Podcasts about new south wales department

An important note for NSW families: nothing is in effect yet, and the current guidelines still apply until the policy is finalised. The draft keeps the three things registration has always asked of you: an education plan based on the NSW curriculum, records showing that plan is being delivered, and an assessment by an Authorised Person. It still doesn’t say exactly what’s required or how much evidence is enough. A key concern is that no urgent pathway has been added for families who can’t wait for the 12-week registration processing times. Brett Campbell and Ellen Brown work through what the draft means in practice. What counts as evidence, where Authorised Persons come from and whether they must visit your house, how likely approval really is, and what you can do if you need to remove your child from school while awaiting registration. Key points from this episode Nothing has changed yet. The Department has published drafts. The existing Guidelines remain in effect until a final policy lands. Parental choice survives into the new framework. The draft Policy states plainly that education is primarily the responsibility of the child’s parents. The draft does not say how much evidence is enough. It lists ways you can show learning, such as journals, checklists, excursions and digital portfolios, but sets no quantity for any of them. That leaves the judgement to your Authorised Person, and their approach can vary significantly. Refusal is rare. Families may get stressed thinking their application is unlikely to get approved, but if you have a plan, it is very likely your application will be approved. An audit recommended NSW speed up registration a year before the draft was written. The draft sets an indicative timeframe of up to 12 weeks, which is too long for some families. You can still act if your child cannot wait. An exemption from attendance comes from your school principal, not the Department, and taking your education plan to that meeting makes it much easier for a principal to say yes. Nothing has changed yet for NSW homeschooling families Homeschooling registration in NSW moved from NESA to the NSW Department of Education, and the drafts released on 27 July 2026 are the Department’s first framework. Consultation ran as a short survey and closed on 10 August 2026. The Department has confirmed that the current Guidelines remain in effect until the new policy is finalised. If you are registered, or partway through an application, nothing about your obligations has changed. What the NSW draft policy gets right about parental choice The draft Policy states that the education of a child is primarily the responsibility of the child’s parents, and that parents may choose either school enrolment or homeschooling registration. Ellen believes this is really important, because the policy language preserves parents’ right to homeschool. The second is flexibility. Parents write the education plan, decide how it is delivered, and can amend it during a registration period so it stays fit for purpose, including for children with disability or additional needs. Brett points out you do not need a diagnosis in the family to benefit from the flexibility. The plan is meant to bend around the child in front of you, whoever that child is. Both hosts agree that flexibility and structure are not opposite. Having a base to work from makes it possible to be flexible, try new things, and know you’re within the guardrails and ticking off all the boxes. What evidence of learning means under the NSW draft This is where there is some uncertainty, and Ellen states it is one of the things that makes parents most nervous. The draft requires parents to keep records demonstrating how the child’s education plan is being implemented, and how the requirements and conditions of registration are being met. That is a broad requirement, and the FAQs confirm there is no mandatory quantity or format of evidence. Learning journals, checklists, excursions and digital portfolios are offered as examples rather than requirements. The states handle this differently. Queensland tells you exactly how many pieces of work to supply and what they should look like. NSW gives you no number or format of evidence at all. Why no set amount of evidence can be unsettling “Broadness is wonderful, but it can also be unsettling, because it then comes down to your Authorised Person to say, actually, this is too much, or this isn’t enough. That’s where parents can start to feel a little bit like it’s shifting sand.”— Ellen Brown Brett’s read is that breadth leads to ambiguity, and ambiguity leads to frustration and anxiety. He wants the Department to publish a minimum, so families know whether they are meeting the mark. As a result, the NSW homeschooling community often fills the gap itself, comparing notes in forums about what different APs expect. It should be a lot clearer for families. What an Authorised Person is checking for When an AP turns up, it is not just to see what has been done, but to ensure that you’ve ticked the boxes aligned to the curriculum. Euka is built around this. Every lesson carries the curriculum code it maps to, families can upload work into the portal for safekeeping, and the registration and reporting service turns completed lessons and parent comments into one report you can hand over. Ellen homeschooled in NSW for 12 years, with different APs, and knows what it’s like to prepare reporting. The services at Euka reflect her experience and are built to help families feel confident in what they are putting forward. Who your Authorised Person is and what the home visit involves Once you apply, the Department organises your first meeting with an Authorised Person for your area. They review your plan and make a recommendation. Most APs come out of the mainstream school system. Retired principals, experienced teachers, people who know what a good education looks like from the inside of a classroom. Ellen has never met one who came from a homeschooling background and says it will be nice when that finally happens. Whether you are visited at home depends on the AP. In Ellen’s experience, some APs need to come to the house, and others are happy with a video call or a meeting at a library or community centre. It is worth asking rather than assuming. Ellen describes an AP as closer to a learning coach than an education inspector, and most turn up asking how they can support you. Other parents have told her they came away feeling judged rather than supported. Nobody is entirely comfortable when someone arrives to assess something they care about this much. If your child is highly anxious, the draft FAQs allow you to request that the AP does not sight your child, usually supported by information from their medical or allied health providers. Will my homeschooling registration be approved in NSW? It is highly likely, and the Department’s own numbers back this up. “If you’re stressing out about your approval, chances are you’ll be approved, because you’ve already thought it through.”— Ellen Brown In 2025, the Department refused 5.2% of applications. But most refusals (3.5%) were because the applicant could not be reached for assessment after repeated attempts over several weeks. Another 0.94% were refused because the child was not eligible, including living outside NSW or submitting an incomplete form. Applications refused because the requirements were not met were very low at 0.61%. If you have an education plan covering the NSW curriculum and you attend your assessment, you are in good shape. Euka has not had a family go through the process and fail to get approved. Some families are concerned about a shorter registration period. The draft Procedures allow an AP to recommend less than the full term where areas for improvement have been identified, or where there are current concerns about the child’s safety. Neither phrase is defined in any of the documents. Brett delves into both sides. A policy has to cover every household, including the small number where home is not a safe place, and you cannot write a rule for that without some breadth. What he wants is more clarity for families: if a family is given three months instead of twelve, tell them exactly what caused it and exactly what must change. There is a review pathway if a recommendation goes against you: an internal review by a different Authorised Person, then an external review at NCAT. Ellen notes that a review by a second person in the same role is limited on its own, and that the external step is what makes it a real safeguard. The audit recommendation the NSW draft did not act on A year before these drafts were written, NSW was told to speed up registration. The Auditor-General’s report Alternative school settings and home schooling, published on 25 September 2025, recommended that the Department of Education work with the homeschooling community on reform, including consideration of “expedited registration processing times to shorten transition periods”. The audit found the time to decide an application had already grown 63 per cent, from 40 calendar days in 2019 to 65 in 2024, while applications rose by around 125 per cent. The draft Procedures answer that with an indicative processing timeframe of up to 12 weeks, and the FAQs confirm that until registration is approved, the child must remain enrolled at school. A family worried about their child’s wellbeing is directed back to the school principal. Twelve weeks is 84 days. The audit’s figure for how long a decision was already taking in 2024 was 65, which makes the draft’s indicative ceiling longer than the problem the audit asked the Department to fix. Ellen recommends keeping the safeguards in place and adding a defined urgent or provisional pathway: the parent still lodges the application, still demonstrates an education plan, still provides information about the child’s circumstances, and the assessment still runs its course. The child gets a lawful bridge in the meantime. Brett’s frustration is with the evidence base underneath the decision. Euka asks every family their primary reason for choosing homeschooling. Around one in four name bullying, and one in three name bullying or social issues (which often have bullying as an underlying factor). The Department’s published 2025 data records bullying as the reason for 0.11% of applications. The explanation for that number is in how the survey is delivered. The application form offers tick boxes for philosophical, religious and special learning needs, and nothing else. Every other reason, including bullying, must be written by hand in a free-text box. In 2025, 33 per cent of applications landed in “other” and a further 21 per cent answered nothing at all. In the initial figure, bullying looks like a non-issue. But the reality is, it is skewed by how the data is collected, which may explain why the draft policy and procedures do not address bullying or provide an urgent pathway for homeschool registration. “As a parent, the last thing I would ever do is want to put my child back into an environment that I need them to be removed from.”— Brett Campbell How to take your child out of school while you wait for registration The route runs through your school principal, rather than the Department. The principal can grant an attendance exemption. It means your child stays enrolled but is lawfully absent, which is exactly the bridge families need while an application is processed. Ellen’s advice is to go to that meeting with your education plan in your hand. A principal carries legal responsibility for a child on their roll, and a parent who arrives with a clear plan for the term is much easier to say yes to than a parent who arrives with just a request. Many families join a program before they are registered for precisely this reason, because they need the plan anyway. If the school will not move, a letter from your GP, paediatrician, psychologist or counsellor explaining the impact of the school environment carries weight in that conversation. Some principals are genuinely good at this and will support you straight away. Some have never seen homeschooling done well and assume it means no schooling at all. Two things worth knowing once your child is home: Nobody expects lessons in week one. A child coming out of a stressful school situation needs time to decompress first. They don’t need to jump in and start doing their homeschooling plan straight away. Having lessons available still helps. What Euka sees is that children who know their peers are moving on without them get more anxious, not less. Knowing the same topics are there when they are ready gives them security. There is also a middle path a lot of families miss. If you are trialling a term away, or working through school refusal, you can stay enrolled under a partial attendance or exemption arrangement without registering for homeschooling. Schools are often willing to support that, particularly when there is a credible education plan behind it, and it leaves the door open for a staged return if the family wants it. If bullying is what brought you here, our guide to bullying and homeschooling works through the decision itself, and the signs a child is silently struggling at school covers what to watch for. If it is school refusal, our parent’s guide to the options and Episode 45 go further. If your child is struggling with how they are feeling, please talk to someone you trust. You can also reach Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or Lifeline on 13 11 14, free, 24 hours a day. Why this episode matters Most of the anxiety in NSW right now comes from not knowing what the rules mean for your family. The parts you control are the ones that decide your outcome: your education plan, the way you keep records, and what you take into a meeting with a principal or an Authorised Person. Get those right, and you’re very likely to be okay. The consultation has closed. The final policy isn’t written yet, and an urgent pathway is still worth pressing for. Start the free homeschooling course If you are working out what your own registration year looks like, our Complete Guide to Confident Homeschooling covers registering legally in your state, choosing and structuring a program, building a daily rhythm, supporting a child who learns differently, and knowing your child is progressing. It is nine short video modules, about two and a half hours, hosted by Brett and Ellen. Free and self-paced. Start the free homeschooling course. Questions answered in this episode Have the NSW homeschooling rules changed? + Not yet. The NSW Department of Education released draft Policy, Procedures and FAQ documents on 27 July 2026, and consultation closed on 10 August 2026. The current Guidelines remain in effect until the new policy is finalised, so registered families and applications in progress carry on unchanged. What counts as evidence of learning for homeschooling in NSW? + Learning journals, checklists, excursions, digital portfolios, work samples, or a combination. The draft FAQs list these as examples and set no mandatory quantity or format. What your records have to do is show how your education plan is being delivered and how the work connects to the NSW curriculum, so keep that link visible as you go. How much work do I need to show my Authorised Person? + NSW does not publish a number, which is why experiences differ between areas. Keep enough to show coverage across the plan you wrote, with your own notes on how each part went. Who is the Authorised Person and do they have to come to my house? + An Authorised Person is authorised by the Department to assess your application, meet with you, and make a recommendation. Most come from mainstream teaching or school leadership backgrounds. Home visits are the default, but some APs will meet at a library or community centre or by video call, so it is worth asking. Does the Authorised Person have to see my child? + Usually yes, the AP is required to sight the child during the visit. The draft FAQs allow you to request approval for your child not to be sighted, and the Department will generally want supporting information from your child’s medical or allied health providers explaining why a visit could affect them. Will my homeschooling registration be approved? + Almost certainly, if you apply with an education plan covering the NSW curriculum and you are contactable for your assessment. Why would I be given a shorter registration period? + The draft Procedures allow an Authorised Person to recommend a shorter period where the assessment identifies areas for improvement, or where there are current concerns about the child’s safety. Neither term is defined in the draft. Can I appeal a homeschooling decision in NSW? + Yes. You can request an internal review, which goes to a different Authorised Person, and you are entitled to one internal review of the same decision. If that affirms the original recommendation, you can apply to NCAT for an external review, generally within 28 days of being notified. Can I take my child out of school before my registration is approved? + Not through the registration process itself. Under the draft, your child must remain enrolled until the Certificate of Registration is issued. The available route is an exemption from attendance or a partial attendance plan, granted by your school principal, and a GP or psychologist letter can support that request. Do I need to register if we are only taking a term off school? + Not if your child stays enrolled. Schools can support a partial attendance plan or an exemption without you registering for homeschooling, and that is common for families trialling a term or working through school refusal. Having a clear education plan makes those conversations much easier. About the hosts Ellen Brown is Euka’s co-founder and Head of Education. She is a qualified teacher, a mother of five, and has homeschooled in NSW for 12 years across many different Authorised Persons. Brett Campbell is Euka’s co-founder, Chairman and CEO. This article is general information about NSW homeschooling registration, not legal or clinical advice. The NSW Department of Education sets registration requirements, and the draft documents discussed here are not yet in force. If you are worried about your child’s mental health, please speak to your GP or a registered psychologist. Read the full episode transcript Ellen: We always want to keep at the centre of homeschooling, that parents have the choice to homeschool, and that it should be the same choice as if you were in public school, or you’re deciding to go to private school. Deciding to homeschool is a legal choice in our country. And so they got that right. And that’s important in the definitions. Sometimes we find that APs are coming with a lot of experience. And they’ve been and they’re really you know, I love to think of them, like I said before, as a bit of a coach, and they’re walking alongside you with enthusiasm saying, okay, how can I support you? And that has been my experience. But I have heard from other parents that they have had an experience that is a bit more challenging. Brett: The decision itself to homeschool for the majority is a major decision, and it and it puts this pressure on and people are like, am I going to get accepted? Am I not? You know, it’s not your final exam where, you know, yeah, the likelihood of you getting accepted is low. It’s actually the opposite. The likelihood of you getting accepted is very, very high. Narrator: Welcome to the Future Learners podcast, the home for parents and students thriving with homeschooling in Australia. Your hosts, Brett Campbell and Ellen Brown, are the co-founders of Euka Future Learning, Australia’s largest online K-12 homeschooling provider. Join them as they guide you from uncertainty to complete confidence. Let’s get into it. Brett: Hello and welcome to another episode of Future Learners. I am your host, Brett Campbell, CEO and co-founder of Euka Future Learning. I’m joined by my amazing co-founder and co-host and our Head of Education, Ellen Brown. How are you today, Ellen? Ellen: Very well, thank you. Brett: You have us set up for this topic. So this is this is a juicy topic. So I’m going to hand it straight to you. Set us up. What are we in store for today? Ellen: Today we’re going to be talking about the draft policy documents that the New South Wales Department of Education have produced. So we know that