare, a slide "; S8[18]=" show with messages about specific animal welfare problems and a demonstration featuring the DPI&F animal welfare dogs.
      'The slides featured the dos "; S9[18]=" and don'ts in caring for animals,' Dr Shield said.
      'The message we delivered was about the Duty of Care towards animals.
  "; S10[18]="     All animal owners and users have responsibilities for the care and protection of the animals they are in charge of or own.
  "; S11[18]="     'The students were quick to identify the less pleasant images of animal injuries.
      We are sure this helps give them "; S12[18]=" a greater appreciation about the welfare of their pets whether they be dogs or horses.
      'They were certainly interested enough to ask "; S13[18]=" a lot of questions that reflect this appreciation, including: What do we do when an animal is sick or injured?' Dr Shield said the students "; S14[18]=" interacted enthusiastically with the dogs and could see they were happy and healthy role models for their pets back home.
      'They showed "; S15[18]=" a lot of love and affection towards our dogs,' he said.
      'With the skills to better look after their pets, they too "; S16[18]=" will have happy, healthy and friendly pets of their own.' The animal welfare team looks forward to continuing the program next year and reach more "; S17[18]=" students both in the communities and at boarding schools... "; R[19]="1545"; T[19]="No hint of Mao: HSC English cleared of bias"; A[19]="By ... Editor"; Dn[19]="20061020"; Dt[19]="Friday 20 October 2006"; Acats[19]="a53"; B1[19]="      The education research authority commissioned by the Federal Government to help shape a new national curriculum has found no evidence of political "; B2[19]="bias in the NSW Higher School Certificate... "; B3[19]=" "; B4[19]=" "; B5[19]=" "; S1[19]="      The education research authority commissioned by the Federal Government to help shape a new national curriculum has found no evidence of political "; S2[19]=" bias in the NSW Higher School Certificate.
      A consultation paper, which provides a snapshot of English curriculums around the country, does not "; S3[19]=" support the Federal Government's accusations of left-wing bias.
      A copy of the Australian Council for Educational Research's paper obtained by the Herald "; S4[19]=" identifies all common areas of study in the English syllabus.
      The federal Minister for Education, Julie Bishop, has accused state curriculum boards "; S5[19]=" of harbouring Maoists and left-wing ideologues, citing a Marxist critical reading of Othello at one private school in NSW as evidence.
      The "; S6[19]=" head of the Australian Council for Educational Research, Geoff Masters, said concerns about critical readings and postmodernist interpretations of literature, such as those at SCEGGS, "; S7[19]=" had been overstated.
      'I wouldn't share a concern there is any deep problem,' he said.
      The Federal Government has "; S8[19]=" asked Professor Masters to identify common parts of the curriculum in maths, physics, chemistry and Australian history across all states and territories.
      "; S9[19]=" He said the NSW HSC was not in any danger of being diluted.
      'The HSC is not under siege,' he said.
  "; S10[19]="     'You may find all essential elements are completely covered in the NSW HSC.' Professor George Cooney, from the School of Education at the "; S11[19]=" Australian Centre for Educational Studies, said he had no concerns that political bias was present in the NSW HSC.
      'The criticisms about "; S12[19]=" state and territory curricula made by the federal minister do not apply to NSW,' he said.
      Mark Howie, who heads the NSW "; S13[19]=" English Teachers Association, said the Australian Council for Educational Research data showed that no syllabus had mandated the use of specific critical theories.
    "; S14[19]="   'Tellingly, the … research found no requirement for Australian students to study left-wing ideology in English,' he said.
      The associate dean "; S15[19]=" of education at the University of Technology, Sydney, Geoff Riordan, a strong advocate for a national curriculum, said he doubted the Federal Government was serious "; S16[19]=" about addressing the issue.
      'If they were serious about introducing a national curriculum, they would want to invite serious constructive conversation with "; S17[19]=" the stakeholders to determine a way forward,' he said.
      Paul Kiem, the past president of the NSW History Teachers Association, said Ms "; S18[19]=" Bishop had failed to offer any vision for a secondary Australian history course.
      Professor Andrew Gonczi, of the University of Sydney's faculty "; S19[19]=" of education and social work, said the NSW Board of Studies was well run and the Federal Government had no credible evidence of any problem "; S20[19]=" with the curriculum.
      The president of the NSW Secondary Principals Council, Jim McAlpine, said the Federal Government's intention to control the curriculum "; S21[19]=" was backed by 'dubious data'.
      'It's all about politics and very little about what's good for children,' he said.
      "; S22[19]=" Ms Bishop said she had received complaints from parents about their dissatisfaction with elements of the curriculum, including left-wing bias in NSW.
      "; S23[19]=" 'My comments about political bias referred to education authorities across Australia,' she said.
      'The goal is to identify the highest standards this "; S24[19]=" nation can produce and then roll that out nationally, so that every child has access to a high-quality education.
      'There has been "; S25[19]=" little progress towards greater national consistency, without Commonwealth funding and leadership.
      It has largely been an exercise in frustration and obstruction.'.. "; R[20]="1456"; T[20]="Learning opportunities keep agribusiness blooming"; A[20]="By ... Editor"; Dn[20]="20060927"; Dt[20]="Wednesday 27 September 2006"; Acats[20]="a53"; B1[20]="      Australia's agricultural sector operates in a competitive business environment.... "; B2[20]=" "; B3[20]=" "; B4[20]=" "; B5[20]=" "; S1[20]="      Australia's agricultural sector operates in a competitive business environment.
      Globalisation of markets, vertically integrated companies, rapid technological developments, changing "; S2[20]=" consumer preferences, regulatory changes and concerns over the impact of agriculture on the natural resource base are all part of today's realities for primary producers.
"; S3[20]="       Today's successful producer requires new and comprehensive business and natural resource management skills and practices in order to compete.
      "; S4[20]=" The FarmBis program, jointly funded by the Australian and State Governments has financially assisted farmers, fishers and land managers to attend education and training activities.
"; S5[20]="       FarmBis promotes the benefits of business and natural resource management education and training.
      'The longer term goal is to "; S6[20]=" foster a culture of ongoing learning that is vital to the success of the modern business enterprise,' FarmBis North Queensland networker Ian Durham said.
  "; S7[20]="     'FarmBis is flexible, from one day computer-based, do-at-home modules to farm-based seminars to university course modules - that can be tailored to suit "; S8[20]=" any age and skill level and provides a wide choice of courses and training activities.
      'Producers can attend commercially available training, or "; S9[20]=" groups of individuals can attend tailored training and claim 50 per cent of the course cost.
      However, you need to apply for "; S10[20]=" FarmBis funding before you begin your training.
      ' From cashbook accounting to herd management, primary producers throughout the north can access a "; S11[20]=" host of education opportunities through FarmBis.
      FarmBis Queensland provides financial assistance to primary producers, commercial fishers and rural land managers.
    "; S12[20]="   FarmBis has employed three networkers.
      Two are Brisbane based and Ian is Townsville-based.
      Ian is predominantly servicing the "; S13[20]=" Beef, Sheep & Wool, Grain, Sugar and Lot Feeding Industries however, he can also provide guidance if you are in other industries.
      "; S14[20]=" Ian has background in primary production, agribusiness and financial counselling and knows the benefits of training.
      He is working closely with industry "; S15[20]=" and training organisations to make sure the most appropriate training is available.
      'Training and education takes many guises and I would really "; S16[20]=" encourage people who want to learn more about a specific subject, but don't really know where to go next; then visit the FarmBis website, www.farmbis.gov.au "; S17[20]=" or contact me.
      'Learning new skills or different approaches to existing problems can help a business get ahead.
      Primary "; S18[20]=" production is a business and there is a whole host of responsibilities that come with a business, including employing staff, meeting financial reporting expectations, marketing "; S19[20]=" and responding to changing consumer demands, keeping informed of the latest scientific research and managing one of your most important resources, your land.
    "; S20[20]="   'FarmBis networkers can help connect you with courses that can help grow your business or the confidence to make important business decisions such as "; S21[20]=" whether to diversify or expand.' Ian Durham can be contacted at the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, River Boulevard, Townsville, telephone +61 7 4722 "; S22[20]=" 2511.
      AAA FarmBis is a joint initiative of the Australian and Queensland Governments, with total available funds of $22 million.
    "; S23[20]="   It aims to improve the long term economic, social and environmental circumstances for primary producers and will run until 30 June 2008... "; R[21]="1321"; T[21]="Aussie genius adds highest maths award to honours"; A[21]="By ... Editor"; Dn[21]="20060823"; Dt[21]="Wednesday 23 August 2006"; Acats[21]="a48a53"; B1[21]="      A Former child genius who completed high school mathematics at the age of eight and had two university degrees at 17 has "; B2[21]="won mathematics' highest honour, the Fields medal, becoming the first Australian to do so... "; B3[21]=" "; B4[21]=" "; B5[21]=" "; S1[21]="      A Former child genius who completed high school mathematics at the age of eight and had two university degrees at 17 has "; S2[21]=" won mathematics' highest honour, the Fields medal, becoming the first Australian to do so.
      Terry Tao, 31, who was made a professor "; S3[21]=" at the University of California, Los Angeles, at 24, swept all before him at primary school, high school and university in Adelaide before embarking onan "; S4[21]=" international academic career that has awed mathematicians decades his senior.
      The Fields medal is the mathematician's equivalent of the Nobel Prize, which "; S5[21]=" carries no award for the discipline.
      It is awarded for a body of work rather than a single achievement but Professor Tao "; S6[21]=" is most recently celebrated for showing, with Ben Green of Cambridge, that there are long strings of prime numbers a constant distance apart, work that "; S7[21]=" is important for the coding ofinformation such as banking details.
      One of his early mentors, Garth Gaudry of the University ofMelbourne's International "; S8[21]=" Centre of Excellence for Education in Mathematics, described his charge as 'completely off thescale'.
      Professor Gaudry started tutoring Professor Tao when the "; S9[21]=" prodigy was 12.
      'He had had a few local tutors up to Year 12 maths and his father realised that Terry had "; S10[21]=" exhausted them; they'd run out of steam with any decent material they could offer him,' Professor Gaudry told The Australian.
      'I very "; S11[21]=" rapidly found that he was just completely off the scale.
      His insight and brilliance just frankly staggered me.' King Juan Carlos of "; S12[21]=" Spain presented Professor Tao with hismedal at a ceremony in Madrid last night during the International Congress of Mathematicians.
      Professor Tao is "; S13[21]=" the son of Billy, an Adelaide pediatrician who took an active interest in his first son's early education, and Grace, a former high school maths "; S14[21]=" and physics teacher.
      Dr Tao said his son showed rare insight at age two, when he showed the older children of Tao "; S15[21]=" family friends how to count using blocks.
