Street poll: How do you celebrate St Patrick’s Day?

Brisbane was a sea of green on Thursday as people surged into Irish bars to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. We asked revellers how they would celebrate the day, and what they knew about the Fourth Century saint.  Read More

Street poll: How do we stop bullying?

Bullying has again become a topic of discussion after the video of a schoolboy retaliating against his alleged tormentor circulated widely on the internet. So how can we prevent bullying? We asked people in Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall if they had the answer.  Read More

Lord Mayor denies desecration of ANZAC Park

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman reacted angrily in Council this week to accusations he was desecrating Toowong’s ANZAC Park. Opposition leader Shayne Sutton said Cr Newman was “willing to trample over the ashes of our fallen soldiers” by setting up a car park in the recreation area. The car park is proposed for construction workers building the Northern Link tunnel from Toowong to Kelvin Grove. Saying the plan was “temporary in nature” and designed to prevent... Read More

Street poll: the future of bookstores

Many brick-and-mortar bookstores are faced with the fact that readers are increasingly buying books in digital form or from internet marketplaces. Borders bookchain in the United States announced bankruptcy last month and the Australian chain announced voluntary administration the next day. We came to the Borders store in Brisbane’s CBD to ask shoppers if they had heard of the receivership and how it would affect them.  Read More

How the pickle jar saved me

For more than two decades I have devoted the first hour of every day to a morning ritual in which only the lucky among us can indulge. A freshly made cup of coffee, the morning newspapers and peace and quiet in my back garden is, I think, a fitting reward for this middle aged retirement-track journalism teacher after 40 years of hard yakka. In days gone, my early morning ritual was conducted in a newspaper office – before my younger, sleep-deprived colleagues slunk into... Read More

Street poll: Can Ian Thorpe win gold again?

After four years in retirement, Ian Thorpe has announced his comeback to swimming and hopes to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. But can he win gold for Australia? Newsbytes visited Brisbane’s Queen St Mall to ask people that very question.  Read More

Street poll: Should we do more to raise awareness of depression?

With rates of depression increasing in developed countries, support groups and government programs have emerged to give help and raise awareness. But is enough being done, with more than 2000 Australians taking their own lives every year? Newsbytes visited Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall to ask people their views.  Read More

Street poll: Should the Government make companies report on women in the workplace?

Under reforms announced by the Minister for the Status of Women, Kate Ellis, all businesses with 100 or more employees will have to report on the number of women in their workplace. The Government will do random spot-checks to ensure they are receiving accurate information, while businesses that fail to comply will be fined and be “named and shamed”. We asked people in Brisbane’s CBD what they thought of the proposed legislation.  Read More

Street poll: Should drivers be banned from using hands-free mobile phones?

Among proposals for new laws to help reduce road accidents, the Australian Transport Council has called for a ban on hands-free mobile phone conversations by motorists. We asked Brisbane people what they thought of the idea.  Read More

Street poll: Should Australia go nuclear?

The long-running debate over whether Australia should follow other countries in introducing nuclear power has been given a new dimension with the impact of Japan’s tragic earthquake on its nuclear plants. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said this week Australia had “abundant solar, wind, geothermal, tidal” sources of power and “we don’t think nuclear energy is right for this country”. Newsbytes took to the Botanical Gardens in Brisbane to ask... Read More

Street poll: Prince Will’s visit and the republic

With the grandson of the Queen to visit flood-affected areas of Queensland this week, some are asking whether Australia should cuts its ties with the monarchy and become a republic. The issue has been debated for decades, with public opinion still divided. We asked people outside Queensland’s Parliament House what they thought.  Read More

Street poll: What gift would you give the US president?

Prime Minister Julia Gillard gave United States president Barack Obama several Australian souvenirs during her recent visit to Washington, including a football, an ipod preloaded with Australian music and an opportunity to taste Vegemite. (“It’s horrible,” he declared.) We went to Brisbane’s King George Square to ask the public what other Australiana should have been given to Mr Obama.  Read More

Street poll: Will you watch the NRL season start?

The National Rugby League season kicks off this Friday night, with the “Queensland Derby” between the Broncos and the North Queensland Cowboys. Who’s going to be watching? We went to Queen Street Mall to find out. Camera and production supervision: David Douglas Stuart  Read More

Street poll: Do we still need International Women’s Day?

March 8th this year marks 100 years of International Women’s Day. With its roots in early 1900s socialism, International Women’s Day has developed into a global celebration of women. It draws attention to the achievements of women and examines the gender-based disparity that still exists across many cultures. We asked people in Queen Street Mall if they knew what day it was, and whether an International Women’s Day was still necessary in 2011. Camera and production... Read More

Give us back our water – Campbell Newman

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman has called on the Queensland Government to return control of water supplies to Brisbane City Council. “Give it back to the BCC,” he demanded at today’s Council meeting, when blasting water authorities for huge jumps in the price of water since handover of the water grid to the State Government in 2007. Cr Newman said he predicted four years ago that the price of retail water for Brisbane households would rise dramatically. The cost of water... Read More

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