there’s been a change. Home schooling has moved from NESA to the Department of Education. They’ve provided a draft about how they might change some policies, and we’re going to talk about that today. Brett: Excellent policies, policies. Although sometimes the policy conversations may not be the most exciting or exhilarating for, um, whether it’s people speaking about it and or the participants listening. And I just want to double tap on the importance of this. Um, and whilst this might not be the most exciting topic of conversation for you to indulge in today, definitely stick with us. We’re going to we’re going to unpack it to the best of our ability. And as Ellen said, is this is a draft policy. And we’ll talk a little bit more about what that means, because we’re getting a lot of families reaching out to us with questions, queries, concerns, etc. And we’re going to try and do our absolute best to, um, talk to those points today. So over to you, Ellen. Ellen: One of the reasons that we want to talk about this is really to provide support to families as there especially families that are already in homeschooling and they’re thinking, okay, what’s going to change? How will this affect me? And it’s quite natural for people to begin talking. And then the it starts to snowball. And so it’s really just to provide support and let you know that we are watching and we’re trying to work through how to best support you as we make these changes. Brett: I think it would be a good idea if you actually set up and share that, you know, obviously, Euka one of our, uh, roles as we see it in the industry is, you know, we want to be a voice, uh, and also a seat at the table for, you know, the tens of thousands of families homeschooling. And if can you maybe share a little bit just to start on how this even originated, like how we even got to where we are now with these policies, draft policies? Ellen: Yes. Well, look, NESA was, um, having homeschooling under their umbrella for the last 15 years. And so earlier in the year that the movement of homeschooling under the New South Wales Department of Education happened. And then it was quiet and everybody wondered, well, maybe no changes will happen. And that sort of everybody continued along on their merry way until all of a sudden and of course, in the background, the Department of Education was saying, okay, how are we going to manage this? You know, when NESA had homeschooling, it grew and grew and grew. The numbers grew. So this was an opportunity for the Department of Education to say, okay, fresh air, a fresh voice, I suppose. Also good to keep in mind that nearly actually just over a year ago or nearly a year ago, in September last year, there was a review into homeschooling in New South Wales and audit. And some of those recommendations would have been also being looked at when they came to drafting these policies. And we’ll be able to talk about that, because one of the glaringly obvious ones that didn’t change is part of our discussion this morning as well. I’m going to run through a few different things that we can see haven’t changed first, or where New South Wales, the policy, the draft policy of has got it right. And then we’ll get into some of the topics that are causing a bit of concern from homeschooling families and from Euka as well. So let’s start by looking at where the draft policy got it right. And one of the things that we could say they definitely got it right is where they talk about parental choice and responsibility. We always want to keep at the centre of homeschooling that parents have the choice to homeschool, and that it should be the same choice as if you were in public school or you’re deciding to go to private school. Deciding to homeschool is a legal choice in our country. And so they got that right. And that’s important in the definition. So they say parents have the primary responsibility for education of their children. So we’re happy about that. It’s a big deal. It’s one of those things that can be argued about in policy where they start changing the language. But we’re really happy with that language. Brett: Yeah. And just to that, there’s in the actual the draft of the policies, you know, to give a little bit more clarity. And I think where their angle of it was and how they’re making that decision has actually helped the wider, broader audience of homeschooling. And I’ll get to that and says the education plan must be based on New South Wales curriculum, which is obvious for New South Wales, and be suitable to the child’s learning needs as identified by the applicant, which is the parent. Parents may amend the plan during a period of registration to ensure it remains fit for purpose, including to meet the needs of children with disability or additional needs and that needs to be carved out in there because not all children are created equal, but what it also does by having this, this caveat in, in that point is that you don’t necessarily even need to have special needs in your family or your household. What it does is it gives you the ability to be able to, um, yeah, fit for purpose. Right. And, and a lot of these drafts and a lot of, um, regulations that get laid down, um, whether it be in homeschooling or just in general, everyday life is there’s always nuance to the meaning and the definition of it. Unfortunately, I’ve read too many agreements and I’ve looked at all these things. And what you quite quickly find is that someone’s interpretation of that could be very different than another ten people who read it, and they all interpret it differently. So this is still very much open for interpretation, because the real question then, if you dig on that a little bit deeper and it’s like, well, what does fit for purpose even mean, right? Like there’s there’s barriers and laneways into all of that. But at a very high level, what it does for us is and again, Euka is built on this concept of flexibility, obviously, whilst we provide the entire curriculum and so forth, you know, we absolutely have that built into our product and program, where you can ideate and stretch and even remould, or even recreate a lesson if you desire, which is which is fantastic for the family. So. Ellen: Yeah, absolutely. So, so the two things that we’re really happy to see in there, that parents have the responsibility for making a choice around their program, their education program. And as you are mentioning, the flexibility for parents to be able to choose how that’s delivered to their child. And we want to see that kind of flexibility. Like you were saying, Brett, it’s really important to not see structure as an opposite to flexibility in actual fact. And we’ve talked about this before in a podcast. Having some structure allows you then to be flexible and springboard off over here and off over there, but you’re still ticking those boxes at the lowest level. Brett: So and just and just for those families who are reading that point and going, oh no, I don’t want to have the flexibility. I just want to be like, I just want a program that I can follow. I totally hear you and understand that. And again, that’s that is the beauty of a program like Euka is that there is that structure there if you need it to keep you in the, in the guardrails. But, um, the beauty about that point, though, is if you do desire to have flexibility, that is your prerogative. Ellen: Mhm. Absolutely. So this is an area now evidence of learning. That is one of the things that makes parents most nervous because especially in New South Wales you know Euka have students all around the country. So we work very closely and look very closely at what the Department of Education is doing in every state. And New South Wales is a state where there’s a lot of personal opinion. When you’ve got an authorised person who’s kind of like we used to call them, your learning coach, rather than the education police, who is someone who is actually your direct support person when you’re homeschooling. And so evidence of learning is a big one for parents. What do we actually have to provide to the department? And in some states they’re very prescriptive, like in Queensland, when they say exactly how many pieces of work and what you need to provide. New South Wales isn’t like that. And so there’s no so the actual from the draft that we can see in the frequently asked questions, which is where actually a lot of the noise has come from parents. It actually says that the department states there’s no mandatory quantity or format of evidence. It gives examples of learning, learning, journals, checklists, excursions, digital portfolios. But and broadness is wonderful. But it can also be unsettling because it then comes down to your authorised person to say, well, actually, this is too much, this isn’t enough. And so that’s where parents can start to feel a little bit like it’s shifting sand. Brett: Yeah. And the draft that states parents must keep records demonstrating how the child’s education plan is being implemented and how the requirements and any conditions of registration are being met. That’s a that’s a big sentence on the surface. It’s like, oh, it makes sense. Like you should be keeping some records and demonstration of how your child’s education is being rolled out. Um, but then there’s the how is that meeting the requirements of the registration, which when you register, you have to obviously follow a syllabus as well, which is one of the detailed points here is, you know, you must, um, follow the New South Wales syllabus, which is very important. And out of all the states, New South Wales is the only one that has its general like these guidelines around you must follow the New South Wales versus, you know, the rest of the states are happy to follow the Australian curriculum as well. So there’s a few nuances in there. But the to your point on this broadness can lead to ambiguity, which can lead to frustration, anxiety and a whole heap of different things because in certain times of need. Sometimes you just need to be. Or you want to be told exactly what to do. Like you point there around Queensland, House says, you know you need to provide this many. This many of this, this many of that. Like then you know where you are. You’re either hitting the mark or you’re not hitting the mark because where it falls back to an individual person and, you know, touchwood, everyone in the department who is, who has these AP roles, they’re doing the best that they can with what they know to be true, right? However, not everyone governs the exact same stipulations, like if they had in their rule book. That are your guidelines are there must be a submission of 23 pieces of work. Like if they’ve got that because they must have a gauge to work from if they have that, then you know I would. My personal opinion is like, how about we just share with the families going, this is a minimum requirement. Like I think having minimum baselines is a very important place to start from, because if you don’t, you have no expectation because and I say this, you know, constantly in Euka when we’re speaking to the team, it’s like if someone goes, it’s going great. I’ll be like, what does great mean? Like exactly how great, how many this, how many that, what’s this mean? Etc. So very, very important to not be lackadaisical. When is such an important outcome for a family who’s whether you’ve been in homeschooling for some time, you’ve been doing it a specific way. It might really shake up the way you’ve been doing things, because what you think might hit the mark. Now, the new regulations, under their own personal definition, whether it’s currently being hidden right or it hasn’t been shared, um, then it can lead to lead to, you know, a lot of ambiguity and possible frustration because, yeah, it’s a it’s an ungoverned thing right now. Ellen: It is. It’s actually quite stressful. I love that the homeschool community get together very quickly. They know their AP from their area. They talk on their homeschooling forums about, oh, did you know, did you have so-and-so as your AP? What did they expect? And but it’s kind of a shame that it has to be like that, that it can’t be a bit clearer. I’m certainly not one for let’s have three of those and four of those, because the flexibility is really fantastic when you’re homeschooling that you can work with your child to demonstrate them their learning in a way that fits them. And, you know, as an organisation and our role to support you as parents, that’s something we’ve really struggled with. How can we support you so that then you’ve got lots of options to show your learning. So, you know, it might be a good opportunity just to mention these new assignments that we’ve added to the program now, so that if you want to keep those as work samples, you know where the curriculum is being covered. You know, everything that you know that that you’re going to be asked and at least you’ve got that freedom to say, well, look here, I can see there’s an assignment on such and such. Actually, my child likes to do something different, but I’m going to adapt that. So, you know, like I said before, structure and flexibility can go really well together. If you’ve if you’ve got a base to move from. So it is a tricky one. And we certainly do hear some big differences between what different authorised people actually ask for. Brett: Yeah. And for those who are homeschooling and not using a platform like Euka, you know, keeping records and demonstrating how your child’s, you know, actual education plan is being implemented and met like it’s not an easy thing to try and solve for if you don’t have structure. Right from Euka’s perspective is we have the ability you can do the structured assignment air quotes that we have. Right. It’s it’s a very detail like it’s a detailed plan for that lesson that we know will absolutely be applicable and get the automatic tick of approval from any AP. Because of the way that we’ve built it and structured and so forth. You can do that. You can take photos, you can upload, you can hold it in our platform and in our portal, um, for safekeeping, because I don’t know about you, but, you know, you get paper and you’re writing on it. You’re gonna have filing cabinets and look for some people, they’re very, very diligent like that. So, um, that’s a skill I wish I had a little bit more of, but, you know, having the ease of a digital platform, you do the lesson, you click through, you’ve got the report, you can add context because that’s another thing as well. Um, you know, with our, with our reporting that we provide, um, that that comes with Euka, you can put uh, specific. So you finish the lesson is specific questions about how did you go, what did you find work this that, that. And you can add context to it because that’s what the APs are effectively looking at. Right. They’re coming to your, your home. Um, and we’ll talk about this in a minute as well because I think that’s, that’s a, um, something that needs to be discussed is they’re coming to you and saying, look, Demonstrate what you’ve done and how have you done it, and how does that then meet the curriculum? That’s where it gets. It’s not a someone’s not turning up and just showing, asking to show some work. And what have you done and drawn and pictures and this and that is it. Like but have you actually ticked the boxes that are aligned to the curriculum? Hence, you know, every lesson with, with our platform is directly connected to a specific curriculum code. And you can see that in the lesson itself. But the beauty of, again, and I don’t want us to sort of sound like a bit of a pitch fest for Euka, but it certainly is, because everything we’ve built is for these reasons, because we know all of these things that we’re going to discuss and go through. The tension that families have can be obliterated and not even there if we just sort of follow the process, you know, to be able to do each lesson, upload it at the end of the year. Yeah, well, when required, press a button. It compiles an entire report that you just hand to them and go, here you go. And they’re like, oh wow, how’d you do that? And you know, it’s it’s magic. Ellen: Absolutely. I think knowing that that comes from experience. I’ve been homeschooling in New South Wales for 12 years, and I’ve had a lot of different APs that I’ve had to work with, and so having that experience, knowing what it feels like to think, okay, someone’s coming and they’re going to have a look and they’re judging me. Um, it really is reflected in how we prepare what we do at Euka to make sure that families can feel confident in that, having been there ourselves. Brett: We’ve mentioned the word AP a handful of times, and I think now would be a good time. Can you fill in the gaps of for those who are like, I’m not sure what an AP is, I’m looking to get started or I’ve just started and I’m not sure what’s going on. Like, talk about the role of the AP as it relates to New South Wales, and then maybe provide context of that’s not the case for the rest of the country. Ellen: In New South Wales, we have an authorised person that’s in charge of your area of homeschooling and that authorised person, AP, will come and visit you. There are some APs that are very happy to meet with you at the local library or at the community centre instead of your actual house? But that’s something that you’ll be able to negotiate directly with the AP. So once you enrol in or you applied for your application to become a homeschooler, you’ll receive information back in an email back organising for that first meet up with an AP to come and see you and discuss what your plan is for homeschooling. Brett: So let me ask this, Ellen, for the for the people who are curious like do, why do they have to come to your house? Why can’t they do a zoom meeting? Do they do zoom meeting? Do they meet online? Do they do phone calls? Or does everyone have to have someone literally turn up to their place of living? Ellen: Well, that’s going to be remains to be seen with this new umbrella of the Department of Education. In the past, I’ve had them. I’ve had certain APs that need to come to my house, and other times I’ve had some that are very happy to do a zoom meeting. So it really is dependent on the person. Most of the time the APs are coming out of the mainstream school system. Sometimes they’re principals who’ve retired or teachers that have been teaching. So they’re coming with that kind of background and most in, I have never actually found an AP that’s actually come from the homeschooling background yet. That would be nice when that finally happens. But at this stage, sometimes we find that APs are coming with a lot of experience, and they’ve been and they’re really, you know, I love to think of them, like I said before, as a bit of a coach, and they’re walking alongside you with enthusiasm saying, okay, how can I support you? And that has been my experience. But I have heard from other parents that they have had an experience that is a bit more challenging, where they haven’t felt quite so supported and they’ve felt nervous. So it’s hard to know whether that’s come from the actual AP or whether it’s, you know, an internal one ourselves. But it’s always uncomfortable when something’s coming to judge what you’re doing. No one feels comfortable in that situation. Brett: That’s right. Yeah. And because of the decision itself to homeschool for the majority. Is a major decision. And it and it puts this pressure on. And people are like, am I going to get accepted. Am I not? Can you talk to that as well that we might be able to add a little bit of, um, flavour to on the. You know, it’s it’s not your final exam where, you know, you know, the likelihood of you getting, um, accepted as low. It’s actually the opposite. The likelihood of you getting accepted is, is very, very high. Obviously you have to meet many different, you know, box ticks, etc. But can you speak to that to try and like lower the temperature of some families, like really stressing out prior to the specific meeting? Ellen: If you’re stressing out about your approval, chances are you’ll be approved because you’ve already thought through. Oh, I hope my plan is good enough. So you’ve got a plan and you’ve thought through and you’ve, you know, made some decisions. You’ve got some information. You’ll be okay as long as you’ve got a plan that’s covering the New South Wales curriculum, you’ll be okay. One of the