      Professor Tao has two younger brothers.
      Trevor, 29, is an autistic savant "; S16[21]=" with degrees in music and a PhD in applied mathematics.
      He works for the Defence Science Technology Organisation.
      Nigel, "; S17[21]=" 27, has maths, economics and computer engineering degrees and works for internet search company Google in Sydney.
      Professor Tao said of his "; S18[21]=" win: 'I haven't had an award like this before, so I don't know how it will affect (my career).
      'I'm trying to "; S19[21]=" focus on continuing my research and other work, such as advising graduate students.' The Fields medal, named after Canadian mathematician John Charles Field (1863-1932), was "; S20[21]=" first awarded in 1936 and is given once every four years to two or four recipients.
      This year's other winners are Russians "; S21[21]=" Andrei Okounkov and Grigori Perelman and French-German Wendelin Werner... "; R[22]="1315"; T[22]="Australian Expats - On the Road to Ten Thousand!"; A[22]="By ... Editor"; Dn[22]="20060823"; Dt[22]="Wednesday 23 August 2006"; Acats[22]="a48a53"; B1[22]="      Advance, the global network of Australian professionals, is on the hunt for Australia's large disapora.
      There are more than "; B2[22]="one million Australians living abroad, or five percent of the population that was not counted in the National census conducted a fortnight ago... "; B3[22]=" "; B4[22]=" "; B5[22]=" "; S1[22]="      Advance, the global network of Australian professionals, is on the hunt for Australia's large disapora.
      There are more than "; S2[22]=" one million Australians living abroad, or five percent of the population that was not counted in the National census conducted a fortnight ago.
    "; S3[22]="   In an unprecedented move, Advance launched a census of Australians Abroad last week entitled 'One Million More'.
      This census focuses on "; S4[22]=" ensuring that Australia's one million expatriates previously ignored will be represented in 2006.
      To date nearly 5,000 Australians have completed the census "; S5[22]=" located at www.onemillionmore.com accounting for more than 8,500 Australians overseas.
      CEO of Advance, Elena Douglas, said she is encouraged by this start "; S6[22]=" and with the momentum that has continued we expect more than 10,000 Australians will participate in what is a ground breaking initiative.
      "; S7[22]=" 'Although living and working overseas, the expatriate community is very much Australian and proudly declare itself as such.
      Being some of our "; S8[22]=" brightest and most talented, the expatriate community needs to be included in a census of the Australian population, along with international students and visitors who "; S9[22]=" have a place in the official census forms.
      'One Million More' gives all Australians the chance to be counted.' Advance has partnered "; S10[22]=" with the Southern Cross Group and is working with over three hundred overseas Australian business and community groups to ensure that Australians from Beijing to "; S11[22]=" Mumbai to Stockholm, and in everywhere in between, are included.
      To date the majority of participants have been from the United States "; S12[22]=" of America and the United Kingdom however Advance is calling for Australians from all over the globe to jump online and help Australia understand more "; S13[22]=" about its offshore population's economic, housing and lifestyle characteristics.
      The results of this survey will be analysed by leading demographer, Professor Graeme "; S14[22]=" Hugo, Federation Fellow and Professor of the National Centre for Social Applications of GIS of the University of Adelaide and preliminary results will be available "; S15[22]=" in October 2006.
      The survey is available online at www.onemillionmore.com until 30 September 2006... "; R[23]="1312"; T[23]="Summit agrees on national approach to history teaching"; A[23]="By ... Editor"; Dn[23]="20060818"; Dt[23]="Friday 18 August 2006"; Acats[23]="a05a53"; B1[23]="      A history summit in Canberra has recommended Australian history be taught as a core, stand alone subject in years nine and 10.... "; B2[23]=" "; B3[23]=" "; B4[23]=" "; B5[23]=" "; S1[23]="      A history summit in Canberra has recommended Australian history be taught as a core, stand alone subject in years nine and 10.
"; S2[23]="       The issue was first raised by Prime Minister John Howard in an Australia Day address.
      Today historians, teachers and "; S3[23]=" social commentators nutted out a new national approach to the subject.
      The summit agreed a national curriculum should be developed for all "; S4[23]=" states and territories, but Education Minister Julie Bishop will not say if she will tie the curriculum to federal funding.
      'It's been "; S5[23]=" an extremely productive day and I'm looking forward to working collaboratively with the state and territory education ministers,' she said.
      'What the "; S6[23]=" Australian Government has done is taken a lead in restoring Australian history to a key place in Australian schools.
      'Now we don't "; S7[23]=" run state government schools, but what we're seeking to do is provide the states and territories with the benefit of the advice that has come "; S8[23]=" from the history summit.' Former New South Wales premier Bob Carr, who was involved in the summit, says the specific details of what exactly should "; S9[23]=" be taught is still being worked through.
      'It agrees that students should come to an understanding of the character of Australian society "; S10[23]=" by pursuing, over a wide range of years, a series of open ended questions about the character of Australia's society based on a clear chronology "; S11[23]=" of events,' Mr Carr said.
      But Mr Carr has urged state leaders to adopt the recommendations.
      'I think states "; S12[23]=" and territories should feel pretty comfortable moving within this space,' he said.
      'I'd like to see this happen by cooperation.
    "; S13[23]="   I'm pretty comfortable with it because we did this in New South Wales, it is compulsory - study for 100 hours subject to an "; S14[23]=" external examination, so we're pretty comfortable with the concept.'.. "; R[24]="1298"; T[24]="Restore subject or funding is history"; A[24]="By ... Editor"; Dn[24]="20060818"; Dt[24]="Friday 18 August 2006"; Acats[24]="a05a53"; B1[24]="      State governments will be under pressure to reinstate history as a compulsory separate subject in schools or risk losing nearly $13 billion "; B2[24]="in federal funding as a summit of experts meet in Canberra today... "; B3[24]=" "; B4[24]=" "; B5[24]=" "; S1[24]="      State governments will be under pressure to reinstate history as a compulsory separate subject in schools or risk losing nearly $13 billion "; S2[24]=" in federal funding as a summit of experts meet in Canberra today.
      But in launching the history summit last night, federal Education "; S3[24]=" Minister Julie Bishop told the 23 participants she was not in favour of 'creating some form of an official' history.
      'We start, "; S4[24]=" however, with a strong view that Australian history should be a compulsory stand-alone subject during some period of high school,' she said.
      "; S5[24]=" The history summit, which was flagged by The Australian last month, has been convened by Ms Bishop in response to John Howard's call in January "; S6[24]=" for a 'root and branch renewal' of the teaching of Australian history.
      'Debate is healthy, but too often in the past decade "; S7[24]=" the extremes in the history debate obscured the sensible centre and left others - not the least our children - to simply switch off,' Ms "; S8[24]=" Bishop said.
      'But let me assure everyone that we are not in the business ofproducing some form of official history.' The Government "; S9[24]=" is worried that school students are losing any sense of Australian or world history as a result of the rise of cross-disciplinary subjects with titles "; S10[24]=" such as Study of Society and its Environment.
      The Prime Minister and Ms Bishop want compulsory history subjects taught from kindergarten to "; S11[24]=" Year 10, with Australian history the focus of Years 9 and 10.
      Participants in the summit include former NSW premier Bob Carr, "; S12[24]=" conservative commentator Gerard Henderson, historian Geoffrey Blainey and The Australian editor-at-large Paul Kelly.
      By inviting what she calls the 'sensible centre' of "; S13[24]=" the history debate, Ms Bishop hopes to avoid the summit becoming hostage to the 'history wars'.
      But in an opinion article in "; S14[24]=" a Melbourne newspaper on Tuesday, Melbourne University history professor Stuart McIntyre, who was invited to the summit but cannot attend, suggested it would endorse the "; S15[24]=" view that 'only one story can be told and that it should be drilled into all young Australians'.
      But Henderson dismissed that "; S16[24]=" argument yesterday.
      'I think the presence of Geoffrey Bolton or Bob Carr or Inge Clendinnen indicates this is going to be a "; S17[24]=" discussion which will focus on the importance of narrative history, but also looking at different traditions,' he said.
      'Both the conservative tradition "; S18[24]=" and the social democratic tradition have an interest in getting our history right and seeing it is not captured by ideologues.' The summit should give "; S19[24]=" Ms Bishop the ammunition she needs to make stand-alone history a condition of the next four-year education funding agreement with the states - expected to "; S20[24]=" be worth nearly $13 billion for state schools and $29 billion for private schools.
      Those at the meeting will also advise her "; S21[24]=" on the additional resources that will be required, which could include online curriculum materials and brush-up courses for teachers.
      In a pointed "; S22[24]=" reference to the school syllabus in Queensland, Ms Bishop said: 'History is not peace studies.
      'History is not social justice awareness week.
"; S23[24]="       Or consciousness-raising about ecological sustainability.
      History is history, and shouldn't be a political science course by another name.'.. "; R[25]="1290"; T[25]="Private schools to curtail promises"; A[25]="By ... Editor"; Dn[25]="20060818"; Dt[25]="Friday 18 August 2006"; Acats[25]="a53"; B1[25]="      Principals of independent schools have declared that no school can promise to teach every child to read, as lawyers warned that a "; B2[25]="landmark court case would send 'alarm bells' through the private education system... "; B3[25]=" "; B4[25]=" "; B5[25]=" "; S1[25]="      Principals of independent schools have declared that no school can promise to teach every child to read, as lawyers warned that a "; S2[25]=" landmark court case would send 'alarm bells' through the private education system.
      Principals said the case - in which a mother won "; S3[25]=" a payout from a private school for failing to teach her son to read properly - would force independent schools to wind back their marketing "; S4[25]=" to avoid being sued by unhappy parents.
      The Australian revealed yesterday that Melbourne mother Yvonne Meyer received a confidential payout from Brighton "; S5[25]=" Grammar School after alleging the school breached the Trade Practices Act.
      Ms Meyer, who claimed the school failed to deliver on its "; S6[25]=" promise to address her son's reading problems, said yesterday that schools should be held accountable.
      'I would like parents to know that "; S7[25]=" if they think there is a problem they're probably right and they can do something about it,' she told The Australian.
      But "; S8[25]=" Leonie Trimper, president of the Australian Primary Principals Association, which represents the heads of government and non-government schools, said no school could promise to teach "; S9[25]=" every student to read.
      'I don't think a school could ever stand up and say: 'We promise that every child in this "; S10[25]=" school would be able to read.' I think that would be extremely unlikely,' she said.
      'Nowadays, schools are competitive for enrolments and "; S11[25]=" we do have to be careful in this climate that we don't make promises that we may not be able to keep.
      "; S12[25]=" Every child goes to school with a very individual set of needs.