things that has been an area of concern within this draft policy, again, is, um, where they say in the policy that says a short period of registration may be recommended. Now, this isn’t new, where instead of being given your 12 months or your 24 months, sometimes in your homeschooling approval, you’re given a shorter term. And that’s concerning because of the language around that, that there’s areas of improvement that have been identified that need to be reassessed or current concerns about the child safety. So that’s some sort of very vague language that’s causing concern for parents. Like what you were just saying, Brett. It’s a very small percentage of people that are ever told, actually, you can’t homeschool like it’s, you know, less than 2% because people have got a plan. They don’t just say, I’m going to homeschool and then put click on, you know apply and off we go. They’ve done some thinking. They’ve got a plan. Uh, but sometimes we do find that people will not be given the full 12 months. And that’s where parents want to see some a bit clearer language on what those, those what areas of improvement might be meaning. Brett: Correct. And that’s that ambiguity where it’s it’s in any, any contract. There’s always the let’s keep this vague so that we could claw back something if we need to. And here’s something as well that I think is important to touch on because it’s also important not like to consider that the department is that when they’re creating policies like this, they need to try and do a catch all net. Right. And there are cases where, you know, and this is the minority of course by a lot. But there are cases where children are in households where we would probably deem probably not a great idea to be in, or hope like, you know, is not the best environment for them. Right. And this is where it can get difficult at times because these type of policies, they have to have the vagueness in there for protections. And again, I’m not speaking for the department here myself. I’m just reading through between the lines. Right. Um, but I personally if I’d sort of steelman the opposite side, if I go well, I’d want that in there simply because there needs to be these allowances. And it’s hard because a lot of people go, well, I’m not impacted. So I don’t even want to be in that classification either. I don’t want that rule applied to me. But it’s like when you’re trying to apply a rule to an entire sort of industry standard. There’s always the nuances that need to be considered. And a lot of times, unless there’s a specific stipulation directly attributed to families with specific violence or reasons as to being whether it’s not a safe environment for children. It has to be, uh, it has to be umbrella underneath a much broader, broader piece. But it still doesn’t negate that there should, I believe, be a little bit more specifics around that. Because if you give a family look, we’re going to give you three months or six months. It’s like, what exactly is the reasons for that? And what exactly must change in order to get 12 months? Right. And why wouldn’t you give me 12 months? Yeah. Um, so those there’s, there’s lots of considerations to that. Ellen: Yeah, absolutely. I think when it comes to the child safety part, we already know the authorised person coming in to check on your family is, um, a person that’s a mandatory reporter. So to have it written there like that, I don’t know. I, I know there was a case in Queensland, and the fact that I even know that there was a case in Queensland where a child was unsafe and that caused the reviewing Queensland means that it’s it’s a to to make the decision to homeschool is a big decision for a family. And you put the spotlight on yourself. And most educators who are even in mainstream school would agree that children who are in an unsafe learning environment, the parent wouldn’t do that. It’s like they’re generally there a child that’s registered in school and just don’t go, um, that those children would be far more unsafe situation than someone who’s made that decision to homeschool. Um, so that’s probably where the fear is coming from. Why is it in there? And then you’ve got an authorised person, just the one person coming and making decisions. So that brings us to the next part, which is about the review process. So if a family is given a shorter period of time, there’s no discussion in the policy about how we can get a review from an independent AP on that. That is just a line in the sand by the one AP if by a small, you know, situation that you. Have your homeschooling approval knocked back then the policy says that then another AP can then make a review. Thankfully it doesn’t end there because a peer review doesn’t make much sense. As far as, um, real clarity around a decision that’s being made. There is actually a review process after that. So, um, you know, it’s like you said, it’s it’s an unusual thing to be knocked back for your approval. You’ve really got to have no plan and no idea. And, um, you know, it’s it’s definitely what Euka is created for, to make sure that families are well supported and very confident going into their meetings with their AP. And as far as, uh, approval is concerned, we’ve never, ever had anybody who hasn’t had their approval given the stamp of approval. Brett: Mm. Absolutely. Um, so the other one is one where we were talking before about the review last year in September, the audit. Ellen: The Auditor-General’s report. Yeah. So I wanted to talk about that. So back in September of 2025 there’s a recommendation recommendation 2b. And it says that the Audit Office recommends that reform of homeschooling regulation consider expedited registration processing times to shorten transition periods. So that’s one of the recommendations that’s come through. And what we’ve seen in this new draft is that there is no special, um, expedited process for children that are really in need of, um, instant removal from school. Brett: And that’s something that. This is this is what the, the, um, draft procedure actually stipulates. Says and this is step 5.1 for those reading at home, aims to finalise the application within the indicative processing time frame of up to 12 weeks. And then it says in the draft FAQs, until your registration is approved, your child must remain enrolled at school. And this is something that, um, yeah, we have some very strong opinions around Ellen. Ellen: Yes, absolutely. Because we see that people who are true, uh, and I was going to say choosing to homeschool. Yes, sure, they’re choosing to homeschool, but many times they’re moving into homeschool because that is the safest thing for their child. You know, we know about the bullying rates and the anxiety and mental health issues and reasons why removal from school is an urgent thing, and that actually is quite common. So it’s kind of an oxymoron. So we’re choosing to homeschool when often it is really the only option at that point. Brett: Well Ellen, I’ve been doing some digging around that because, as you know, I love I love data and I like to speak to the truth as in the closest approximation, I can get to the truth governed by data and actual real life happening. So and this is something that that has really highlighted for me, where I feel that there’s, there’s something not right. Okay. And what I mean is you mentioned that, um, yeah, about bullying and so forth. So we ask every family who comes to Euka, what’s your primary reason for homeschooling? And then we have we have multiple options that people can choose. Right. Um, and again I’ll preface this by saying data is as only as good as the way in which it is collected. Okay. You can very easily create a data set that is very ambiguous and probably not accurate. By leading a specific question to get someone to choose a specific answer and I’ll I’ll say that first. But we asked directly primary reasons and then we got secondary reasons, etc. As we’ve been reporting back since 2021, you know, circa 25% of families, their primary reason is bullying. And then we add in other social element reasons. We go we go all the way up to 30 percent just for bullying and social, um, reasons and so forth. Anxiety. And so that’s our data that we’ve collected amongst a whole heap of other data points and different reasons and so forth that we’ve got as to why families homeschool and choose homeschooling. I looking at the 2025 data report from the New South Wales Government in 1st of January, 2022 to the 31st of December, are we doing calendar year here? They are reporting. Wait for this. Don’t fall off your chair. But just for those playing along at home. At this period, we reported 25%. It was about 24.7 to be exact, right. But circa 1 in 4 children. Their primary reason was bullying. The New South Wales government data says he gave reason for homeschooling. They have philosophical, religious, special learning needs, bullying, other and nil response. Those are the options you have, right? Bullying comes in at 0.68% right now. You’ve got the New South Wales government and this is probably my voice is starting to raise here because I’m getting passionate about this. But I’ll tone down. My voice is probably busting out on the podcast, but we’ve got 0.68% now. Keep in mind other comes in at 31.69% and nil response comes in at 22.91%. This is why I said the way in which you ask and collect your data is very, very important because I would have to. If I’m making an assumption on being a data analyst here, I would have to say there would be a lot of people in the other and the no response it would have to fall under bullying. Right now that’s an assumption because I don’t have the facts there. However, what the problem I have with this is that the department or the government itself is showing. So if you’re the New South Wales premier and you’re on TV and you go, oh, look, bullying rates is 0.68%, there’s no bullying. What do you mean, bullying? It’s not even a thing. Right. So and check this out. If we fast forward to January 2024 to December 24th, low and behold, the bullying rate has decreased to 0.45%. We’ve noticed an increase, which is interesting. And this is where the nail in the coffin for me and I just can’t understand this. And I need to. We need to do something about. This is from January 1st, 2025 to December 2025. The bullying rate has reduced to a staggering 0.1. You might as well say, ah, there’s no such thing as bullying, right? And if this is how they’re collecting their data one the collection method is abhorrent and it needs to be fixed because I get the concept of having other and nil. And look, there’s families who might not want to report that. And I totally get that as well. Right. But here’s where the problem is. They’re going to be looking at these reasons, right? If I’m in the department I’m like, okay guys, I’m here to reform the homeschooling unit and how homeschooling works across the country. I’m not going to go, oh, here’s an opinion. I’m going to go show me the data. Okay. Bullying 0.1. That’s great. Amazing. Okay. We probably don’t need to do too much about bullying. Right. And it sets up a series of decisions that are. Based off a very shaky, to say the least. Foundation of data collection. Right. So with their stating, in the last four years, there’s been a decline from 0.7% to 0.1. That’s a huge decrease. But that’s not what we’re seeing in our data. And again, I’m not I just want to stipulate that I’m reporting the data in which I have been able to see and view and the way in which we collect those pieces of data as well. Now, the reason why I dig in on this topic so much is the issue we have with this, and this came out of the Auditor-General’s report that families just can’t wait 12 weeks, especially if you’re one of the children who had finally, because I’ll tell you this, I would hands down, almost guaranteed the majority of families who put their child into homeschooling their child has been bullied, not yesterday, but they’ve been bullied for a very long period of time. That has now gone to a point that you can no longer continue this on. It’s gotten to a point where the mental health has declined so badly that you’re like, I’m, I’m at my last option, right? They’ve had enough and they need to make change. And we’ve got data saying this. We’ve got 12 weeks and this is in the draft policy off the back of the Auditor-General’s report. It’s almost like it fell on slightly deaf ears. Almost. It’s like to even say that we aim to finalise the application, like it says, aims to. And I get why. Because there’s not a lot of APs and there’s tens of thousands of students homeschooling. Like it’s just the math isn’t math thing when you’re trying to really put this together because it says aims to finalise the application, meaning we may or may not. You may be up to 16 weeks, you might be 20 weeks, you might be two weeks. We don’t know. But we’re going to aim to have it done. And again, this is not a I’m not trying to push at the APs themselves either, or trying to do the best they can. And I could only imagine, you know, these visits for, for a lot of absolutely exhilarating and they love it. But it’s slow to go from house to house to house. You know, you go from probably three visits locally when you could do probably 20 on a zoom, 30, 50 a day on a zoom meeting. Right. Um, which could expedite it. I spoke about this with the Auditor-General’s report. It’s like a solution is quite easy, is let’s just say you give them a temporary a temporary registration pass. And when your AP can actually catch up to go and visit them, they might have already been homeschooling for 12 weeks, and they’ve already done a complete term versus sitting in limbo. Because I’ll tell you what, as a parent, the last thing I would ever do is want to put my child back into an environment that I need them to be removed from. And then it says here, and this is the I’ll, I’ll wrap up on this point, Ellen, until your registration is approved, your child must remain enrolled at school. Now, let me ask you this, Ellen, because I’m not one for breaking rules. I’m not one. I’m always I’m always looking at the nuance of how something says. Does that specifically mean like they can remain at school but can under these rules or under this draft because you can still be enrolled at school, but you’re just not turning up the school and you can start your homeschooling, talk to talk to that nuance. Ellen: Yeah. So this is another area where they’re frequently asked questions of the draft policy come into effect. So can my child exit school? Um, and the response is no, you need to stay in school unless given permission by the principal. Now, this is where the problem is. A principal is not in a position most of the time to be able to say, oh, you’ve been bullied, okay. Because it’s their job to ensure there’s no bullying. So the only option they’ve got to legally do what the department has said here is to go to the principal and say, we’d like to remove the student because they’ve been bullied and they’re having a mental health crisis or whatever’s going on, we need to remove them immediately. And the principal has to say, not a problem at all. Here’s an exemption, which means, yes, you’re not in. You’re still enrolled in the school, but you don’t have to go. That’s a really. Some principals are wonderful and they’ll say yes, you know, if that’s what your child needs, that’s what we’ll do and will support you in that. And we do hear that because more and more principals are educated now about what homeschooling can look like. But sometimes you hit a principal that doesn’t have any idea what homeschooling can look like. And they think that it means no schooling, you know, and so they are very opposed to homeschooling. So it just depends, you know, who you get. Um, the most important thing to know here is, um, a doctor certificate or a psychologist or a counsellor can support you in getting that exemption and taking your child out. It’s very important to know that your that you don’t have to be a passive passenger. And if your child is at risk, you need to act. Brett: Yeah. Great. And I stay steadfast on that. Your child is the most important thing. Not what the school says or doesn’t say either. But to your point, Ellen, you know, um, I always give benefit of the doubt. And of course, there’s lots of schools out there and principals that totally understand we’re in a world now where you as a parent, you need to look after the most important thing and that’s your children. And, uh, if you are in a position where you’re extreme, you because we get feedback and this is coming from lots of pieces of feedback that we get and lots of, um, you know, from families who are asking questions, you know, saying, look, I want to start now, but I’m not registered, can I what should I do? And the advice there is go and speak directly to your principal. Let them know that look, I fear for whatever reasons, x, y, z, um, and based on these decisions and the mental health of my child, we are removing them from the school currently. And we request from you written permission that we, uh, we get an exemption right now whilst we undertake because whilst removing my child from the scenario, it’s not like you’re going to put them on a six week holiday per se. It’s like you want to continue their learning on and then you can you can go and have that. So when the time comes and you do have a visit, you’ll be able to show that here’s the exemption, etc.. Ellen: And you know one thing that would be helpful, actually two things that popped into my mind there is sometimes when you go to a principal with an exemption, what the feedback we’ve had is if you can go with an education plan. So a lot of the families that join Euka are without yet having been approved, which is a lot of families will join Euka prior because they need that plan anyway. When they’re registering, they’ll take that with them. The scope and sequence or educational learning. Plan with them to the principal and say, we need an exemption. Here’s what we’re going to do. And going with something like that just means that the principal can feel comfortable because, you know, he has a legal responsibility when you’re on his books as one of his students or her students. So you want to be able to help them make the decision for that exemption. So taking a plan is very helpful. The other thing is, you know, yes, you want your child to be able to, you know, move out of the school system and have a plan in place. It doesn’t mean from the first week that we would even dream of expecting that your child jumps straight in and starts doing their homeschooling plans straight away. There is a time that is needed for a child to be able to just decompress after going through that kind of stressful environment, but what we have found is that if there is some an education that’s there for them to be able to go on with at lessons and additional stress that can happen when they are removed from school. All of a sudden they see their peers moving forward. And that can actually heighten the fear and the anxiety that the child is having. So knowing that, yes, you know, here’s your lessons. These are the same topics that are being done in school that can just give them a, ah, while they’re taking that time to get the support that they need and the mental health support they’ve got, that educational foundation that gives them security. Brett: And a nuance to that as well. Ellen. And for those families who are like, well, my child isn’t being bullied and there are no sort of social reasons as to why we just want to change in our life. And we’d like to make that change now. It’s been the school holidays. We’ve thought about it, we’ve sat down, we’ve been considering it for some time. We’ve but we’ve we’ve stayed at school. And now’s the time to make the decision. The last thing you want to do as a family as well go. You know what? I’m going to put our entire life on hold for 12 weeks until we get a registration. Ellen: But if your child hasn’t had any issues, going to the principal and saying, look, this is what we would like to do, they’re usually okay with that too. So don’t think that there has to be a problem. There’s more and more people saying, you know what, we just would like to take a little bit more of an active role in our child’s education. It’s not unusual now. So that’s something you can. Brett: Yeah. And something we find as well