      This school sounds like it promised something very specific to "; S13[25]=" this family.
      It made a commitment knowing a child was coming to them with some reading difficulties.
      'We aim "; S14[25]=" to teach everybody to read, of course we do, but there are some children with complex needs and disabilities that make that a very difficult "; S15[25]=" task.
      But you work hard to achieve the best.' Lawyer Michael Magazanik from law firm Slater & Gordon said the legal settlement "; S16[25]=" should concern private schools.
      'It will sound alarm bells for private schools to the effect that you have to be careful about "; S17[25]=" what you promise and you have to make sure you are able to deliver what you promise otherwise you risk angry parents taking action,' he "; S18[25]=" said.
      'There are laws that regulate the way businesses do business.
      The Trade Practices Act, the Fair Trading Act "; S19[25]=" and so on.
      Traditionally schools haven't been seen as businesses, but with private schools charging 15 to 20 thousand dollars in fees, "; S20[25]=" there is a strong argument to say that they're engaged in business and therefore subject to those same sorts of controls.' Andrew Blair, president of "; S21[25]=" the Australian Secondary School Principals Association, said he expected the court case to encourage other parents to take legal action.
      'I think "; S22[25]=" parents will want to challenge the system for as much as they can get,' Mr Blair said.
      'I think it will happen.
"; S23[25]="       It is more likely to be in the independent sector than in the public but I wouldn't be surprised if there are "; S24[25]=" attempts within government schools also.' Mr Blair said the settlement would put pressure on private schools to review their aggressive marketing.
      'I "; S25[25]=" think we are going to see schools winding back on the claims they make in terms of what they can offer,' he said.
    "; S26[25]="   'I think we'll see a far more measured approach in terms of marketing... "; R[26]="1274"; T[26]="Wine industry blueprint to promote innovation"; A[26]="By ... Editor"; Dn[26]="20060810"; Dt[26]="Thursday 10 August 2006"; Acats[26]="a13a53a93"; B1[26]="      The Australian Wine Research Institute is today releasing a seven-year blueprint for the industry, promoting innovation as the key to its sustainability.... "; B2[26]=" "; B3[26]=" "; B4[26]=" "; B5[26]=" "; S1[26]="      The Australian Wine Research Institute is today releasing a seven-year blueprint for the industry, promoting innovation as the key to its sustainability.
"; S2[26]="       The plan includes studies to look at what turns consumers on or off wine, how production can be improved and what can "; S3[26]=" be done to ease the grape glut.
      The Wine Research Institute's managing director, Sakkie Pretorius, says while oversupply is a major concern, "; S4[26]=" research and development are important for the industry's future.
      'Obviously there are short term issues that need to be addressed right now "; S5[26]=" at this moment to give some relief to our grape growers and winemakers, Professor Pretorius said.
      'In the long run the only "; S6[26]=" thing that can make this industry sustainable is a very strong focus on research and development, and the next generation of innovation.' Professor Pretorius believes "; S7[26]=" Australia is ahead of the competition now, but there must be hard work to keep it there.
      'We do have the best "; S8[26]=" model in the world, and our industry has been very successful, and we are taking the leadership position,' he said.
      'If you "; S9[26]=" look in the rear view mirror the objects are always much closer than they appear so we have to not sit on our hands, we "; S10[26]=" have to work on our innovation that will help us a year, two years, five years from now.'.. "; R[27]="1272"; T[27]="Kids struggle with the words"; A[27]="By ... Editor"; Dn[27]="20060810"; Dt[27]="Thursday 10 August 2006"; Acats[27]="a53"; B1[27]="      Fewer than half of all Year 7 students could identify verbs or adjectives and only 7 per cent could spell 'definitely' in "; B2[27]="a literacy test sat by all NSW students entering high school this year... "; B3[27]=" "; B4[27]=" "; B5[27]=" "; S1[27]="      Fewer than half of all Year 7 students could identify verbs or adjectives and only 7 per cent could spell 'definitely' in "; S2[27]=" a literacy test sat by all NSW students entering high school this year.
      The results of the English Language and Literacy Assessment, "; S3[27]=" run in March, show that a majority of students have difficulty with spelling, punctuation and grammar.
      Only 27 per cent of students "; S4[27]=" knew where to put the apostrophe in 'children's excitement' and 35 per cent were able to put the apostrophe in 'can't'.
      When "; S5[27]=" asked about the phrase 'made Nick's eyes water', only 40 per cent of students identified the word water as a verb and just 44 per "; S6[27]=" cent knew the words 'calm', 'still' and 'unexpected' were adjectives.
      When given misspelt words to correct, one in four students was able "; S7[27]=" to spell 'accommodation', 37 per cent could spell 'scaly', 47 per cent could spell 'razor' and 53 per cent could spell 'paid'.
      "; S8[27]=" But almost one in five students was unable to correct the sentence, 'Then Ron and me had lunch', while only 35 per cent corrected 'could "; S9[27]=" of' to 'could have'.
      Senior lecturer in the school of languages and linguistics at Melbourne University Jean Mulder said the specific teaching "; S10[27]=" of grammar had been dropped from school curriculums around the nation and the poor literacy results showed that this approach was not working.
    "; S11[27]="   Dr Mulder designed the English language course in Victoria for Year 11 and 12 students, which teaches grammar as part of a study of "; S12[27]=" literature and language.
      Dr Mulder said most students who were familiar with grammar had learnt it from studying a second language, where "; S13[27]=" grammar was specifically taught.
      'It's time to rethink the way grammar and language is taught, but not just simply repeating the traditional "; S14[27]=" grammar approach of being taught by rote,' she said.
      'It needs to be taught in context, by looking at the way words "; S15[27]=" are used, not just their function, and in doing that to be able to name things, like this word is a verb, this word is "; S16[27]=" a noun.' The ELLA program was introduced in 1997 as part of the NSW Government's literacy strategy and is compulsory for all Year 7 students, "; S17[27]=" with a voluntary follow-up test in Year 8 that is normally taken by about 97per cent of students.
      Students are assessed on "; S18[27]=" their writing, reading and knowledge of language, and are required to write two passages, answer questions after reading a piece, and identify grammatical components, correct "; S19[27]=" spelling and punctuation mistakes.
      The NSW Education Department said this year's results were 'exceptionally good', with the overall results for reading, writing "; S20[27]=" and language combined the best since the test was introduced.
      In the language assessment, the results were comparable with previous years.
  "; S21[27]="     The tests are marked within a range of 45 to 120, and the average score this year was 88.8, the same as last "; S22[27]=" year's average and equivalent to the high point of 88.9 in 2004... "; R[28]="1216"; T[28]="Stocktake workshops on offer"; A[28]="By ... Editor"; Dn[28]="20060730"; Dt[28]="Sunday 30 July 2006"; Acats[28]="a07a53"; B1[28]="      It takes just one day to learn what forage budgeting is all about but it is that knowledge gained relating to available "; B2[28]="paddock feed and long term carrying capacity that provides management options well before there are no options left... "; B3[28]=" "; B4[28]=" "; B5[28]=" "; S1[28]="      It takes just one day to learn what forage budgeting is all about but it is that knowledge gained relating to available "; S2[28]=" paddock feed and long term carrying capacity that provides management options well before there are no options left.
      Department of Primary Industries "; S3[28]=" and Fisheries sustainable grazing systems extension officer at Emerald, Jill Aisthorpe, and the experienced extension team of Bill Schulke (Bundaberg), John Chamberlain (Clermont) and Jane "; S4[28]=" Hamilton (Charleville), are gearing up to present eight Stocktake workshops across Central Queensland.
      Ms Aisthorpe said Stocktake was an extremely practical paddock-scale "; S5[28]=" land monitoring and pasture management decision package funded and developed by DPI&F and the Fitzroy Basin Association specifically for Central region graziers.
      "; S6[28]=" Workshops during the next three months would be held at Rolleston August 8; Alpha August 10; Blackwater August 15; Wycarbah Hall August 17; Clermont September "; S7[28]=" 13; Springsure September 15; Mackay October 4; and Biloela October 12.
      Ms Aisthorpe said each workshop was limited to 15 participants and "; S8[28]=" the all-inclusive cost per business of $275 attracted a 50 per cent FarmBis subsidy for each eligible grazing enterprise.
      Intending participants must "; S9[28]=" have their FarmBis subsidy application form submitted to QRAA prior to the workshop.
      'While we cannot make it rain, Stocktake allows land "; S10[28]=" managers to make the best use of what they have got and by ensuring good land condition, they can make better use of any rainfall,' "; S11[28]=" Ms Aisthorpe said.
      'Stocktake provides a system that rates land condition and the effect it has on long term paddock carrying capacity.
"; S12[28]="       'The system also uses a forage budgeting technique based on current available forage that ensures an animal's intake needs are met and "; S13[28]=" there is sufficient residual grass cover left to maintain land condition.' Ms Aisthorpe said Stocktake enabled land managers to interpret data that was useful for "; S14[28]=" their business planning and quantified the potential for improved productivity.
      It is a one-day workshop delivering long term benefits.
      "; S15[28]=" To register, contact Jill Aisthorpe at DPI&F Emerald on 4983 7421 or email: jillian.aisthorpe@dpi.qld.gov.au.. "; R[29]="1210"; T[29]="Singapore kids spell better than Aussies"; A[29]="By ... Editor"; Dn[29]="20060730"; Dt[29]="Sunday 30 July 2006"; Acats[29]="a53"; B1[29]="      The 'wallpaper method' of teaching spelling by sticking words on the classroom wall for children to absorb is failing in Australia.... "; B2[29]=" "; B3[29]=" "; B4[29]=" "; B5[29]=" "; S1[29]="      The 'wallpaper method' of teaching spelling by sticking words on the classroom wall for children to absorb is failing in Australia.
  "; S2[29]="     Writing tests conducted by the University of NSW reveal that about nine times more students in Singapore - where about half of children "; S3[29]=" speak English as a second language - can spell less-common English words or those with unusual spelling patterns.
      The stark difference is "; S4[29]=" attributed to the more traditional drill approach adopted by Singapore schools to teach spelling, with the syllabus even listing words that students are expected to "; S5[29]=" be able to spell.
      About 9 per cent of Year 3 students in Singapore could spell words such as chaotic, dilemma, laborious, "; S6[29]=" perceive and voyage, while only 1 per cent of Year 3 students in NSW reached an equivalent score.
      The improvement in students' "; S7[29]=" spelling over two years was also markedly different, with 36.5 per cent of Year 5 students in Singapore able to spell at the same level, "; S8[29]=" compared with 12 per cent of Year 5 students in NSW.
      The tests, conducted by Educational Assessment Australia at UNSW and involving "; S9[29]=" more than 110,000 Australians and more than 10,000 Singaporeans, required students to construct a news story based on an event.