What can your soil tell you about how your country is functioning?In this episode of the Pastoral Poddy, host Edgars Greste speaks with soil scientist Karl Anderson about what makes rangeland soils unique and how rainfall, landscape position and soil type influence productivity.Karl explores the role of carbon and organic matter, explains common constraints such as salinity and sodicity, and shares practical insights into groundcover, water infiltration and managing highly variable country.It's a conversation about looking beneath the surface, understanding how soil systems function, and recognising what happens across the landscape when the rain finally arrives.EPISODE TIMESTAMPS● (00:00) Why rangeland soils are different● (02:40) Why organic matter matters● (08:35) The soil tells a story of time and place● (10:50) Reading the landscape after rain● (13:40) Salinity and sodicity explained● (16:55) Practical tools to rebuild productive country● (19:00) Managing for variability and climate extremesResource linkshttps://www.dpird.nsw.gov.au/dpi/about-us/research-and-development/projects/soil-and-water-research/rangelands-living-skinThe Pastoral Poddy is proudly brought to you by Western Local Land Services in partnership with the New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water under the Primary Industries Productivity and Abatement program.This episode was mixed and produced by Grow Love Project.

Can sheep be bred to produce less methane without sacrificing productivity?In this episode of the Pastoral Poddy, host Edgars Greste speaks with Ed Clayton, Livestock Research Officer with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, about the science and practical realities behind low methane sheep.Together they explore how methane is produced in ruminants, why emissions have become an important focus for the livestock industry, and how researchers are measuring methane production in individual sheep. The conversation also examines the NSW DPIRD Low Methane Sheep project, emerging opportunities in genetics and feed efficiency, research into pasture systems, and practical steps producers can take today to improve productivity while reducing emissions intensity.Whether you're curious about the science or looking for practical on-farm insights, this episode offers a grounded discussion on one of the biggest conversations shaping the future of livestock production.Episode timestamps(00:00) Why methane matters and the role sheep play in the emissions conversation.(06:30) Understanding how ruminants produce methane and its link to productivity.(14:15) Inside the NSW DPIRD Low Methane Sheep project.(23:45) Genetics, feed efficiency and opportunities for lower methane flocks.(34:00) Practical steps producers can take to improve productivity and reduce emissions intensity.Useful linksNSW DPIRD Low Emissions Agriculture Programhttps://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/climate-and-emergencies/climate-change/primary-industries-and-climate-change/low-emissions-agricultureNSW DPIRD Emissions Researchhttps://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/climate-and-emergencies/climate-change/primary-industries-and-climate-change/low-emissions-agriculture/emissions-researchNSW On-Farm Carbon Advice Programhttps://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/climate-and-emergencies/climate-change/primary-industries-and-climate-change/low-emissions-agriculture/on-farm-carbon-adviceNSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Developmenthttps://www.dpi.nsw.gov.auThe Pastoral Poddy is proudly brought to you by Western Local Land Services in partnership with the New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water under the Primary Industries Productivity and Abatement program. This episode was mixed and produced by Grow Love Project. 

New research has found managed grazing practices on farm can help boost soil carbon levels. The study from the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development analysed the the long term trends of soil carbon across a range of grazing systems. It found paddocks which were rested for around two months had significantly higher levels than those with continuous grazing. Rural Editor Emily Minney spoke with Pastures Research Leader Dr Warwick Badgery about the research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Two Bees in a Podcast, Amy Vu and Dr. Jamie Ellis discuss the introduction of Varroa in Australia with Dave Fairhall, Senior Varroa Development Officer for New South Wales, and Emily Noordyke, a Varroa Project Officer for New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. This episode ends with a Q&A segment. Check out our website: www.ufhoneybee.com for additional resources from today's episode. 

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Jae Jung about how to better understand and support gifted students, the importance of differentiated education, and the future of high-ability learning.Jae Yup Jung, PhD is a Professor in the School of Education and the Director of the Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC) at The University of New South Wales, Australia. His research program, which incorporates various topics relating to gifted adolescents (with a particular focus on their education and career-related decisions) has been published or presented on more than 100 occasions in the form of journal articles, book chapters, editorials, conference presentations or books in international outlets including Gifted Child Quarterly, British Journal of Educational Psychology, Research in Higher Education, Instructional Science, Journal of Career Assessment, Exceptional Children, and the Australasian Journal of Gifted Education. His research has been recognized with awards from the American Educational Research Association (including the 2023 Path Breaker Award), the U.S. Mensa Education and Research Foundation (including Awards for Excellence in Research in 2015, 2022, 2023 and 2024), and the Society for Vocational Psychology, and research grants from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the New South Wales Department of Education. He is the current editor of the Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, Vice President of the Asia-Pacific Federation on Giftedness, and President of the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented.Episode link at ⁠https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/jae-jung

Send us a textThe 2025 UM Australia created a star in the man who was behind the camera for the Live stream.  Beñat Oliveira is a former competitor from 2023 who returned to help out the Dream Team make more dreams come true.  He joins me to talk about that experience and why he has returned to the Basque region from Sydney. Spoiler: Triathlon.  His current job has him advising the New South Wales Department of Health in Artificial Intelligence, so we also delve into that.  You can find the full, unedited, conversation with Beñat on YouTube.  515 is Now on YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/@515TheUltraPodcastAlso find the LiveStream links for 2025 UM Australia.Resources mentioned in this episode:UM AustraliaIM Vitoria-Gasteiz Benat Youtube video about UM Australia 2023Euskara Sydney Basque ClubTxokos (basque kitchen)UM New ZealandUM Australia Day 2 final hours Shout outs and mentions in this episode:Steve King (S1E3)Jeff Morris (S4E8)Gerard Estivil Fernando DurangoMario VincentGotzon Iñigo MuñoaJohn DomandlDee Fuller  (S4E12)Kirsty Sheehan (S7E5)Support the showShow Contributors:Host : Larry RyanContributing Raconteur : Steve KingAnnouncer : Mary Jo DionneProduction : 5Five EnterprisesMusic : Run by 331 For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.comFacebook: @515TheUltraPodcastInsta : @515theultrapodcastYoutube : @515TheUltraPodcastEmail : 515Ultraman@gmail.com

This week we get to catch up with Katie Ford of Microsoft Australia, who tells us about the projects that have been happening in AI in Education around Australia, and shares some of the lessons learnt from the projects as well as what she is learning through her own research focus. The examples Katie discusses are: Tasmania Department of Education: Collaborated with Microsoft to enhance their data estate and prepare for AI applications aimed at identifying vulnerable children during COVID, helping to reveal overlooked demographics and improve interventions. University of New South Wales (UNSW): Engaged in multiple initiatives including embedding AI intelligence into complex institutional systems and processes, and developing the Academic Success Monitor to predict and intervene early with students disengaging from education. This proactive outreach is personalised and has shown positive impacts on student success rates. South Australia Department of Education: Pioneered the use of generative AI in classrooms, equipping educators with AI tools to enhance teaching and learning, making it one of the first in the world to adopt such technology at this scale. New South Wales Department of Education: Implemented AI thoughtfully to support educators, focusing on significant time savings and improved experiences in the classroom, with a commitment to reducing teacher workloads by five hours weekly. NSWEduChat Brisbane Catholic Education: Conducted a successful pilot with Microsoft Copilot, saving educators an average of 9.3 hours per week, which led to a wider rollout across the board to boost productivity and support staff well-being.  Brisbane Catholic Education to deploy Microsoft 365 Copilot to 12,500 educators and support staff, in largest rollout for K-12 globally - Microsoft Australia News Centre University of Sydney: Developed Cogniti to enable academics to control generative AI usage within their courses, facilitating the creation and monitoring of AI agents to enhance educational delivery and student monitoring. Torrens University: Used Azure OpenAI to overhaul their Learning Management System, addressing user experience feedback, enhancing accessibility, and saving both cost and labour significantly. Of course, we get diverted off course along the way, with a mention of platypus spotting, and Ray's visceral hatred of automated supermarket tills gets ha mention

This episode features a compelling conversation with Murat Dizdar, the head of the New South Wales Department of Education. Murat shares his inspiring journey from being the son of Turkish immigrants to leading Australia's largest education system. He discusses the experiences that shaped his vision for public education, his deep passion for the teaching profession, and the key initiatives he's championing to drive meaningful change. This episode offers valuable insights and inspiration for anyone interested in education and leadership. Resources mentioned: NSW Department of Education Resource Hub Explicit Teaching Statement High Potential and Gifted Education Policy AERO (Australian Education Research Organisation) Grattan Institute: Ending the lesson lottery You can connect with Murat: Twitter/X:  @dizdarm   You can connect with Brendan: Twitter/X: @learnwithmrlee Facebook: @learningwithmrlee Website: learnwithlee.net   Support the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast:  https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast   A Systematic and Structured Approach to Teaching Primary Mathematics - 10 hr Online (Live) Course While there's been strong momentum for the science of reading, what about maths? In this course, I will explore what the research reveals about effective maths instruction, highlighting the importance of aligning teaching with how learning happens. Across these sessions, I will go beyond summarising research and delve into practical implications, showing teachers how to bring these concepts to life in the classroom. Highly interactive, the sessions will offer plenty of opportunities for teachers to engage, practice, and respond.   More info https://www.learnwithlee.net/a-systematic-and-structured-approach-to-teaching-primary-mathematics/ 10% off Discount code: MATESRATES

James Balzer is a policy analyst in the New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. He was recently admitted into the Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Fellowship supported by the School of International Futures.