      While the "; S10[29]=" EAA students comprised a high proportion of private school students, the results are similar to those of the NSW Government's basic skills tests, which are "; S11[29]=" sat by all Year 3 and 5 students in government and non-government schools.
      The 2003 results for the primary writing assessment of "; S12[29]=" the NSW test show only 2 per cent of Year 3 students and 11 per of Year 5 students composing a factual piece of writing "; S13[29]=" could spell words such as actions, appearance, camouflage, disappeared, frightening, muscular and predators.
      EAA director Peter Knapp attributed the difference in spelling "; S14[29]=" capabilities to the teaching methods used, with Australian schools adopting a more progressive strategy that encourages teachers to teach spelling in context.
      "; S15[29]=" fact results for the different tests in Australia and Singapore, and populations of students, were so similar suggested the problem was the way in which "; S16[29]=" spelling was taught.
      'I think it's definitely an issue of pedagogy and the absence of anything explicit in our syllabus documents,' Professor "; S17[29]=" Knapp said.
      'Spelling is not a high-order cognitive skill such as sentence construction, however, it requires practice and memory - two aspects "; S18[29]=" of traditional pedagogy that have somehow fallen out of favour.
      'Teachers are encouraged to teach spelling in context, the wallpaper approach, that "; S19[29]=" children absorb the spelling of words through reading them and saying them or looking at them on a classroom wall.' The chairman of the national "; S20[29]=" inquiry into the teaching of literacy, Ken Rowe from the Australian Council for Educational Research, said the secret of Singapore's success was its direct and "; S21[29]=" explicit instruction... "; R[30]="1193"; T[30]="AgForce goes to Charleville for annual conference"; A[30]="By ... Editor"; Dn[30]="20060730"; Dt[30]="Sunday 30 July 2006"; Acats[30]="a04a53a54"; B1[30]="      This year's state conference of the farm lobby group AgForce begins in south-west Queensland today.... "; B2[30]=" "; B3[30]=" "; B4[30]=" "; B5[30]=" "; S1[30]="      This year's state conference of the farm lobby group AgForce begins in south-west Queensland today.
      Primary producers will have "; S2[30]=" a chance to talk to the federal and state primary industries ministers at the Charleville forum.
      Issues are expected to include animal "; S3[30]=" welfare, the impact of activism on livestock production, the environment and the Government's Blueprint for the Bush.
      Lyndon Pfeffer from AgForce says "; S4[30]=" farmers welcome the opportunity to meet government officials face-to-face.
      'Some other maybe activists you could call them try and knock down doors "; S5[30]=" and don't get very far at all, but we believe that trying to keep the doors open and the communication process and the meeting process "; S6[30]=" going is reaping rewards,' he said.
      About 400 people are in Charleville for the conference.
      Murweh Mayor Mark O'Brien "; S7[30]=" says the delegates will have a chance to see first-hand how the drought has affected the south-west of the state.
      'So when "; S8[30]=" they're back in the cities arguing our case they're very in touch with our issues,' he said.
      AgForce says the two-day conference "; S9[30]=" will generate $500,000 for the local economy.
      President Peter Kenny says it is the furthest west the lobby group has held its "; S10[30]=" conference.
      'Hopefully we'll build the spirits of the people living there who have been in drought situations now for many years,' he "; S11[30]=" said.
      One of Australia's top country music stars says he hopes a concert tonight will help families temporarily forget the drought.
  "; S12[30]="     Troy Cassar-Daley has won 13 Golden Guitars and two ARIA awards, and will perform with fellow singer Sara Storer in Charleville as part "; S13[30]=" of the AgForce conference.
      Cassar-Daley says he is looking forwarding to performing for families who have been doing it tough in recent "; S14[30]=" years.
      'At the end of the day what music does for me is helps me escape, I'm hoping we can help people "; S15[30]=" escape anything they're going through out there,' he said.
      'It's been terrible, like the last at least 12 months of this drought "; S16[30]=" hasn't been sort of letting up at all, so it's a great way to bring some country music to a town that doesn't get much "; S17[30]=" come through, so I'm very, very happy.'.. "; R[31]="1167"; T[31]="Education officials voice concerns over plan to weigh children"; A[31]="By ... Editor"; Dn[31]="20060721"; Dt[31]="Friday 21 July 2006"; Acats[31]="a04a09a10a53"; B1[31]="      Measuring and weighing children for a nationwide survey aimed at reducing childhood obesity has raised concerns in Tasmania.... "; B2[31]=" "; B3[31]=" "; B4[31]=" "; B5[31]=" "; S1[31]="      Measuring and weighing children for a nationwide survey aimed at reducing childhood obesity has raised concerns in Tasmania.
      Education "; S2[31]=" Minister David Bartlett, joins Health Minister Lara Giddings and State School Parents and Friends president Jenny Branch, who are against a plan that labels young "; S3[31]=" children as being overweight.
      'We have a comprehensive suite of programs across our schools and I believe that if we are "; S4[31]=" going to tackle the obesity problem in Tasmania and across Australia it begins at home,' he said.
      'Schools are just a reflection "; S5[31]=" of the wider society and while I do believe that through schools we need to provide education, healthy choices within our canteens and fitness programs, "; S6[31]=" I am a bit concerned about a program that looks at weighing and measuring because of the dangers that it can cause.
      "; S7[31]=" 'I have no problem with programs that are evidence based, that we research and base our programs on good hard data, but I have concerns "; S8[31]=" for kids that can be labelled for life through if these sorts of programs aren't constructed very carefully.' The $3million national nutrition survey is part "; S9[31]=" of obesity fighting measures announced this week by Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott... "; R[32]="1165"; T[32]="AMA critical of Govt's child health survey"; A[32]="By ... Editor"; Dn[32]="20060720"; Dt[32]="Thursday 20 July 2006"; Acats[32]="a09a53"; B1[32]="      The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has criticised a Federal Government move to involve the Food and Grocery Council in a national survey "; B2[32]="of the eating and exercise habits of Australian school children... "; B3[32]=" "; B4[32]=" "; B5[32]=" "; S1[32]="      The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has criticised a Federal Government move to involve the Food and Grocery Council in a national survey "; S2[32]=" of the eating and exercise habits of Australian school children.
      The survey was announced yesterday by Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott, who "; S3[32]=" says the information gathered will be valuable in the battle against obesity and help children make better lifestyle choices.
      AMA president Dr "; S4[32]=" Mukesh Haikerwal says taking funding for the survey from food retailers could compromise the results.
      'The survey is very important because it "; S5[32]=" hasn't been done for 10 years but the Government's flush with cash and it's important it actually use some of that cash to fund this "; S6[32]=" themselves,' he said.
      'Because by taking money from the Food and Grocery Council there is significant concern these [findings] will not be "; S7[32]=" seen to stand up.'.. "; R[33]="1164"; T[33]="Winning partners welcome national children's survey news"; A[33]="By ... Editor"; Dn[33]="20060720"; Dt[33]="Thursday 20 July 2006"; Acats[33]="a09a53a93"; B1[33]="      Today's announcement by the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Tony Abbott, of the first national nutrition and physical activity survey "; B2[33]="in more than a decade, has been welcomed by CSIRO and the University of South Australia... "; B3[33]=" "; B4[33]=" "; B5[33]=" "; S1[33]="      Today's announcement by the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Tony Abbott, of the first national nutrition and physical activity survey "; S2[33]=" in more than a decade, has been welcomed by CSIRO and the University of South Australia.
      The university and CSIRO - through "; S3[33]=" its Preventative Health National Research Flagship and Human Nutrition Centre - won the Department of Health and Ageing's tender to undertake the survey which will "; S4[33]=" involve gathering information from more than 4000 young people from both metropolitan and regional Australia.
      Project Director, Associate Professor Timothy Olds from "; S5[33]=" the University of South Australia's School of Health Sciences, says the national survey will be important to inform research and government policy and provide valuable "; S6[33]=" information for industry.
      'We're also pleased to see the Australian Food and Grocery Council joining the federal departments of Health and Ageing "; S7[33]=" and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, in this initiative.' 'This work will provide the basis for developing strategies to improve the health of Australian children,' he "; S8[33]=" says.
      The University of South Australia is a recognised leader in the fields of anthropometry and research into children's physical activity.
  "; S9[33]="     Associate Prof Olds says the university will contribute to the physical activity survey - which will include physical activity levels and weight status "; S10[33]=" of children and young people aged between 5 years and 16 years - while CSIRO will manage the nutrition survey activities.
      A "; S11[33]=" CSIRO research scientist with the Preventative Health Flagship, Dr Lynne Cobiac, will manage the food and nutrition element of the survey, which will gather detailed "; S12[33]=" information about the food and nutrient intake of children and young people aged two to 16 years.
      'We are honoured to be "; S13[33]=" involved in this important work and help play our part in improving the health and wellbeing of young Australians,' Dr Cobiac says.
      "; S14[33]=" 'We're also pleased to see the Australian Food and Grocery Council joining the federal departments of Health and Ageing and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, in "; S15[33]=" this initiative.' The Preventative Health Flagship is a multi-disciplinary partnership involving CSIRO and external partners which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians "; S16[33]=" through prevention and early detection of chronic diseases.
      National social research fieldwork company I-View will work with the University of South Australia "; S17[33]=" and CSIRO to help conduct the survey... "; R[34]="1130"; T[34]="Funding Call to Make Nutrition Fun"; A[34]="By ... Editor"; Dn[34]="20060718"; Dt[34]="Tuesday 18 July 2006"; Acats[34]="a09a10a53"; B1[34]="      AMA President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, today called on the Federal Government to fully fund a nutrition education grant to every school in "; B2[34]="Australia... "; B3[34]=" "; B4[34]=" "; B5[34]=" "; S1[34]="      AMA President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, today called on the Federal Government to fully fund a nutrition education grant to every school in "; S2[34]=" Australia.
      'As Australian kids grow fatter, education about what makes healthy eating becomes increasingly important,' Dr Haikerwal said.
      'The "; S3[34]=" Government has a responsibility to help schools teach kids about good nutrition.' As part of Family Doctor Week, Dr Haikerwal visited a Brisbane primary school "; S4[34]=" today to emphasise the need for children to understand from an early age what makes up a healthy diet.
      'It's not a "; S5[34]=" matter of getting children counting calories, but rather the opportunity to teach them about all aspects of nutrition, from growing vegetables to being able to "; S6[34]=" identify what makes healthy food and why, and being able to prepare healthy meals,' he said.
      'Some schools have already made fantastic "; S7[34]=" efforts in the area of nutrition education, but many schools need additional help and funding to put nutrition education into practice.' In its 2006 Federal "; S8[34]=" Budget Submission, the AMA called for additional funding to support and assist community institutions, including schools, in offering better nutritional choices.