In this week's episode of the Big Hearted Education Podcast, we delve into a crucial conversation about the responsibilities of family day care educators under the National Law and Regulations. Prompted by a recent discussion with an authorized officer from the New South Wales Department of Education, our focus is on ensuring educators are well-informed about their legal obligations and the serious ramifications of non-compliance. Key Topics Covered: Family Day Care Educators' Legal Responsibilities: An exploration of the legal accountability of family day care educators, highlighting the necessity for all educators to be fully informed of their roles and responsibilities under the law. Importance of Awareness and Compliance: Discussing the importance of understanding the National Law and Regulations and the potential for personal liability and fines if these responsibilities are neglected. Real-Life Example: A candid account of a recent incident within a family day care service that underscores the importance of adherence to policies and regulations. Professional Development: Tips on how educators can enhance their understanding of the regulations, including practical advice on reading and familiarizing themselves with the legal requirements, such as taking regulations to leisurely activities for study. The Importance of Policy and Procedure Compliance: A look into the necessity of policy comprehension, the impact of policy versus regulation, and the educator's role in ensuring they meet the requirements of both. Regulatory Highlights: Detailed discussion on the specific regulations that family day care educators need to be aware of, including: Inadequate supervision Inappropriate discipline Failure to protect children from harm and hazards Health and hygiene practices Food safety standards Compliance with staff ratios and qualifications Notification and record-keeping requirements Empowering Educators: Encouragement for educators to take charge of their professional development and regulatory understanding to ensure they provide safe, compliant care. Reflective Questions: Are you fully aware of your legal responsibilities as a family day care educator? How often do you engage with the National Law and Regulations to ensure compliance? In what ways can you enhance your understanding of the policies and regulations that govern your practice? Resources: National Law and Regulations ACECQA (Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority)

In this episode Dan and Ray speak to Michelle Michael and Dan Hart from the New South Wales Department of Education about their world leading trial of AI, called NSWEduChat.    Michelle is the NSW Department of Education Director: Education Support, Rural Initiatives and Gen AI. Her LinkedIn profile is here.   Dan is the Head of AI at the NSW DoE. His LinkedIn profile is here   Some of the resources that the team talked about in the episode are below:   NSWEduChat landing page: NSWEduChat   NSW Department of Education: AI in Education - Artificial intelligence in education (nsw.gov.au)   NSW Department of Education: Guidelines regarding the use of generative AI: Guidelines regarding the use of generative AI (nsw.gov.au)   Safeguard personal information: Manage personal information effectively and de-identify it to protect privacy.   Techniques for de-identification: Use data anonymization and masking to remove or alter personal information.   Verify and edit AI content: Ensure accuracy and suitability of AI-generated content, aligning with ethical principles, teaching standards and quality teaching.   Stay up-to-date with training: Attend training and professional learning on cybersecurity, data breach response, and child protection.   Use effective prompting: Create clear and specific prompts to improve the quality and relevance of AI-generated output.   Future Frontiers - Education for an AI world: e-book: Future Frontiers e-book   NSW DoE Future Frontiers landing page: Education for a Changing World

Long coleoptile wheat (LCW) varieties are proving to be a good insurance policy to ensure emergence in ameliorated soil.   This is one of the many positive findings so far from the national $12.7m GRDC investment to help Australian growers integrate long coleoptile wheat into their farming systems once the genetics are commercially available.  In this podcast, we hear from Dr Stephen Davies from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and the CSIRO's Dr Greg Rebetzke on the trial results and insights on how long coleoptile wheat varieties can improve establishment in ameliorated soils.  This four-year long coleoptile wheat project, made possible with GRDC investment, is being led by CSIRO along with research partners including the University of Melbourne, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, SLR Agriculture, DPIRD, the University of South Australia, and EPAG research. Download the transcript for this episode Contact  Dr Greg Rebetzke greg.rebetzke@csiro.au Dr Stephen Davies stephen.davies@dprid.wa.gov.au More information GroundCover – GRDC announces $12.7M project for long coleoptile wheat GRDC Code: CSP2212-007RTX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carbendazim is a broad spectrum fungicide used to control a range of diseases on pulses. But as a schedule 7 chemical with restrictions on its use, there's growing uncertainty about maximum residue limits in some international markets.  In this podcast, GRDC ‘s Gordon Cumming and Agriculture Victoria's Dr Joshua Fanning, discuss the current situation on Carbendazim use in Australia and alternative chemical options.   Dr Fanning is leading national research on integrated disease management strategies to reduce the impact of Ascochyta blight and Botrytis diseases on lentil and faba bean.  The investment is being led by Agriculture Victoria, with co-investment from GRDC and support from New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI), the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), Field Applied Research Australia (FAR) and Trengove Consulting. Download the transcript for this episode Contact  Gordon Cumming  Manager Chemical Regulation  gordon.cumming@grdc.com.au Dr Joshua Fanning  Research Leader Plant Pathology  joshua.fanning@agriculture.vic.gov.au More information  Paddock Practices – Carbendazim fungicide and its continued use in Australia GRDC Code: DJP2304-004RTX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(#269) In this episode, Becky and her guest cohost and Bee Culture writing partner, Bridget Mendel, take you on a journey with Liz Frost, an American beekeeper turned technical specialist in honeybees for the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries in Australia. Frost shares her transition from the U.S. to Australia, offering a unique perspective on beekeeping without Varroa mites, and the recent challenges since their introduction in New South Wales. Through engaging discussions, listeners gain insights into Australia's diverse beekeeping practices, the impact of Varroa on the industry, and the strategies being adopted to manage this new threat. Frost's journey underscores the global nature of beekeeping challenges and the importance of international knowledge exchange. This episode not only highlights the nuances of Australian beekeeping but also serves as a reminder of the resilience and adaptability required in the face of emerging challenges. Join us to learn from Frost's extensive experience and explore the dynamic world of beekeeping down under. Links and websites mentioned in this episode: Becky and Bridget's Bee Culture Article: https://beeculture.com Liz on the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries website: https://extensionaus.com.au/professionalbeekeepers/expert/liz-frost/ Honey Bee Health Coalition, Varroa Management Guide: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/resources/varroa-management/ Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: http://honeybeeobscura.com   ______________   Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode!  Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper. Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry. _______________ We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com Thank you for listening!  Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC  

Although it may be native to the northern region, the Rutherglen bug has, in recent years, changed its behaviour and its diet has expanded. It can now do significant damage to a range of summer crops. Very little is known about the ecology of the Rutherglen Bug; and as part of a GRDC investment, CSIRO has partnered with New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and the University of Queensland to help the industry better understand and improve its management. In this episode, we hear from Dr Hazel Parry, a research scientist with CSIRO and leader of this project, about this native bug that seems to have a taste for the exotic. Download the transcript for this episode Contact: Dr Hazel Parry CSIRO hazel.parry@csiro.au Dr Zorica Duric  NSW Department of Primary Industries  zorica.duric@dpi.nsw.gov.au  More Information:  The main source of project information is the webpage on the CSIRO Agroecology team website – this is also where handouts are available for download.  The Beatsheet Project Code: CSP2104-007RTX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The results of an Australian-first survey into queen bee production have been released. They're being used to make recommendations to safeguard queen bee breeding and production. Rural reporter Emily Minney spoke to New South Wales Department of Primary Industries co-lead researcher, Elizabeth Frost, to go through the details.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's just about a wrap for our Better Business Series! This Part 2 episode with Ed Bradley & Bea Litchfield from Hazeldean will round out the series. If you haven't already, go back and listen to all of our previous incredible guests: Mitchell Highett, Grace Brennan and Phil Cloros. In this episode, we continue our conversation with Bea and Ed, discussing their innovative approach to running a family business. Ed shares his experience transitioning into a family business, and they both emphasise the importance of onboarding and building a strong team.They talk about hiring practices, the value of culture and attitude in the workplace, and the benefits of engaging with tech-savvy young talent through internships. Bea and Ed's commitment to embracing innovation while honouring their family legacy shines through in their approach to business management.Thanks for tuning in to the Better Business Series!This episode of The Better Business podcast is supported by the Farm Business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

Our Better Business Series is coming to a close with final guests Ed Bradley & Bea Litchfield from Hazeldean. In Part One, we delve into the history of Hazeldean, a long-standing agricultural enterprise founded in 1865. Bea and Ed provide insights into their unique backgrounds and how they have each established themselves within the business. Family succession is a central theme, and the duo discusses their experiences and strategies in managing this transition.Board meetings play a crucial role in shaping Hazeldean's direction and effective communication is key to their success. They share their methods for keeping the team informed, from shared calendars to group messaging. Daily team meetings, monthly manager gatherings, and private planning sessions ensure alignment and efficiency.This episode of The Better Business podcast is supported by the Farm Business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

Welcome to episode six of the Better Business series and our second with Phil Cloros from Mongrel Boots. In the first part of our chat, we explored Phil's background and his perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the family business, especially in the context of generational differences and workforce challenges. In this second part, we delve deeper into how Phil manages communication within the family business, the role of the next generation, and the importance of modernising their approach to stay relevant in the market.This episode of The Better Business podcast is supported by the Farm Business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

We're half way through the Better Business Series! Here is episode five with Phil Cloris from Mongrel Boots as our guest. In this episode, we dive into Phil's journey with Mongrel Boots, a fifth-generation Australian shoe business founded in 1930. We explore how Phil, alongside his family members, has worked to maintain the family values and ethos while also bringing in non-family employees on their journey. Phil shares insights into navigating generational shifts and the importance of balancing craftsmanship with modernity.The craft of boot-making is becoming less and less common. Phil discusses the challenges in finding skilled labour, how they've adapted to ensure the quality of their boots remains top-notch and how their branding has evolved.  This conversation provides insights into family businesses, the evolving landscape of manufacturing in Australia, and the dedication to producing Australian-made goods. Stay tuned for our next episode with Phil being released next week! This episode of The Better Business podcast is supported by the Farm Business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

Welcome to Episode 4 of the Better Business series and our second with Grace Brennan, Founder and CEO of Buy From The Bush. Your host, Oli Le Lievre and Grace discuss various aspects of Grace's journey in building and growing her impactful business. Grace shares insights about the role of vulnerability, utilising outsourcing, the importance of admitting what you don't know, and asking questions. She also highlights the significance of building a team of individuals with shared instincts and skills. Grace talks about the lessons she learned from her husband's experience in farming, problem-solving, and adapting in the agriculture sector, "He's taught me to believe that even if you fail, your decision wasn't wrong because you made that decision. He really believes in his capacity to make the right decision at the time." - GraceThis episode of The Better Business podcast is supported by the Farm Business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

Welcome to Episode 3 of the Better Business series and our first with powerhouse, Grace Brennan, Founder and CEO of Buy From The Bush. Your host, Oli Le Lievre, and Grace cover everything from her upbringing in Sydney, to falling in love and moving out to 'the bush', all the way to establishing Buy From The Bush. And if you are familiar with Buy From The Bush, you would know just how quickly it escalated in Australia. For Grace, her connection to the bush started when she travelled out to her High School sweethearts family farm, "Jack's [Grace's now husband] dad was kind of inspired in the sense that he really believed in involving me in some of the business and asked him my opinion. And I remember even when I was a 16 year old visiting the farm, he'd say, 'Now I've got this problem, what do you reckon about it?' And that was his way, he was a natural teacher. And he was interested and curious and asked a lot of questions of me. So I think I was very lucky in that way. And I did, I suppose, offer something unique." - GraceThis episode of The Better Business podcast is supported by the Farm Business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

Plant pathologist, Kurt Lindbeck from the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (DPI) at Wagga Wagga, discusses the challenges for growers when assessing disease risk this season. What signs should growers be looking for, how is and does weather affect decision making and what are the considerations for fungicide application? Kurt's key message for growers this season around disease detection is to get out there and walk among their crops and observe any signs of disease.  Download the transcript for this episode Contact: Kurt Lindbeck NSW DPI  kurt.lindbeck@dpi.nsw.gov.au More Information: Crop diagnostic service runs out of DPI Tamworth and Wagga, that extends to providing advice for growers, dpi.nsw.gov.au  GRDC Code: DPI2207-002RTX, DPI2206-023RTX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Episode 2 of the Better Business series! In this episode, we return with Mitch from Bullseye Ag. If you missed the first episode, make sure you go back and give it a listen. This time, we continue to learn from Mitch and his experience in building a business, which sometimes meant removing himself from the business, "So that if this fell apart, the whole business wasn't going to fall apart." Mitch shares the lessons he's learned and things he would perhaps do differently if he had his time again... "So that would be my big thing is that don't be afraid of the risk. But make sure you go in there knowing that there is one and how to mitigate it as much as possible." - MitchStay tuned for the next episode, where we'll be sitting down with Grace Brennan, the powerhouse behind Buy from the Bush, a business that has made a huge impact on rural Australia.This episode of The Better Business podcast is supported by the Farm Business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

Welcome to Episode 1 of the Better Business series! In this episode, Oli dives into the journey of Mitch Highett, the Managing Director and Founder of Bullseye Ag. Mitch's story is a mix of farm life around the world and working in major ag companies. Bullseye Ag offers farm management and consultancy services. But it's not just about that – it's a story of growing the team and taking them on a journey, fostering autonomy, and staying transparent."And this is why I've got gray hairs coming up every day, is because that part is the only part that actually matters, is just being honest with how the business is going. Are you happy with it? Are they happy with it? Can we be doing something better?" - MitchCome back next week to hear more from Mitch! This episode of The Better Business podcast is supported by the Farm Business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

The New South Wales Department of Education has launched a program to help high school students from migrant and refugee backgrounds pursue their dream careers. Called 'Ready, Arrive, Work', its message is 'anything is possible if you want it, and are willing to work for it'.