      "; S9[34]=" We propose that each school would have the chance to decide how to best use its nutrition funding,' Dr Haikerwal said.
      Possibilities "; S10[34]=" include developing a school vegetable garden, employing a dietician or chef to aid in revising canteen guidelines, holding cooking classes, or staging school-wide events such "; S11[34]=" as international food days or healthy cooking competitions.
      One idea already in practice in some schools is using the tactics of junk "; S12[34]=" food products to promote healthy choices at the tuckshop.
      Lunch-box sized servings, bright packaging and gimmicks are all ideas that school canteens "; S13[34]=" can use to make healthy foods cool, fun and engaging.
      Speaking at Kedron State School, where he launched AMA Queensland's new Kids "; S14[34]=" GP initiative to teach school children about nutrition, Dr Haikerwal said with proper funding, every school would be able to implement such strategies.
    "; S15[34]="   'Schools are wonderful places for kids to actively engage in learning about nutrition,' he said.
      'Now the government needs to "; S16[34]=" provide the help schools need to set their ideas in motion.'.. "; R[35]="1113"; T[35]="Wool quality and production on agenda of merino conference"; A[35]="By ... Editor"; Dn[35]="20060714"; Dt[35]="Friday 14 July 2006"; Acats[35]="a25a53"; B1[35]="      Around 900 delegates from across the globe are in Perth today for the World Merino Conference.... "; B2[35]=" "; B3[35]=" "; B4[35]=" "; B5[35]=" "; S1[35]="      Around 900 delegates from across the globe are in Perth today for the World Merino Conference.
      Western Australian Farmers "; S2[35]=" Federation spokesman Mike Norton says the latest developments in breeding and innovation, as well as wool quality and production, are on the agenda.
    "; S3[35]="   He says it is excellent news to have so many people from around the world to attend a conference in Western Australia.
    "; S4[35]="   'You really do get a different perspective of your industry from the speakers as they come around the world on what's happening,' he said.
"; S5[35]="       'And you just get a far better update on what's happening in those other countries, compared to what's going on in Western "; S6[35]=" Australia.'.. "; R[36]="1111"; T[36]="Some NZ maths teachers just don't add up"; A[36]="By ... Editor"; Dn[36]="20060714"; Dt[36]="Friday 14 July 2006"; Acats[36]="a53a58"; B1[36]="      Nearly one in 10 primary school maths teachers is failing in the job, a study has revealed.... "; B2[36]=" "; B3[36]=" "; B4[36]=" "; B5[36]=" "; S1[36]="      Nearly one in 10 primary school maths teachers is failing in the job, a study has revealed.
      The "; S2[36]=" Education Review Office found 9 per cent of teachers reviewed were 'less' effective in 'all aspects of good quality of teaching of mathematics'.
    "; S3[36]="   The ERO identified six areas of good quality maths teaching and across its study of 121 schools found 51 per cent of teachers "; S4[36]=" were effective or highly effective in all six areas of teaching maths to year four to eight students.
      A further 40 "; S5[36]=" per cent were effective in some areas but not all.
      'Therefore, although about half of the teachers reviewed were effective, or "; S6[36]=" highly effective, in their teaching of mathematics, a large proportion had areas for development in aspects of their teaching,' the report says.
      "; S7[36]=" One notable finding in the report was that 23 per cent of maths classes had low student motivation.
      'In most "; S8[36]=" of these classes, students were working on tasks, but many students appeared to lack motivation and challenge.
      'Their lessons were not "; S9[36]=" stimulating, did not incorporate practical ideas, or match the students' interests or skill levels.' But the review found most students enjoyed their maths lessons... "; R[37]="1062"; T[37]="Vic Principals call for parents' charter"; A[37]="By ... Editor"; Dn[37]="20060710"; Dt[37]="Monday 10 July 2006"; Acats[37]="a53a65"; B1[37]="      Parents would have to sign contracts promising to ensure their children complete their homework under a radical proposal for Victorian government schools.... "; B2[37]=" "; B3[37]=" "; B4[37]=" "; B5[37]=" "; S1[37]="      Parents would have to sign contracts promising to ensure their children complete their homework under a radical proposal for Victorian government schools.
"; S2[37]="       Under the proposed 'charter' for parents, they would also promise to respect the opinions of teachers, to attend parent-teacher interviews, take an "; S3[37]=" active interest in their children's learning and be positive about the school in the community.
      The Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals, "; S4[37]=" which is behind the plan, says it has become necessary because too many schools are being forced to act as de facto parents.
    "; S5[37]="   'The increasing welfare and emotional wellbeing demands being placed on schools by dysfunctional families is unreasonable,' the association said in a pre-state election statement.
"; S6[37]="       'We as a community need to clearly state in a mutual obligation enrolment contract the tasks and responsibilities inherent in educating our "; S7[37]=" children.' The association said the charter would be developed in co-operation with other principals' associations, school councils and parent organisations.
      But one "; S8[37]=" school council body has already called the move 'patronising, paternalistic and unnecessary'.
      'Given the tone of what they are wanting in the "; S9[37]=" contract, I think a lot of parents would be insulted by the idea,' said Jacinta Cashen, president of the Victorian Council of School Organisations.
  "; S10[37]="     'It seems to me just a bit of a stunt.' Principals Association president Andrew Blair acknowledged that some parents would be offended at "; S11[37]=" signing a contract when enrolling their children at school but said welfare issues had reached a critical level.
      'It's really got out "; S12[37]=" of hand.
      We are seeing more and more kids in a terrible state of repair turning up to school.
      "; S13[37]=" It means they are not prepared for learning, and they are put further and further behind … that's just not acceptable.' Mr Blair said schools "; S14[37]=" would turn to agencies such as the Human Services Department if parents failed to comply with a contract.
      He also said schools "; S15[37]=" should have access to a pool of funds to support students whose parents did not meet their parenting obligations.
      Parents Victoria president "; S16[37]=" Elaine Crowle said it was important to encourage strong partnerships between schools and parents but questioned how the proposed charter could be enforced.
    "; S17[37]="   'It's all very well for the school to say a parent is not conforming, but if we as parents don't find the school is "; S18[37]=" meeting their part, who's going to make the school accountable?' she said.
      'We are open to talking about a charter, but we'd "; S19[37]=" certainly want to know that there would be consequences for both sides, and not just the parents, if there was a breach.' A spokesman for "; S20[37]=" Education Minister Lynne Kosky said she had not seen the document and could not comment... "; R[38]="1061"; T[38]="Teaching the world online - better than on campus"; A[38]="By ... Editor"; Dn[38]="20060710"; Dt[38]="Monday 10 July 2006"; Acats[38]="a53"; B1[38]="      Her job is with the University of Melbourne, but Associate Professor Victoria Foster teaches from her home in Coogee to students all "; B2[38]="over the world in an online classroom... "; B3[38]=" "; B4[38]=" "; B5[38]=" "; S1[38]="      Her job is with the University of Melbourne, but Associate Professor Victoria Foster teaches from her home in Coogee to students all "; S2[38]=" over the world in an online classroom.
      The postgraduate research students are spread across Africa, North America and South-East Asia, but they "; S3[38]=" get more of her time than the students she taught face to face at a university campus.
      'This cyber classroom supports diversity "; S4[38]=" better than the normal classroom,' Dr Foster said.
      'It's a more positive learning environment because it is not defined by time and "; S5[38]=" space.
      'Students can communicate as much as they want, when they want, and no one can dominate.
      'It is "; S6[38]=" totally flexible for the teacher and students, which removes the stress of having to turn up on time and in the right mood.' All correspondence "; S7[38]=" is by email rather than posted on a website.
      The students are completing postgraduate degrees in international development through the University of "; S8[38]=" Melbourne.
      One student, Martin Momoda, is researching education in remote and rural areas of Laos.
      'Martin has previously done "; S9[38]=" masters degrees and says he is getting a lot more time and attention from me online,' Dr Foster said.
      'I would write "; S10[38]=" to him every day.
      At university you would see your supervisor for an hour, once a month.
      The online "; S11[38]=" classmates include one who works for the World Bank in Washington and two who work for non-government organisations in Ethiopia.
      Dr Foster "; S12[38]=" said the students seemed to support one another more in the online environment.
      'Our student evaluations are showing they prefer it to "; S13[38]=" the university setting, even though they didn't think they would when they started,' she said.
      'There is a kind of intimacy in "; S14[38]=" the communications and more space for self-expression than there is in a classroom.
      'People don't seem to be intimidated to say what "; S15[38]=" they feel on the email because they aren't being looked at.' Dr Foster said she had been appointed an honorary fellow of the University of "; S16[38]=" Melbourne this year as a result of her online teaching methods.
      'Having been a devotee for 30 years of face-to-face teaching, I "; S17[38]=" think this type of teaching is the way forward,' she said... "; R[39]="1059"; T[39]="Rewards in cash for best teachers"; A[39]="By ... Editor"; Dn[39]="20060710"; Dt[39]="Monday 10 July 2006"; Acats[39]="a53"; B1[39]="      Individual teachers and schools who turn out high-achieving students will receive cash bonuses directly from the federal Government under a plan that "; B2[39]="could help keep the best teachers in public schools... "; B3[39]=" "; B4[39]=" "; B5[39]=" "; S1[39]="      Individual teachers and schools who turn out high-achieving students will receive cash bonuses directly from the federal Government under a plan that "; S2[39]=" could help keep the best teachers in public schools.
      The proposal from Education Minister Julie Bishop is designed to make state governments "; S3[39]=" and public school teachers accountable for their performance.
      But she told The Australian yesterday it could also address the loss of good "; S4[39]=" teachers to private schools that offer better pay and conditions.
      Ms Bishop yesterday accused the states of complacency in accepting low standards, "; S5[39]=" particularly in literacy and numeracy, and proposed an incentive fund that would bypass the state and territory governments to lift educational standards.
      "; S6[39]=" 'I'm looking at ways of rewarding individual schools and teacher performance, to shift the balance away from the state bureaucracies and state teachers unions and "; S7[39]=" try to get accountability through an incentive-based approach,' she told The Australian.
      'I'm concerned there's an acceptance of lower expectations, particularly in "; S8[39]=" literacy and numeracy.' Ms Bishop said teachers were one of the few professions not accountable for their performance and it was 'high time' they were "; S9[39]=" not only held responsible for their students' achievements but also recognised for outstanding results.
      In state schools, teachers are generally paid rates "; S10[39]=" related to seniority.
      In NSW, for example, state school teachers get a pay rise every year, based on a common salary scale, "; S11[39]=" subject to an annual performance review.