In this episode as part of International Dark Sky Week, I get to chat with Professor Chris Lidman, the director of Siding Spring Observatory, where we discuss the importance of dark sky conservations. The Siding Spring Observatory was the first place in Australia to introduce Dark Sky guidelines, and there is currently an update being done to them. The conversation covers the National Optical Telescope for Australia, which is located in Coonabarabran and surrounded by The Crooked Mountains or locally as the Warrumbungles. The site is a popular holiday destination, particularly for families. The Dark Sky guidelines can be found on the New South Wales Department of Planning website and can be used to create Dark Sky conservation principles. For more details and resources for International Dark Sky Week, please visit https://www.darksky.org Email Marnie: - marnie@darkskytraveller.com.au Marnie Ogg talks with some of the brightest minds about light pollution and ways to protect our night skies. For more details, visit the Dark Sky website: https://www.darkskytraveller.com.au/podcast Subscribe, rate and review at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and all good podcast apps. Stream on demand from https://www.bitesz.com/show/dark-sky-conversations/ For more podcasts visit our HQ at https://bitesz.com

"Doing that allows us to be more personalised with our communications. And that's definitely the future for us in government communications, you know? Making it more personalised. To be honest, the less we communicate the better. Because people are so busy these days, they don't want to hear from you with emails every day, or how many emails do you get every day in your inbox? It's so frustrating and we understand that. We get that feedback from customers.." - Angela Kamper A new GovComms season begins with Angela Kamper. Angela is the Executive Director for Brand Digital and Communications at the New South Wales Department of Customer Service. Host, David Pembroke, chats with Angela about how her previous career in journalism has helped her in her role at the Department of Customer Service."Sometimes people are a bit skeptical of journalism, so when you first start in government, people have been burnt perhaps, in the past or story hasn't been told the way they want it wanted it to be told. So when you come in as a journalist, you need to kind of sell yourself a little bit in the beginning, and start really focusing on building those internal relationships and showing how your storytelling can help them to get the right message across in a better way, so people can listen and engage with content." - Angela KamperThe pair discuss how the view of Government communications has changed throughout the years."In the past, people would often go to comms in a crisis. But now they've realised that, well, we actually have to engage the community before we make a decision. So we are playing a different role now, and we are really demonstrating that when you engage the community, you get a much better policy outcome, or programme outcome" - Angela Kamper Finally, David and Angela share some of the key aspects of the Department of Customer Service that make it a global leader in citizen-centric communications. Discussed in this episode:Personalising Government Communications The benefits of a Journalist background The inner workings of the Department of Customer Service Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Product recall could become a whole lot easier, following a digital traceability pilot program.  The pilot program used QR codes to trace cherry and potato supply chains in New South Wales, and monitor the conditions through each stage.  The codes also allowed consumers to provide feedback directly to producers.  Rural reporter Rhiannon Soliman-Marron spoke with New South Wales Department of Primary Industries development officer Jessica Fearnley about the trial. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you feel guilty everytime you hand over the iPad so you can get a few things done around the house? Does it drive you mad that your son would rather play Fortnite than build a fort with the neighbour's kids? Do you fret about how much time your teen spends with social media?Or... are you so wary of technology that you enforce a strict no-devices policy? Do you avoid people and places where your child will have access to screens and you're starting to feel a little socially isolated?How do we know what's harmful and what's helpful? What's the best approach? How do we navigate the digital dilemmas we face in the techno age to raise healthy, happy kids and teens?Technology isn't going away. It's such a huge part of our lives that it can be difficult to know where to start. We know that too much can be harmful to a child's or adolescent's development, but how much is too much? We also know that screens can be a helpful learning aid in a child's education, but where's the line?In this episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah talk to Dr Kristy Goodwin about how we can best manage devices with our kids. The interview is packed with lots of sensible and practical advice about how we, as parents, can be the pilot and not the passenger of the digital plane.About Dr Kristy GoodwinDr Kristy Goodwin is an award-winning researcher, speaker, author, and mum of 3 on a mission to help parents and educators raise happy, healthy children and teens who thrive online and offline. As a researcher and educator herself, she's spent most of her professional career researching and speaking about the ways in which technology shapes children's and teens' wellbeing, health, and learning. She provides research-based but realistic advice and strategies to teachers and parents on how they can teach their children to use technology in productive and purposeful ways without reverting to phone bans or constant digital detoxes. She authored the book Raising Your Child in a Digital World and has conducted numerous evaluations and research studies for the New South Wales Department of Education and Communities. Prior to becoming a speaker and consultant, she worked as an educator for 14 years with schools in both the public and private sectors. She also lectured at Macquarie University and University of Notre Dame and have completed a PhD on the impact of digital technologies.OffersDigital Wellbeing ChecklistThe Digital Wellbeing Checklist has all the tools you need to create healthy tech habits in your home.Whether you love technology or loathe digital devices, your kids and teens will inherit a digital future. So ‘digital amputation' isn't a solution. Your child or teen needs to develop healthy and helpful digital habits so that they're not a slave to the screen. As modern parents we need to help foster our kids' digital wellbeing and that's exactly what this Digital Wellbeing Checklist will do. Below you'll find 20 research-based and realistic strategies to ensure that your child's or teen's digital habits are healthy and not harmful… so you can finally ditch your guilt, grief and guesswork as you raise a ‘screenager'. (Nudge, nudge. Many of these tips also work for adults too.)Free download! No code required.Click here to get the Digital Wellbeing ChecklistSwitched on Parents PortalWhere empowered parents and carers come to find expert advice, simple strategies and peace of mind in the digital age.Get 20% iff with code: PARENTSClick here to find out more about the Parents Portal InCharge Box#theparentingcouch #theparentingcouchpodcast #parenting #northshoremums

Excessive rainfall has hit northern growers over the past six months. With water logging across paddocks, growers are at heightened risk of losing nitrogen from denitrification, and it's an issue GRDC is keen to understand better. Recent research supported by GRDC and led by Senior Research scientist at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Dr Graeme Schwenke, found that on average, paddocks with waterlogging could lose 28 per cent of nitrogen from denitrification. To get the complete picture of nitrogen cycling and the conditions under which growers can lose nitrogen from the soil, GRDC has launched a new project to investigate how to better predict nitrogen cycling and losses in Australian cropping systems with a focus on augmenting measurements to enhance modelling. In this podcast Dr Schwenke discusses the state of play on the ground right now, and the value of further research into nitrogen cycling.Contact: Graeme SchwenkeNSW DPIgraeme.schwenke@dpi.nsw.gov.auMore information:GRDC Update Paper: Nitrogen volatilisation: Factors affecting how much N is lost and how much is left over timeProject code: UOQ2204-010RTX

What if we approached urban crime as a design problem and deployed our methods and skills to reframe the questions we have been asking to ameliorate – if not completely obliterate – criminal activities? The team at Designing Out Crime (DOC), a collaboration between the New South Wales Department of Community and Justice, and the University of Technology Sydney, did just that. They used research, public engagement and human-centered design to tackle a wide range of urban challenges. Dr. Lindsay Asquith is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Design, University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and was the Director of the Designing Out Crime Research Centre. She has a PhD in architecture and behavior, wherein her research focuses on how design can affect behaviour change. She has recently led projects that reframe the problem of damage to social housing properties as well as use design methodologies to minimize violence and aggression in hospital emergency departments. DOC's work: http://www.design-innovation.com.au/designing-out-crime https://www.designforsocialjustice.xyz/home

A surge in covid cases among students and teachers in New South Wales schools has caused the president of the state's Association of Catholic Principals to declare running schools like normal is impossible. The latest weekly breakdown of cases shows 44 per cent of the 66,000 cases recorded in New South Wales in the week ending March 5 were in the zero to 19 age group. On Monday Queanbeyan High School announced in a letter to parents that years seven to 10 will be required to learn from home two days a week due to staff shortages. Guest: Murat Dizdar, Deputy Secretary of school operations New South Wales Department of Education

Experts are warning a popular bio-control measure to manage pests, should only be used when rabbits AREN'T breeding. Latest research shows critters under 10-weeks-old are resistant to rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus, and their immunity could be passed to offspring. Rural Editor Sophie Clarke caught up with New South Wales Department of Primary Industries research scientist Patrick Taggart - who says landholders need to get the timing right, or risk losing the valuable tool.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being an innovative and imaginative Project-Based teacher can be lonely. Sometimes we are the only ones doing this work in the corner classroom of a large school. What if there was a way to expand the audience and find collaborators for our project-based experiences? Might we feel less isolated? In this short episode, Kelly Pfeiffer, human network architect, dedicated PBL educator, author, blogger and presenter shares how she accomplished this through the 'Dark Sky' Project. She shares how she connected her project to NGOs, other schools, 60+ industry experts, and even the ministry of education. She also shares how we can: Build community collaborators by starting PBL with a real, authentic problem Leverage social media and other channels to find project mentors within minutes  Find your PBL 'tribe,' and build capacity for PBL across your entire school Build meaningful projects in the metaverse with your students as co-creators  Use PBL to transform formerly passive students into active, engaged problem-solvers and global citizens  Connect with Kelly: LinkedIn Twitter (@kelmade5) 'Dark Sky' Project Website (free resources): https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/About-Us/Our-Programs/Dark-Sky/Dark-Sky-education Kelly's Bio: A human network architect, dedicated educator, author, blogger and presenter, Kelly is the point person for PBL Global in Australia and an innovator in distance education PBL. Kelly co-created the widely-adopted Dark Sky PBL unit, nominated for the Dark Sky Defender award through the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). In 2019, she won the Australasian Association of Distance Education Schools (AADES) for Teaching Excellence. In addition, her Dubbo School of Distance Learning Futures Team received the New South Wales Department of Education Technology 4 Learning (T4L) award for Leader in Developing Digital Collaborative Communities.

The “Conditions of Learning” work synergistically to support student engagement and understanding. But what happens when systems are stressed? What happens when deficit based language and practices start to creep into our work with children? What happens when teachers are not able to be responsive to the students before them? In this episode of the Phenomenal Teaching Podcast, Michelle Morris Jones reconnects with Dr. Brian Cambourne and author Debra Crouch to unpack the ways the “Conditions Of Learning” are more relevant today than ever before. First and foremost learners must be the “doers” of what they are learning. Today's students must have ample time to read, write, talk, problem solve, and apply their learning. Being a doer is supported by engagement, immersion, demonstrations, employment, expectation, approximation, responsibility and response ~ these conditions are commonly known as the “Conditions of Learning” or “Cambourne's Conditions” and are an essential component of “Cambourne's Model of Learning.” Our expectations for students and our responses to them are more important now than ever before, we must believe they are capable and they must know that we believe in them. By honoring approximations we are able to see our students' strengths and plan our instruction to support those strengths and address any needs. Immersion, Demonstration, Responsibility and Employment (or use) come together to create opportunities for authentic application and practice. Engagement is critical as we must strive to create environments where each and every student is able to create a bond so that learning can occur. To learn more you can examine Dr. Cambourne and Debra's book Made for Learning: How the Conditions of Learning Guide Teaching Decisions. Brian Cambourne is presently a Principal Fellow at the University of Wollongong, Australia. He began teaching in 1956 at the age of 19 and spent nine years teaching in a mix of one-room schools and primary classrooms K-6 for the New South Wales Department of Education. In his tenth year of service for this department he entered the groves of Academe as a teacher educator at Wagga Wagga Teachers College. He completed his Ph.D at James Cook University in North Queensland, and was subsequently a Fullbright Scholar and a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard. He has also been a Visiting Fellow at the Universities of Illinois and Arizona. Since completing his doctoral studies (1972), Brian has been researching how learning, especially literacy learning, occurs. He has conducted this research in the naturalistic mode he prefers by sitting in classrooms for many hundreds of hours. Debra Crouch works nationally as an independent literacy consultant, collaborating with districts and schools in designing professional learning opportunities to empower teachers, principals, and coaches as they envision instruction over time, across texts, and among practices. She has been involved in education for the past 32 years as a classroom teacher, coach, consultant, and author. She actively shares her thinking and practices through long-term professional learning opportunities with districts across the country serving children from diverse language and socioeconomic backgrounds.

In Arduino EDUvision this week we talk to aerospace fans Matt Scott, Secondary STEM Coordinator, and Andrew O'Brien, STEM Curriculum Advisor from the New South Wales Department of Education, Australia. We discuss all things space and STEM, including how Matt and Andrew developed a STEM curriculum unit led to the ProtoSat. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/arduino/message

PODCAST EPISODE 60: Liz Frost, Technical Specialist of Bees and co-manager of Plan B, Hunter region, New South Wales, Australia There are a lot of people in the bee world who do amazing work, but every now and then you come across someone who truly blows you away. Liz Frost is undoubtedly one of those humans and I am thrilled to introduce her to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast for episode 60. Hailing from California, now residing in the Hunter region of NSW, Liz has worked in the United States and Australia in honeybee breeding and insemination and has a special ability to reflect on her experiences in the field. In a poem written for the publication 2 Million Blossoms, she aptly described the devastation of the bushfires that had been ravaging the area where she lived for some six months in 2019–2020; highlighting the resilience of the apiarists who “press on in secret… Tracking any budding trees left alive.” In this poem and its accompanying essay, she perfectly conjures the connection between beekeepers and the land, not to mention the vital role bees play is rejuvenating the environment after disasters such as this one. Liz Frost's CV is a brilliant manifesto of love for bees and the environment. She has had innumerable roles in the field both locally and overseas and is now working for the New South Wales Department or Primary Industries as a Technical Specialist of bees. In parallel and as part of her role, she is the co-manager of Plan Bee—the National Honey Bee Genetic Improvement Program run in collaboration with USYD, UNE and AGBU—Better Bees WA and the Wheen Bee Foundation—funded by DAWE Rural R&D for Profit Program. Her job involves managing research and development projects focusing on queen bee breeding and pollination, and providing technical advice to the beekeeping industry, government, researchers, media and the public. Her current project Plan Bee: Australia's National Honey Bee Genetic Improvement Program is a program that Liz co-manages with University of Sydney professor Dr. Nadine Chapman, whose research interest includes establishing “an economically sustainable national genetic improvement program using innovative breeding technologies to transform the performance of honey bees in Australia.” And that is what Liz and Nadine are doing with Plan B, as they evaluate and implement tools, technologies and systems to better honeybee breeding programs in Australia—amazing and inspiring work! AND excitingly, the Plan B Info Workshop for queen breeders is happening in just a few days on 2 July 2021. For further information on the event, make sure you check out the AgriFutures Australia website http://www.agrifutures.com.au/partnerships/rural-rd-for-profit-program/plan-bee/ Tune in to hear the inspiring Liz Frost and I chat about how she is helping to improve breeding programs for bees in Australia.

Join us this week where our guest Charissa Ramirez, Policy Officer at the New South Wales Department of Customer Service as we discuss PDF vs HTML, designing with accessibility in mind and hear her accessibility journey and advice for those just starting on the path of accessibility. This week sponsor is CommonLook and we thank them for their support.