      Under this system, a newly qualified teacher with two years of training can expect a minimum "; S12[39]=" of $40,259 a year.
      At the end of five years, that salary could have increased to a minimum $52,427.
      "; S13[39]=" A high school principal can expect to earn about $120,000 a year.
      Ms Bishop said every classroom in the nation should have "; S14[39]=" a highly qualified teacher, particularly in those schools where the need was greatest, which were generally state schools.
      'We don't serve teachers "; S15[39]=" or students well by putting the least experienced teachers in the most challenging schools,' she said.
      'We need to encourage better teachers "; S16[39]=" into state government schools, have them performing well and then reward them for their results.' Under Ms Bishop's plan, existing federal school funding would be "; S17[39]=" broken into base funding, paid to the states, with a percentage set aside for an incentive fund.
      Ms Bishop said the reward "; S18[39]=" scheme would form part of the next round of funding negotiations with the states and territories, which start next year.
      The Howard "; S19[39]=" Government, under the previous education minister, Brendan Nelson, tied federal funding to key policies, such as the introduction of simpler A-to-E report cards and a "; S20[39]=" common national test for literacy and numeracy benchmarks.
      But keen to stamp her own style on the portfolio, Ms Bishop wants to "; S21[39]=" break away from threats to withhold funding, preferring to offer rewards for high-performing teachers and schools.
      'I'm not talking about rewarding people "; S22[39]=" for what they should be doing, but rewarding them for outcomes that are over and above expectations,' she said.
      Ms Bishop has "; S23[39]=" set national consistency and high standards as a priority for schools, but earlier yesterday she ruled out the federal Government taking over control of schools.
"; S24[39]="       'I believe the commonwealth has a significant role to play.
      After all, we invest some $33billion over a (four-year) "; S25[39]=" funding period in Australian schools so the states must be accountable for that money,' she said on the Ten Network's Meet The Press.
    "; S26[39]="   'At the end of the day, I think public education should be in the hands of the states ...
      but harmonisation "; S27[39]=" of standards is a good thing.' Ms Bishop pointed to Belfield Primary School in Melbourne's eastern suburbs as proof that extraordinary results were possible.
  "; S28[39]="     Belfield was one of the lowest-performing schools in literacy and numeracy, with a high proportion of disadvantaged students from low socioeconomic backgrounds -- "; S29[39]=" unemployed, single-parent, indigenous and non-English speaking families.
      In 1998, only 35 per cent of Belfield's Year 1 students had 100per cent accuracy "; S30[39]=" in literacy and numeracy tests.
      Five years later, 100 per cent of the Year 1 students had a perfect score.
    "; R[40]="1048"; T[40]="Training support for rural women"; A[40]="By ... Editor"; Dn[40]="20060708"; Dt[40]="Saturday 8 July 2006"; Acats[40]="a49a53"; B1[40]="      Rural women from across South Australia are providing input into an 'Engaging Women in Agribusiness Training' project that aims to find solutions "; B2[40]="to training issues and barriers faced by women in rural areas... "; B3[40]=" "; B4[40]=" "; B5[40]=" "; S1[40]="      Rural women from across South Australia are providing input into an 'Engaging Women in Agribusiness Training' project that aims to find solutions "; S2[40]=" to training issues and barriers faced by women in rural areas.
      As part of the project supported by Women in Agriculture and "; S3[40]=" Business and FarmBis, focus groups are currently being held around the state.
      The workshops will enable rural women to talk more in "; S4[40]=" depth about the types of training issues and barriers they face and voice their ideas on how they can be overcome.
      Project "; S5[40]=" facilitators Jeanette Long and Sharon Honner from Ag Consulting Co.
      says more than 200 surveys were conducted across South Australia that highlighted "; S6[40]=" various training issues and barriers including the timing of training, cost, distance, childcare and family support.
      'These focus groups will be important "; S7[40]=" in finding out more information on how these issues can be dealt with and ultimately support and assist rural women to increase their knowledge and "; S8[40]=" skills within rural areas,' they said.
      'Rural women shouldn't feel disadvantaged in undertaking training because they live in rural areas.
    "; S9[40]="   As part of the project we want to find out why they may feel that way, and what we can do to help empower "; S10[40]=" and support them.' A final project report is expected to be released July 2006, which will greatly assist organisations and training providers specifically cater their "; S11[40]=" training programs in line with the needs of rural women.
      Upcoming focus groups will be held at: Naracoorte, Thursday 1 June, 1 "; S12[40]=" pm at Settlers Café, 85 Gordon St.
      Karoonda, Friday 2 June, 9.30 am at Karoonda District Football Club Inc, Adelaide Rd.
  "; S13[40]="     Kadina, Tuesday 6 June, 1 Pm at The Farm Shed Museum & Tourist Centre, 50 Moonta Rd... "; R[41]="1040"; T[41]="Inquiry into Ritalin for preschoolers"; A[41]="By ... Editor"; Dn[41]="20060708"; Dt[41]="Saturday 8 July 2006"; Acats[41]="a09a53"; B1[41]="      The federal Government will order an investigation into whether doctors are placing children at risk by prescribing Ritalin to preschoolers against the "; B2[41]="advice of ADHD drug manufacturers... "; B3[41]=" "; B4[41]=" "; B5[41]=" "; S1[41]="      The federal Government will order an investigation into whether doctors are placing children at risk by prescribing Ritalin to preschoolers against the "; S2[41]=" advice of ADHD drug manufacturers.
      Parliamentary secretary for health Christopher Pyne said he was 'very concerned' by revelations that some doctors were "; S3[41]=" prescribing Ritalin and other methylphenidate stimulants to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children under six.
      On Monday, he will ask the "; S4[41]=" Therapeutic Goods Administration to investigate the use of Ritalin and other ADHD drugs and whether they have been prescribed against the advice of manufacturers.
  "; S5[41]="     Doctors should not prescribe Ritalin for children under six as the 'safety and efficacy in this age group have not been established', a "; S6[41]=" spokeswoman for pharmaceutical manufacturer Novartis told The Weekend Australian.
      Novartis also warned against long-term use of methylphenidate - which covers drugs branded "; S7[41]=" Ritalin, Attenta and Concerta - saying safety data were incomplete.
      However, Sydney pediatrician Patrick Concannon, an ADHD specialist, said it was common "; S8[41]=" for young children with serious ADHD to be put on the stimulant, which boosts doctors' ability to regulate behaviour.
      'It is a "; S9[41]=" widely accepted practice, here and overseas, to prescribe methylphenidate under six years.
      The company won't change their drug information.
      "; S10[41]=" I guess that it's still worried regarding possible legal suits,' Dr Concannon said.
      In NSW, pediatricians and psychiatrists are not allowed to "; S11[41]=" prescribe stimulants to children under two, and permission is required between the ages of two and three.
      Mr Pyne said doctors should "; S12[41]=" not prescribe medication in a way considered inappropriate by the drug maker.
      'The doctors should not operate as lone rangers when it "; S13[41]=" comes to prescribing medicines, and they should follow the instructions of the pharmaceutical companies,' he said.
      But Dr Concannon, a private specialist "; S14[41]=" who chairs the stimulants committee for the NSW Department of Health, said the drug had been researched intensely and had less serious side-effects than common "; S15[41]=" medications, such as paracetamol.
      The key was close observation of the children, he said.
      But the TGA would have "; S16[41]=" no power to require doctors to change the way they prescribe.
      A TGA spokeswoman said that was a matter for state medical "; S17[41]=" boards.
      More than 50,000 Australian children, and at least 10,000 adults, are estimated to be taking drugs such as dexamphetamine and Ritalin "; S18[41]=" for the brain disorder, which has serious and prolonged symptoms of hyperactivity or inattention, or both.
      The TGA has received about 15 "; S19[41]=" reports of adverse reactions in children aged between three and five linked to Ritalin since the early 1990s, none fatal.
      Despite the "; S20[41]=" concerns, Mr Pyne said he opposed tougher 'black box' warnings on ADHD medication, and that safety concerns were exaggerated.
      Dozens of deaths "; S21[41]=" linked to the drugs have prompted the US Food and Drug Administration to investigate tougher warnings.
      But Mr Pyne said Australians had "; S22[41]=" already been warned of the potential for cardiac trouble and stroke.
      While he had asked the TGA to monitor ADHD treatments, 'I'm "; S23[41]=" satisfied the warnings we have at present are satisfactory', he said Dr Concannon said the problem was not ADHD but Canberra's decision to allow GPs "; S24[41]=" and psychiatrists, but not pediatricians, to refer patients for five free psychological sessions.
      'So, the medical group most closely involved with these "; S25[41]=" problem children can't make use of the program, and then are accused of prescribing medicine rather than using counselling,' Dr Concannon said... "; R[42]="1032"; T[42]="Danger of schools for the poor"; A[42]="By ... Editor"; Dn[42]="20060708"; Dt[42]="Saturday 8 July 2006"; Acats[42]="a53"; B1[42]="      One bright child from a poor background might still thrive in any government school but when there are clusters of impoverished students, "; B2[42]="they tend to drag each other down... "; B3[42]=" "; B4[42]=" "; B5[42]=" "; S1[42]="      One bright child from a poor background might still thrive in any government school but when there are clusters of impoverished students, "; S2[42]=" they tend to drag each other down.
      Research prepared for the nation's education ministers, obtained by The Australian, warns that schools with "; S3[42]=" the poorest students have half as many top performers as schools with the wealthiest students.
      Education experts yesterday said the research highlighted "; S4[42]=" the danger that public schools were becoming little more than schools for the poor, exacerbated by the drift to private schools.
      The "; S5[42]=" study by independent consultant Philip Holmes-Smith, to be presented to a meeting of federal, state and territory education ministers in Brisbane today, found students' socioeconomic "; S6[42]=" backgrounds did not predict their academic performance.
      But when groups of disadvantaged students clustered in the one school, they performed significantly worse.
"; S7[42]="       The study compared the socio-economic backgrounds and performances of students in NSW, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT, and followed up an "; S8[42]=" earlier study with similar results in Victoria.
      It found that the richest 25 per cent of schools had almost two in five "; S9[42]=" students in the top-performing quartile, while the poorest 25 per cent of schools had only one in five.
      Former education head at "; S10[42]=" the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Barry McGaw, now director of the Melbourne Education Research Institute at Melbourne University, said groups of disadvantaged students "; S11[42]=" tended to have low expectations of themselves as well as low aspirations.
      As a result, the system also had low expectations of "; S12[42]=" them and the students were often not given the same opportunities as more advantaged students.
      'If you have a large collection of "; S13[42]=" students of who little is expected, then little is provided,' Professor McGaw said.