In this episode, we meet Linda Bell, who manages the Saving Our Species program in the New South Wales Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. This program has a 100 year horizon and takes a holistic approach to the preservation of species.  It is innovative, and if it proves successful, could cause a shift in the focus of conservation efforts in Australia. Here is what the Saving Our Species website says; "What we do We're working to secure a future for NSW threatened species. We protect, monitor and conserve threatened species in different ways, taking into account what we know about their ecology and threats. As part of the Saving our Species program, we: consult extensively with experts and apply independent peer reviewed science to our projects provide targeted conservation projects that set out the actions required to save specific plants and animals regularly monitor the effectiveness of projects so they can be improved encourage partnerships with community, corporate and government in threatened species conservation." Have a look at the comprehensive Saving Our Species website. Currently trying to get some eyes and subscribers on The Bird Emergency on YouTube, so I can put a bit more effort into the video side of things, so if you would like more visual content, please subscribe, and I will watch with interest if that's what you want!  

Following the recent announcement that Sydney's third city near the new western Sydney airport will be called Bradfield, Michael speaks with Emeritus Professor Peter Spearritt, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Queensland, about the accomplishments and legacy of John Bradfield.   John Job Crew Bradfield CMG (26 December 1867 – 23 September 1943) was the Australian engineer best known as the chief proponent of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, of which he oversaw both the design and construction, although detailed design work had been carried out by civil engineer Sir Ralph Freeman.     Although he was a Queenslander by birth, he worked for the New South Wales Department of Public Works from 1891 to 1933 and was the first recipient of an engineering doctorate from the University of Sydney.   Other notable projects with which he was associated include the Cataract Dam (completed 1907), the Burrinjuck Dam (completed 1928), and Brisbane's Story Bridge (completed 1940).   The Harbour Bridge formed only one component of the City Circle, Bradfield's grand scheme for the railways of central Sydney, a modified version of which was completed after his death.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Improving pastures is one way of improving animal performance. The tough decision for most growers is wether to undergo a full costly renovation or is it possible to manipulate what they already have? In this episode of It's Time For Ewe Fiona Macarthur is joined by Dr Belinda Hackney to explore these ideas in more detail. Belinda is a research officers with the soils unit at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and has over 20 years experience in farming systems research in mixed farming and pasture farming regions.

Learners must be the “doers” of what they are learning! Being a doer is supported by engagement, immersion, demonstration, employment, expectation, approximation, responsibility and response ~ these conditions are commonly known as the “Conditions of Learning” or “Cambourne's Conditions” and are an essential component of “Cambourne's Model of Learning”theory. This theory was originally published in Cambourne's The Whole Story: Natural Learning and the Acquisition of Literacy in the Classroom in 1988. In this episode, Dr. Brian Cambourne and Debra Crouch join Michelle Jones on the Phenomenal Teaching Podcast to explore the art and science of teaching. The “Conditions of Learning” are just as relevant today as they were 36 years ago; yet, Brian's recent research about implementation has led to an evolution of his original thinking. In order for teachers to be able to implement the “Conditions of Learning” they must embrace a transactional model of learning rather than a transmission model. Debra Crouch has spent many years in classrooms and schools implementing the model and utilizing the conditions as a means to make sound instructional decisions to create learning opportunities for students and adults that are predicated on meaning making. She brings a wealth of practical examples to their partnership. This partnership and collaboration has led to the publication of Made for Learning: How the Conditions of Learning Guide Teaching Decisions. Brian Cambourne is presently a Principal Fellow at the University of Wollongong, Australia. He began teaching in 1956 at the age of 19 and spent nine years teaching in a mix of one-room schools and primary classrooms K-6 for the New South Wales Department of Education. In his tenth year of service for this department he entered the groves of Academe as a teacher educator at Wagga Wagga Teachers College. He completed his Ph.D at James Cook University in Nth Queensland, and was subsequently a Fulbright Scholar and a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard. He has also been a Visiting Fellow at the Universities of Illinois and Arizona. Since completing his doctoral studies (1972), Brian has been researching how learning, especially literacy learning, occurs. He has conducted this research in the naturalistic mode he prefers by sitting in classrooms for many hundreds of hours. Debra Crouch works nationally as an independent literacy consultant, collaborating with districts and schools in designing professional learning opportunities to empower teachers, principals, and coaches as they envision instruction over time, across texts, and among practices. She has been involved in education for the past 32 years as a classroom teacher, coach, consultant, and author. She actively shares her thinking and practices through long-term professional learning opportunities with districts across the country serving children from diverse language and socioeconomic backgrounds.

In episode 1 of our Future Cities podcast, Matthew White and Nicholas Carney, partners of Herbert Smith Freehills, are joined by special guests Amy Brown from the New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet and Alex Williams from Transport for London to bring you real life perspectives on how two of our global cities, London and Sydney, are responding to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Game Changers podcast celebrates those true pioneers in education who are building schools for tomorrow. In the eighth episode of the third series of the Game Changers podcast, we talk with Yasodai Selvakumaran, Teacher Ambassador for the New South Wales Department of Education and Relieving Head Teacher Professional Practice and Humanities Teacher at Rooty Hill High School in Sydney's West. In 2019, Yasodai was a top ten finalist for the Varkey Foundation's $1 million Global Teacher Prize. She was recently awarded an Honorary Fellowship from Western Sydney University for a "sustained and significant contribution to Education in Western Sydney". Additionally, Yasodai was recognised as one of 30 rising stars under the age of 35 in Australian education by The Educator Australia magazine. In this episode, Yasodai speaks about the joy of education, the importance of humour in the classroom, and teaching students to thrive past what may be expected of them. The Game Changers podcast is produced by Oliver Cummins for Orbital Productions, supported by a School for tomorrow (aSchoolfortomorrow.com), and powered by CIRCLE by CIRCLE – The Centre for Innovation, Research, Creativity and Leadership in Education (www.circle.education). The podcast is hosted on SoundCloud and distributed through Spotify, Google Play, and Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe and tell your friends you like what you are hearing. You can contact us at gamechangers@circle.education, on Twitter and Instagram via @GameChangersPC, and you can also connect with Philip SA Cummins and Adriano Di Prato via LinkedIn. Adriano loves his insta and tweets a lot; Phil posts videos to YouTube. GameChangers

Join us for our next episode of Talking Cities where James Rosenwax and Alex O'Mara, group deputy secretary of Place, Design and Public Spaces at the New South Wales Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, discuss the key ingredients for a great public space, the surprising results of the recent government survey about how communities are using public spaces differently as a consequence of COVID-19, and the government’s latest initiatives to improve public spaces for all. For further information about the competition, please visit www.psic.org.au. Entries close at midnight AEST on Friday 28 august 2020.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety continues to hear damning reports about how the sector has been mismanaged. Professor Joseph Ibrahim is Head of the Health Law and Aging Research Unit in the Department of Forensic Medicine at Monash's Victoria Institute of Forensic Medicine, and a practicing consultant physician in geriatric medicine. His paper publised in The Conversation  in July this year, 4 steps to avert a full-blown coronavirus disaster in Victoria's aged care homes, sets out the problems with the sector. Joseph Ibrahim joins me on Listening Notes to discuss the current crisis and what has to change. As Scott Morrison progresses his gas-led Covid recovery plans, community groups are standing up for the environment against enormous odds. A few weeks ago Julia Stockitj told us about the Save Westernport Campaign to prevent AGL from installing a floating regassification terminal at Crib Point on the Mornington Penninsula.Another project attracting strong community opposition is the Santos coal-seam gas project proposed for Narrabri, New South Wales. The New South Wales Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) has given the project the green light but the New South Wales Independent Planning Commision (IPC), the body which makes the ultimate decision, has received 23,000 submissions, 98% of which oppose the project. Madeline Taylor ia a lecturer at the University of Sydney Law School specialising in Energy and Natural Resources Law. She argues that DPIE's approval is based on flawed evidence and that Santos' proposed coal seam gas project may endanger critical water supplies, farmland and threatened species.       

The Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC) is Australia's largest non-government provider of services supporting thousands of adults, children and their families with hearing loss or vision impairment. Established by an Act of Parliament in Australia in 1860, it now operates via a number of Centres, promoting the rights of all persons with vision impairment to inclusion in education, employment and society on the same basis as sighted persons – leaving no-one behind. Of particular note for this podcast is the Renwick Centre which, in partnership with the Macquarie University, is Australia's leading centre for the provision of high quality teaching and learning opportunities for professionals in the area of Special Education for students with hearing or vision impairment, research in these same areas, and related community service. In September 2014, the Renwick Centre launched UEB Online, an interactive website offering free training in the Unified English Braille code. An Accessible version followed in September 2016 and, since then, the website has reached over 15,000 people in 197 countries. Most recently, in 2020, it received an Award for Innovative Practice on Inclusive Education and ICT from the Zero Project. It is being continuously updated with new features and new content and now boasts a 2-part Literacy course based on the UEB Australian Training Manual (in turn edited from the RNIB Braille Primer) and two purpose-written Mathematics courses (Introductory and Advanced), with a further Extension Mathematics course due to be launched by the end of 2020. To find out more, we’re joined by three members of the team behind the UEB Online website: Frances Gentle is the Team Leader for the UEB Online project. She’s also a Conjoint Lecturer at the RIDBC Renwick Centre, President of the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) and Co-President of the South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment (SPEVI). Trudy Smith is Manager of the Continuing Professional Education program at the RIDBC Renwick Centre and is responsible for the day to day management of the UEB Online courses. Josie Howse was editor of the original UEB Primer published in 2006, is co-editor of the UEB Australian Training Manual and is the author of the UEB Mathematics Training materials on UEB Online. She has worked in vision impairment for more than 40 years and, prior to her retirement in 2019, was the manager of the Braille, Large Print and E-Text Production Department of the New South Wales Department of Education. She has represented the Australian Braille Authority at all six of the International Council on English Braille (ICEB) General Assemblies held every 4 years and had a strong input into UEB discussions from the developmental years. Josie has conducted extensive workshops throughout Australia on numerous braille related topics and has presented papers in Thailand, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa, the USA and Austria.

In this episode of Propagate, we visit Brad Cavanagh from Hardhat Angus, situated in Harden, NSW. Originally from a non-farming family in Dubbo, Brad became interested in cattle as a high school student thanks to the Angus Youth program. His interest continued to grow into a full blown passion for Angus cattle, even taking him to the USA to learn more about cattle farming techniques and the all important genetics from large corporations like the Sinclair Cattle Company. These days he divides his hours between working full time at the extended family farm Oxton Park, and growing the Hardhat Angus business through challenging conditions. It's a role that has seen Brad grow as a ‘salesman', but rather than focus on the wheeling and dealing, he's more interested in being honest and upfront with customers and solving the little problems before they become big problems. He's come a long way from the kid from town who showed some cattle at high school, but that's what happens when you're obsessed. Propagate is proudly brought to you by the good folks at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Young Farmer Business Program. The Young Farmer Business Program is creating opportunities for young farmers and fishers to enter into or expand their existing businesses by helping them improve their business skills. The Young Farmer Business Program has been funded by the NSW Government through the Department of Primary Industries to deliver a multifaceted approach to help young farmers and fishers. Our program is providing access to new business ideas, tools, products and services relevant to young farmers and fishers. For more information on the Young Farmer Business Program please visit https://www.youngfarmer.nsw.gov.au/ For more information on the Angus Youth program please visit https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/angusyouth/

In this episode, Bodie and Rachel Hill discuss the ups and downs of living and working in one of the most remote parts of the state. Their property, Waka Station is near Cameron Corner at the border between New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland. More than three hours hours away from the nearest town, the pair consider their patch of land an oasis. But making a living from the land isn't always easy, and the pair speak candidly about their struggles with mental health and the challenges that experiencing depression can have on not just the family relationship, but the farm and the business. Rather than being overwhelmed by the black dog, Bodie and Rachel embraced the opportunity to re-evaluate their life and their business, and shift their focus to positive elements in their life. They say the shift in perspective towards their lifestyle ultimately had a beneficial impact on their business. The pair also discuss their complicated relationship with social media - how their approach to platforms such as Facebook has evolved over the years to become more about presenting life on the land honestly, rather than picture perfect selfies. Propagate is proudly brought to you by the good folks at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Young Farmer Business Program. The Young Farmer Business Program is creating opportunities for young farmers and fishers to enter into or expand their existing businesses by helping them improve their business skills. The Young Farmer Business Program has been funded by the NSW Government through the Department of Primary Industries to deliver a multifaceted approach to help young farmers and fishers. Our program is providing access to new business ideas, tools, products and services relevant to young farmers and fishers. For more information on the Young Farmer Business Program please visit https://www.youngfarmer.nsw.gov.au/ If you or someone you know is suffering from anxiety or depression, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit http://beyondblue.org.au/

This episode we set the alarm clock for an early start with Heath Cook, a dairy farmer from Dorrigo in the Northern Tablelands of NSW. It's a long way from the mines where he spent the first two decades of his working life. But when the fly-in-fly-out mining lifestyle began to keep him away from home for long stretches, it was time to ignore the advice of a financial planner and invest their life savings in a dairy farm. Despite having no experience working on or running a dairy farm. Fortunately for the Cook family, Heath didn't believe that failure was an option. So after years of hard work and learning from the helpful locals, Heath is now no longer a miner who became a dairy farmer; he's a dairy farmer who once worked in the mining industry. Propagate is proudly brought to you by the good folks at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Young Farmer Business Program. The Young Farmer Business Program is creating opportunities for young farmers and fishers to enter into or expand their existing businesses by helping them improve their business skills. The Young Farmer Business Program has been funded by the NSW Government through the Department of Primary Industries to deliver a multifaceted approach to help young farmers and fishers. Our program is providing access to new business ideas, tools, products and services relevant to young farmers and fishers. For more information on the Young Farmer Business Program please visit https://www.youngfarmer.nsw.gov.au/