      'Schools develop new courses for their students less demanding "; S14[42]=" than other courses, or kids are only offered low levels of subjects and not the higher levels.' Professor McGaw said research in Austria suggested disadvantaged "; S15[42]=" students could be included in wealthier schools without dragging down the performance of the advantaged students.
      'It means if we had the "; S16[42]=" will and the means to reorganise groupings in schools, we could raise the performance of the more disadvantaged students without it being at the expense "; S17[42]=" of the advantaged students,' he said.
      He also called for governments to give teachers incentives to work in disadvantaged areas, such as "; S18[42]=" waiving HECS fees for people teaching science and maths in poor areas.
      Victoria University co-ordinator of innovation and learning Viv White said "; S19[42]=" there were residual schools struggling around Australia and it was time to rethink public schools.
      Ms White conducted an analysis of the "; S20[42]=" Disadvantaged Schools Program, set up by the Whitlam government and axed in 1996.
      She said the shift from government to non-government schools "; S21[42]=" resulted in public schools with small student numbers, high concentrations of disadvantage and high levels of failure.
      'The gap widens between the "; S22[42]=" rich and the poor, the school becomes unviable and the government has the choice to either close it or do something radical,' Ms White said... "; R[43]="1022"; T[43]="Ag students learn from region's diversity"; A[43]="By ... Editor"; Dn[43]="20060707"; Dt[43]="Friday 7 July 2006"; Acats[43]="a48a53"; B1[43]="      Post-graduate tropical agriculture students from Townsville's James Cook University have taken a first hand look at on-farm grain trials, intensive cattle feedlot "; B2[43]="and breeding operations and improved pasture technology on the Central Highlands... "; B3[43]=" "; B4[43]=" "; B5[43]=" "; S1[43]="      Post-graduate tropical agriculture students from Townsville's James Cook University have taken a first hand look at on-farm grain trials, intensive cattle feedlot "; S2[43]=" and breeding operations and improved pasture technology on the Central Highlands.
      Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries principal experimental officer at Emerald, "; S3[43]=" Maurie Conway, said that working in cooperation with JCU course coordinators Chris Gardiner and Associate Professor Ross Coventry, the tour gave the visiting students a "; S4[43]=" strong appreciation of the region's agricultural diversity.
      Mr Conway took the predominantly international group comprising three veterinarians together with animal, plant and "; S5[43]=" environmental science students to Australian Agricultural Company's huge Comet district Goonoo Feedlot enterprise where they also had an opportunity to discuss the adoption of butterfly "; S6[43]=" pea as a high protein cultivated leguminous pasture grazing option.
      Mr Conway said more than 200,000 hectares was sown to butterfly pea "; S7[43]=" throughout the Central Highlands and Dawson-Callide where it was used as a perennial pasture to finish slaughter cattle and as a cropping ley to revitalise "; S8[43]=" soil structure and fertility.
      At the Eden family's Gindie district farming and grazing property, Kilmore, the group also inspected the high protein, "; S9[43]=" drought tolerant, leguminous browse shrub, leucaena, planted on 6m row spacing with an inter-row pasture mix of Floren blue grass and bambatsi.
      "; S10[43]=" Kilmore also supports a feedlot that is currently grain finishing 250 cattle for the export market.
      Kilmore co-principal Shane Eden, a Central "; S11[43]=" Queensland Sustainable Farming Systems Project cooperator teamed with Mr Conway to outline the objectives of a farming trial aiming to determine the nitrogen mineralisation ability "; S12[43]=" across a range of brigalow and downs soils on the Central Highlands.
      'If we could predict how much nitrogen will become available "; S13[43]=" for the next crop through natural mineralisation, it will be possible to better predict how much nitrogen fertiliser to apply,' Mr Eden said.
    "; S14[43]="   'The trial aims to measure organic carbon and total nitrogen made available through natural mineralisation of our different soils and varying ages of cultivation.
"; S15[43]="       'For the farmer, being able to measure how much soil nitrogen is in the total pool and then being able to predict "; S16[43]=" how much nitrogen will become available to the crop through mineralisation could represent significant cost savings by more accurately targeting fertiliser requirements,' he said.
  "; S17[43]="     Commercial adoption of embryo technology to produce premium animals tailored for specialist feedlot markets also captured the students' attention during a visit to "; S18[43]=" Mike and Susie Schmidt's cattle breeding operation at Nardoo, 30km west of Emerald.
      Mike Schmidt initially based his cattle breeding enterprise on "; S19[43]=" Droughtmaster cattle he bred on a former black spear grass coastal property but the relocation to Nardoo's quality buffel grass pastures prompted the introduction of "; S20[43]=" Charolais bloodlines.
      The Schmidt family predominantly breed young cattle sold direct to feedlot finishers but the shift to a higher Charolais content "; S21[43]=" produced a heavyweight late maturing animal not ideally suited to required market specifications.
      Mike's daughter Carly, a qualified veterinarian, has used her "; S22[43]=" expertise with embryo transfer technology to introduce beef genetics such as the Senepol to produce cattle with the required maturity and performance attributes for their "; S23[43]=" end market.
      En route from Townville on June 19, the JCU group also visited Charters Towers, Hughenden, Winton, Longreach and Jericho with "; S24[43]=" a highlight being a tour of the DPI&F Rosebank Research Station (Longreach) for a Desmanthus legume pasture evaluation... "; R[44]="998"; T[44]="Apply now for Science and Innovation Awards"; A[44]="By ... Editor"; Dn[44]="20060628"; Dt[44]="Wednesday 28 June 2006"; Acats[44]="a04a53a54a55a93"; B1[44]="      The Australian Government's Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry aims to encourage people between the ages "; B2[44]="of 18 and 35 years to use science, technology and innovation to advance the future of agriculture, fisheries, forestry, food and natural resource management industries... "; B3[44]=" "; B4[44]=" "; B5[44]=" "; S1[44]="      The Australian Government's Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry aims to encourage people between the ages "; S2[44]=" of 18 and 35 years to use science, technology and innovation to advance the future of agriculture, fisheries, forestry, food and natural resource management industries.
"; S3[44]="       Applications for the 2006 Science and Innovation Awards have now opened.
      If you would like more information on "; S4[44]=" the 2006 Science and Innovation Awards, please e-mail ScienceAwards@brs.gov.au ... "; R[45]="996"; T[45]="Call For Teacher Nominations for NEiTA Awards"; A[45]="By ... Editor"; Dn[45]="20060628"; Dt[45]="Wednesday 28 June 2006"; Acats[45]="a50a53"; B1[45]="      Teachers make an important contribution to the lives of our young people and help shape the future of our country, yet few "; B2[45]="opportunities arise to recognise the true value of the role they play within the community... "; B3[45]=" "; B4[45]=" "; B5[45]=" "; S1[45]="      Teachers make an important contribution to the lives of our young people and help shape the future of our country, yet few "; S2[45]=" opportunities arise to recognise the true value of the role they play within the community.
      The NEiTA Foundation's National Excellence in Teaching "; S3[45]=" Awards program is a rare opportunity to publicly recognise and encourage outstanding teachers.
      It is the only national awards program where school "; S4[45]=" and early childhood centre communities - secondary students, parents, centre management committees, school councils, and community organisations - can nominate teachers and teaching teams who "; S5[45]=" contribute excellence.
      Sixty per cent of voters in polls developed by the Australian Scholarships Group (ASG) on behalf of the NEiTA Foundation "; S6[45]=" believe a teacher had the most influence in their life after their immediate family 1.
      The results support the vital role "; S7[45]=" teachers play in the lives of our young people and the tremendous and lasting impression teachers have on many Australians - even as they grow "; S8[45]=" into adulthood.
      Launched in Australia in 1994 by the Australian Scholarships Group, the NEiTA Foundation's teaching awards program aims to recognise and "; S9[45]=" honour excellent teachers from local communities, to recognise and highlight excellence in teaching and to encourage students to enter the teaching profession.
      "; S10[45]=" In 2004, the awards program was expanded to include a category for registered early childhood teachers.
      'The majority of Australians have an "; S11[45]=" inspirational story about a favourite teacher,' says NEiTA Foundation Chairman, Terry O'Connell, 'NEiTA award recipients connect with students and parents, and engage them in the "; S12[45]=" learning process, and inspire them to achieve their full potential.
      'These teachers have so impressed others with their creativity, dedication, and passion "; S13[45]=" for their work that school parents and students tend to become dedicated supporters, inspiring praise-filled and heart-warming NEiTA nominations,' he said.
      This "; S14[45]=" year, the 13th year of the Foundation's program, two Awards streams are being offered to teachers from early childhood and special centres, and primary and "; S15[45]=" secondary schools in government, denominational, independent and private education environments: 1.
      NEiTA Teaching Excellence Awards These NEiTA awards and Australian Scholarship Group "; S16[45]=" grants are presented to the teachers whose exemplary classroom skills and dedication have demonstrated innovative approaches to teaching that serve as models for schools and "; S17[45]=" early childhood centres.
      2.
      Australian Scholarships Group Community Merit Awards The Australian Scholarships Group Community Merit Awards are made "; S18[45]=" to teachers who have engaged their students in activities that are of service to the community, and/or who have provided the local community with opportunities "; S19[45]=" to support and participate in the work of the school or the early childhood centre.
      Local communities are encouraged to consider the "; S20[45]=" benefits of participating in the NEiTA Foundation's Awards program: For teachers:
      * Teachers see their work is valued and their contribution "; S21[45]=" to the centre, school, or wider community is recognised and appreciated.
     
      * Every teacher nominated receives a Certificate "; S22[45]=" of Nomination and award recipients may also receive prizes honouring their contributions.
      For students and parents:
      * The "; S23[45]=" awards provide an opportunity to say a special thank you to inspirational teachers who demonstrate effectiveness, innovation, and excellence in their profession.
      "; S24[45]=" For the early childhood centre or school:
      * Nominating a teacher raises teacher, student and centre morale.
     
"; S25[45]="       * Teacher nominations provide an opportunity to gain publicity for the centre and its important work.
     
    "; S26[45]="   * Award recipients will receive prizes and may also receive grants that will benefit the centre community.
     
      "; S27[45]=" * The Awards enable the centre to celebrate its achievements and the contribution it makes to the community.
      For the community:
"; S28[45]="       * The NEiTA Awards program encourages the early childhood centre or school to provide mutually supportive opportunities to connect and mentor young "; S29[45]=" people and celebrate community success.
     
      * Community achievements and rewards help develop the future success of regional and "; S30[45]=" local areas.
      The NEiTA Foundation awards program offers a unique opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution of a special teacher.
  "; R[46]="976"; T[46]="Students now in the know about plants and water"; A[46]="By ... Editor"; Dn[46]="20060628"; Dt[46]="Wednesday 28 June 2006"; Acats[46]="a53"; B1[46]="      About 1400 primary and secondary school students taking part in the annual Hermitage Research Station Plant Science Competition now know how much "; B2[46]="water plants use... "; B3[46]=" "; B4[46]=" "; B5[46]=" "; S1[46]="      About 1400 primary and secondary school students taking part in the annual Hermitage Research Station Plant Science Competition now know how much "; S2[46]=" water plants use.
      Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries competition organiser, Kerrie Rubie, said students from years 1-12 were asked to plant "; S3[46]=" mungbean and sorghum seed and record how much water the plants used.
      Ms Rubie said the students were also asked to observe "; S4[46]=" and record plant growth, complete a case study, and do some extra research into the issues involved in growing plants in Australia's variable climate.
  "; S5[46]="     She said the competition focus was topical, supported Education Queensland's school science curriculum and judging by feedback was popular with both teachers and "; S6[46]=" students.
      One teacher had said that the competition was an important way of interesting students in agriculture from a very early age.
"; S7[46]="       Ms Rubie said entries came from primary schools, high schools, colleges, SEU classes and pre-schools from all parts of Queensland.
    "; S8[46]="   'The response was outstanding, with 71 schools entering the competition and 160 entries received in the various year categories, involving more than 1400 students.' "; S9[46]=" Ms Rubie said there were five awards in each year category.
      She said prizes for each category included books, CD ROMs, certificates "; S10[46]=" and trophies, and were presented at a special function at the Hermitage Research Station, near Warwick, on Thursday (June 22).
      Judges were "; S11[46]=" impressed with the quality of the winning entries and were particularly enthusiastic about the time, thought and effort that were obvious in the winning entries, "; S12[46]=" she said.
      Windaroo Valley State High School, near Beenleigh, took the honours in the senior category, while the youngest entrants, from the "; S13[46]=" ABC Gatton Development Centre preschool group, received an encouragement award for their work.
      Here are detailed results.
      Years 1-3 "; S14[46]=" Outstanding Achievement Award, Matthew Whittaker (Year 3, Warwick East State School).
      First, Gatton State School (Year 3); second, Killarney State School (Year "; S15[46]=" 2); third, Pilton State School (years 1-3) and Cawarral State School, Central Queensland, (Year 3); encouragement award , ABC Gatton Development Centre (Pre-school).
    "; S16[46]="   Years 4-7 Outstanding Achievement Award, Christina Budur, Fei Fei Jin and Susan Tan (Year 7, Macgregor State School, Brisbane).
      First, Murray's "; S17[46]=" Bridge State School, near Warwick (years 1, 5, 6); second, Killarney State School (Year 4); third, Pilton State School (years 6 and 7) and Gatton "; S18[46]=" State School, including the SEU life skills team (years 6 and 7); highly commended, Ashleigh Whittaker (Year 5, Scots College, Warwick); Rachael Bell (Year 7, "; S19[46]=" Pilton State School); Samuel Coulson, Steven Foster and Kirsty Cameron (years 6 and 7, Amiens State School).
      Years 8-10 Outstanding Achievement Award, "; S20[46]=" Stephanie Pratt (Year 9, Southport State High School).
      First, Theodore State School SEU (years 8-10); second, Windaroo Valley State High School (Year "; S21[46]=" 10); third, Middlemount Community School , Central Queensland (Year 10); highly commended, James Hoffman (Year 9, Killarney State School); Kaitlin Liebke and Emily Bates (Year "; S22[46]=" 10, Windaroo Valley State High School).
      Years 11-12 Outstanding Achievement Award, Goldie Soetianto (Year 11, Windaroo Valley State High School).
    "; S23[46]="   First, Windaroo Valley State High School (Year 11); second, St Ursula's College, Toowoomba (Year 11); third, Goondiwindi State High School (Year 12); highly commended, "; S24[46]=" Racheal Hilton (Year 12, Goondiwindi State High School); Julia Sullivan, Donna Burns and Cara Brown (Year 11, St Luke's Anglican School, Bundaberg).
      "; S25[46]=" Ms Rubie said the Australian Mungbean Association, Queensland Country Life, the CRC for Tropical Plant Protection, the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, the "; S26[46]=" Hylan Seed Company, and Dr and Mrs Joe Baker were again competition sponsors... "; R[47]="948"; T[47]="Ley learning package hits the spot"; A[47]="By ... Editor"; Dn[47]="20060619"; Dt[47]="Monday 19 June 2006"; Acats[47]="a53"; B1[47]="      An action-learning package that highlights the advantages of integrating pastures into cropping land and then increases the knowledge and skills to do "; B2[47]="it is being well received... "; B3[47]=" "; B4[47]=" "; B5[47]=" "; S1[47]="      An action-learning package that highlights the advantages of integrating pastures into cropping land and then increases the knowledge and skills to do "; S2[47]=" it is being well received.
      A Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries principal experimentalist, Brian Johnson of Toowoomba, said northern grain belt "; S3[47]=" farmers welcomed the information in the GRDC-supported LeyGrain package and the discussion it created.
      Mr Johnson said LeyGrain had provided some impetus "; S4[47]=" for the 10-21 per cent increase in the area sown to ley pastures in the northern grain belt since the mid-1990s.
      'The "; S5[47]=" swing to ley pastures has been mainly due to higher beef cattle and prime lamb prices, and rising costs and very flat prices for grain "; S6[47]=" crops,' Mr Johnson said.
      He said many farmers in the region had lagged behind their southern counterparts in using ley pastures because "; S7[47]=" they felt there were other ways to improve soil quality, and better returns from grain.
      'Declining soil fertility, soil structure problems, and "; S8[47]=" an increase in pests and diseases now cost the northern grain industry about $450 million a year.
      'This coupled with higher "; S9[47]=" beef prices, rising fuel and fertiliser costs, and weed and disease management challenges continues to fan interest in ley pastures,' he said.
      "; S10[47]=" Mr Johnson said a blend of research information, farmer experience, decision support tools and action learning were at the heart of the LeyGrain package.
  "; S11[47]="     'LeyGrain is delivered to producers in a series of four workshops: benefits and profitability; getting started; making it work; and returning to the "; S12[47]=" cropping phase, that also employ post-workshop, on farm demonstrations and research that enhance the learning', he said.
      'We've presented part or all "; S13[47]=" of LeyGrain to more than 40 groups, most recently under the banner of Grain & Graze,' he said.
      Mr Johnson said a "; S14[47]=" decision support model called PRECaPS was a valued component of LeyGrain.
      'It helps users make better choices in developing rotations by comparing "; S15[47]=" crop and crop-pasture rotation scenarios, considering farm management, seasonal conditions and market strategy,' Mr Johnson said.
      'An extension of LeyGrain workshops to "; S16[47]=" on-farm activities is proving popular.
      We help the farmer set up observation and demonstration areas so he, his group and other producers "; S17[47]=" can share experiences.' Mr Johnson said LeyGrain was now recognised as a strategic package for national use and was being modified for Grain & Graze "; S18[47]=" projects in other states.
      More information on LeyGrain is available from the DPI&F (13 25 23)... "; R[48]="887"; T[48]="Big turnout tipped for Farmfest"; A[48]="By ... Editor"; Dn[48]="20060609"; Dt[48]="Friday 9 June 2006"; Acats[48]="a53a54"; B1[48]="      Despite poor seasonal conditions, consumer confidence is strong at one of Queensland's biggest agricultural field days.... "; B2[48]=" "; B3[48]=" "; B4[48]=" "; B5[48]=" "; S1[48]="      Despite poor seasonal conditions, consumer confidence is strong at one of Queensland's biggest agricultural field days.
      Organisers of the "; S2[48]=" three-day Farmfest near Toowoomba say they are on target for about 80,000 visitors, even though the region has had less than 20 millimetres of rain "; S3[48]=" since the start of the year.
      Barry Harley says producers are still opening their wallets.
      'And although I don't "; S4[48]=" believe there's still too many people rushing in and buying a $200,000 tractor on the site, the orders are very genuine and there is a "; S5[48]=" tag on it when it rains, but some of the smaller items like quad bikes and silos and bits and pieces - huge sales have "; S6[48]=" actually been recorded,' he said.
      'So, I think it has shown there is great confidence in this region and obviously when and "; S7[48]=" if it rains that confidence will be realised.'.. "; R[49]="875"; T[49]="New environmental guidelines for horticulture"; A[49]="By ... Editor"; Dn[49]="20060609"; Dt[49]="Friday 9 June 2006"; Acats[49]="a24a53"; B1[49]="      Australia's horticulture producers now have a set of national guidelines to help maintain profitability by introducing sound environmental and natural resource management "; B2[49]="practices... "; B3[49]=" "; B4[49]=" "; B5[49]=" "; S1[49]="      Australia's horticulture producers now have a set of national guidelines to help maintain profitability by introducing sound environmental and natural resource management "; S2[49]=" practices.
      The new Guidelines for Environmental Assurance in Australian Horticulture was launched today at a function near Shepparton, Victoria, by the Parliamentary "; S3[49]=" Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Sussan Ley.
      'The guidelines will make a significant contribution to the Australian environment and the profitability "; S4[49]=" of our horticulture industries,' Ms Ley said.
      'Through them, growers have a voluntary guide to good practices and expectations for environmental management.
"; S5[49]="       'The guidelines explain how to tackle environmental assurance in eight key management areas - land and soil, water, nutrients, biodiversity, air, noise, "; S6[49]=" waste and energy.
      They will also assure our producers that they are running sustainable enterprises.
      'And domestic and overseas "; S7[49]=" consumers will know they are buying clean-and-green produce, because the guidelines include a common sense checklist that enables growers to monitor their progress.
    "; S8[49]="   'The 158-page publication represents more than two years work, involving government agencies, industry groups, growers and technical advisers working with existing assurance and environmental "; S9[49]=" management programmes.
      'The credit for developing the guidelines goes to Horticulture Australia - produced under the industry's national Horticulture for Tomorrow Environmental "; S10[49]=" Assurance Project.
      'The $8.7 million Pathways to Industry Environmental Management Systems Programme - part of the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust - "; S11[49]=" assisted with a funding partnership.
      'Since the release of the guidelines in draft form in November 2004, Horticulture for Tomorrow has worked "; S12[49]=" with all sectors of the industry to test and fine-tune them.
      'Last year, 196 growers, and about 40 industry representatives and technical "; S13[49]=" experts from enterprises across Australia, reviewed and tested the guidelines,' Ms Ley said.
      Copies of the Guidelines for Environmental Assurance in Australian "; S14[49]=" Horticulture are available by calling HAL on (02) 8295 2300, fax Alison Turnbull at HAL on (02) 8295 2399... ";