When you think of farming, it's very unlikely that you think about farming flies. In fact, if you have any experience on a farm, you probably know how destructive flies can be to livestock. Yet in a small industrial building in the Canberra suburb of Fyshwick, Olympia Yarger is farming flies. And a lot of people are very excited by her unique work. It turns out that there's more to flies than the average person realises, and Olympia is at the forefront of using the little buzzers to change the waste management industry. So much so that her company Goterra has even received funding from the notoriously agriculture shy Venture Capitalist sector. Olympia candidly discusses how despite all her success as a CEO of a cutting edge company, she still sometimes struggles with the idea that she's ‘...just a maggot lady' who is more interested in growing the business than enjoying the perks of investment capital. Propagate is proudly brought to you by the good folks at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Young Farmer Business Program. The Young Farmer Business Program is creating opportunities for young farmers and fishers to enter into or expand their existing businesses by helping them improve their business skills. The Young Farmer Business Program has been funded by the NSW Government through the Department of Primary Industries to deliver a multifaceted approach to help young farmers and fishers. Our program is providing access to new business ideas, tools, products and services relevant to young farmers and fishers. For more information on the Young Farmer Business Program please visit https://www.youngfarmer.nsw.gov.au/ To view the failed Rabobank ‘pitch' that Olympia mentions in the podcast, visit https://youtu.be/EGeH_jPrzHg

In this episode, Angus Maurice from Farmer Brown's Pastured Eggs talks us through how a few changes in the way they viewed and presented their business has had an incredible impact on their bottom line. Based in Central West New South Wales, Farmer Brown's is a family affair, with Angus' brother, sister and parents all involved in the daily operations. They also have a dedicated team of maremma working dogs who act as loyal guards to the free roaming chickens. These days the operation is slick and successful, but there were some shaky years in the first few years. As Angus explains, the breakthrough came when they stopped trying to sell their eggs and instead started to sell their brand. The change has meant more time curating their social media accounts and more people who are prepared to pay a premium for their eggs. Luckily the exceptionally cute guard dogs are naturals in front of a camera. Propagate is proudly brought to you by the good eggs at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Young Farmer Business Program. The Young Farmer Business Program is creating opportunities for young farmers and fishers to enter into or expand their existing businesses by helping them improve their business skills. The Young Farmer Business Program has been funded by the NSW Government through the Department of Primary Industries to deliver a multifaceted approach to help young farmers and fishers. Our program is providing access to new business ideas, tools, products and services relevant to young farmers and fishers. For more information on the Young Farmer Business Program please visit https://www.youngfarmer.nsw.gov.au/

In this episode we speak with Sheia Kironn, who owns and operates Lifeforce Farm; a one-acre certified organic farm in Mullumbimby, a small town near Byron Bay, NSW. Sheia grew up in the Midlands of England, where she spent hours gardening with her grandma in a small allotment garden in a council estate. The small patch of land provided a large amount of food to the family and left a lasting impression on Sheia. After moving to Australia as a teenager, Sheia followed her passion for science to university, before switching to natural therapies. These days she blends the two worlds to grow vegetables that she sells and distributes locally. As a self-professed ‘farm-her', Sheia is committed to creating a business that represents her and doesn't expand simply for expansions sake. Propagate is proudly brought to you by the good folks at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Young Farmer Business Program. The Young Farmer Business Program is creating opportunities for young farmers and fishers to enter into or expand their existing businesses by helping them improve their business skills. The Young Farmer Business Program has been funded by the NSW Government through the Department of Primary Industries to deliver a multifaceted approach to help young farmers and fishers. Our program is providing access to new business ideas, tools, products and services relevant to young farmers and fishers. For more information on the Young Farmer Business Program please visit https://www.youngfarmer.nsw.gov.au/

In this episode, husband and wife team Jarrod and Emma Amery welcome us onto their farm outside of Forbes, NSW. While both Jarrod and Emma grew up amongst farming, it took them a long time for them to find the perfect farm to call their own. Location was obviously one crucial consideration to finding the right property, but equally important was finding one with a house large enough for them and their six young children. Now that they have their ‘dream' farm, there's just the simple little things to worry about - making a profit, keeping the bank manager happy and dealing with a period of drought. They also discuss how faith plays an important role in their lives, what it's like working as a team and how time away from the farm can be the best way to be productive on the farm and in the community. Propagate is proudly brought to you by the good folks at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Young Farmer Business Program. The Young Farmer Business Program is creating opportunities for young farmers and fishers to enter into or expand their existing businesses by helping them improve their business skills. The Young Farmer Business Program has been funded by the NSW Government through the Department of Primary Industries to deliver a multifaceted approach to help young farmers and fishers. Our program is providing access to new business ideas, tools, products and services relevant to young farmers and fishers. For more information on the Young Farmer Business Program please visit https://www.youngfarmer.nsw.gov.au/

Today it's time to put on a lifejacket and cast off with Paul Aquilina, a young fisherman living on the Hawkesbury River, 90 minutes from Sydney. Paul has never been in any doubt that he wanted to be a fisherman and no amount of early morning starts, broken down boats, stolen eel traps, or empty nets could stop him from achieving his dream. To say he's focused on what he wants is an understatement. From his early days of volunteering on trawlers through to him leasing boats and licenses, Paul is now a ‘multi-fisher' who owns several different fishing licences and boats, providing a range of products to the market. Despite his young age, it's been a long journey that has required him to make plenty of sacrifices in his life. Paul also discusses how putting in extra effort can result in premium prices for his produce. Propagate is proudly brought to you by the good folks at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Young Farmer Business Program. The Young Farmer Business Program is creating opportunities for young farmers and fishers to enter into or expand their existing businesses by helping them improve their business skills. The Young Farmer Business Program has been funded by the NSW Government through the Department of Primary Industries to deliver a multifaceted approach to help young farmers and fishers. Our program is providing access to new business ideas, tools, products and services relevant to young farmers and fishers. For more information on the Young Farmer Business Program please visit https://www.youngfarmer.nsw.gov.au/

“There’s a saying in law that hard cases make bad law,” says Dr Colin Campbell. “Judges will sometimes do what they think is right in a particular case, but in doing that they will muck up the law." Numerous inquiries have uncovered widespread discrimination and exclusion against children at government schools around Australia. While state-run education departments are tasked with the responsibility of fixing this problem, there’s another institution in our society that has a major role to play: our courts. But the leading court case that dictates how the courts play this role - and which judges around Australia are obliged to follow - is seriously flawed. SHOW NOTES Episode page https://www.justcasespodcast.com/episode/2019/8/22/episode-16-hard-cases-make-bad-law Twitter @JustCasesShow https://twitter.com/justcasesshow Music: All tracks by Lee Rosevere - 'Introducing the Pre-roll' - '17 - Awkward Silences version b' http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/ Storyteller - Dr Colin Campbell, Faculty of Law, Monash University Hosts - Dr Melissa Castan & James Pattison Further reading - Purvis v New South Wales (Department of Education and Training) [2003] HCA 62: http://eresources.hcourt.gov.au/showCase/2003/HCA/62 - 'Improving Educational Outcomes for Children with Disability in Victoria: Final Report' (June 2018), E Jenkin, C Spivakovsky, S Joseph, M Smith, Castan Centre for Human Rights Law, Monash University: https://www.justcasespodcast.com/s/Castan-Centre-Improving-Educational-Outcomes-for-Students-with-Disability.pdf - Victorian students with disabilities turned away from schools, report finds (ABC News, 29 June 2018): https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-29/students-with-disabilities-victorian-government-schools-report/9923274 - Campbell, Colin D, "A Hard Case Making Bad Law: Purvis v New South Wales and the Role of the Comparator Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)" [2007] FedLawRw 4; (2007) 35(1) Federal Law Review 111: http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/FedLawRw/2007/4.html Photo - by Rubén Rodriguez on Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/@ruben18rodriguez Law topics - Discrimination law, High Court, human rights, disability discrimination, equal opportunity.

Unflinching, funny, sad, honest and real — hear the voices of young people who have grown up in the Australian foster care system.This podcast has been written, produced and edited by the Youth Consult for Change group who consult to the New South Wales Department of Family and Community Services and aims to break the stigma of being in care.It’s a ‘must-listen’ for those passionate about kids’ rights, social justice and giving a voice to young people who society often forget.

Unflinching, funny, sad, honest and real — hear the voices of young people who have grown up in the Australian foster care system.This podcast has been written, produced and edited by the Youth Consult for Change group who consult to the New South Wales Department of Family and Community Services and aims to break the stigma of being in care.It’s a ‘must-listen’ for those passionate about kids’ rights, social justice and giving a voice to young people who society often forget.

Unflinching, funny, sad, honest and real — hear the voices of young people who have grown up in the Australian foster care system.This podcast has been written, produced and edited by the Youth Consult for Change group who consult to the New South Wales Department of Family and Community Services and aims to break the stigma of being in care.It’s a ‘must-listen’ for those passionate about kids’ rights, social justice and giving a voice to young people who society often forget.

Unflinching, funny, sad, honest and real — hear the voices of young people who have grown up in the Australian foster care system.This podcast has been written, produced and edited by the Youth Consult for Change group who consult to the New South Wales Department of Family and Community Services and aims to break the stigma of being in care.It’s a ‘must-listen’ for those passionate about kids’ rights, social justice and giving a voice to young people who society often forget.

Unflinching, funny, sad, honest and real — hear the voices of young people who have grown up in the Australian foster care system.This podcast has been written, produced and edited by the Youth Consult for Change group who consult to the New South Wales Department of Family and Community Services and aims to break the stigma of being in care.It’s a ‘must-listen’ for those passionate about kids’ rights, social justice and giving a voice to young people who society often forget.

SANE Australia is a charity that helps Australians affected by mental illness. Their popular online community, SANE Forums, serves as one of their primary initiatives. It isn’t just SANE Australia’s community, but the online community of 51 partner organizations, as well. When they seek funding (from the Australian government and others), they have the prove their value and show their ROI. But what’s the ROI of an anonymous, nonprofit, mental health forum? That is one the challenges facing online community manager Nicole Thomas. Plus: How the 51 different partner organizations contribute to the community Scaling the SANE Forums volunteer program The benefits of allowing people with mental illness to see the discussions of those who care for others with mental illness Big Quotes “Our forums are anonymous, so they don’t share a lot, but what we do ask for is postcodes. [When it comes to measuring ROI,] we look at, in particular, the feeling around social isolation. … There’s no surprise that services in particularly rural Australia aren’t as accessible, and so the appointments with professionals are further apart than those who live in major cities. For them, the forums are providing stability between appointments – a stable network of people that they can look to for support. While they will still have their ups and downs between appointments with a psychologist, they have this base of people they can always come to online.” -@nikkiniknik About Nicole Thomas Nicole Thomas is the online community manager of SANE Australia’s online peer support community. SANE Australia is a national charity helping all Australians affected by mental illness. Their online community, SANE Forums, is made up of two segments. One for people with lived experience of complex mental illness, and one for those who care for someone with a complex mental illness. Since completing her Bachelor of Education degree, Nicole has had a diverse career with past roles within the New South Wales Department of Education, corporate learning and development, and youth mental health. In 2014, Nicole began her role at SANE to launch the community and since then has continued to lead the strategic direction and development of SANE Forums. In 2015, she co-founded the Community Managers Interagency Group, which consists of community managers from several not-for-profit organizations who provide online peer support communities. Nicole is passionate about the role online communities can play in addressing social and geographical isolation and improving well-being. She is also committed to working meaningfully with those with lived experience to create relevant and engaging services. Related Links Community Signal on iHeartRadio Nicole on Twitter SANE Australia, a national charity helping all Australians affected by mental illness, where Nicole is online community manager SANE Forums, SANE Australian’s online community, which Nicole is responsible for Community Signal episode with Gabe Graziani Community Signal episode with Cosette Paneque Mind Australia, PANDA and Eating Disorders Australia, three organizations that SANE Australia has partnered with, in order to share online community resources Homesteading Today and How to Quickly Turn Your Community Against You by Patrick, about a community where the parent company copied member contributions to other communities without permission Lithium, the software that powers the SANE Forums ReachOut.com, an organization that “meets youth where they are to deliver peer support and mental health information,” where Nicole volunteered as a teenager, which helped to set her on this career path Transcript View the transcript on our website Your Thoughts If you have any thoughts on this episode that you’d like to share, please leave me a comment, send me an email or a tweet. If you enjoy the show, we would be grateful if you spread the word. Thank you for listening to Community Signal.

Better Leaders Better Schools guest Clayton Reedie, the Principal of Dalmeny Public School located in the South-Western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Dalmeny, a K-6 school with over 1,000 students and 80 staff, is Clayton’s fourth Principalship. The first being Mount Hunter Public School, a small country school of 56 students near Camden outside of Sydney. Clayton began teaching in 1991 and has built his leadership experience across a range of settings and executive positions. In addition to these school-based roles, Clayton has been the President of the Liverpool Primary Principals’ Council for three years and has spent time on secondment with the New South Wales Department of Education in a number of Principal support roles. The most recent being with the High Performance Directorate assisting principals to implement a range of reforms around budgeting, localised decision-making processes and school planning. Clayton believes in focused, differentiated professional learning for his staff to improve lesson delivery and maximise success for students. Dalmeny’s professional development structures are a model for many colleagues. When not at work, Clayton enjoys traveling, Rugby League Football (go the Tigers!), V8 Supercars (go Ford!) and watching cricket. He is married to Nikki (also a school Principal) and has five children (all boys!) who keep him very grounded – and very busy! In this episode you will learn: How to lead with vulnerability How to use a mobile office The importance of listening (without taking it personally) How to avoid being hard on yourself The best and worst of teacher PD How to empower teacher development The power of focus groups The most important thing teachers can do to improve student achievement Resources from the show: Leadership Capability Framework Teachers Make a Difference: What is the research evidence? by John Hattie Books: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People How to Get Your School Moving and Improving Visible Learning for Teachers Email Clayton  DID YOU LIKE THE SHOW?  iTunes SUBSCRIBE HERE! SHOW SOME LOVE: PLEASE LEAVE A 5-STAR RATING AND REVIEW Website :: Facebook :: Twitter :: LinkedIn Grad your FREE 15 Phrases of Effective School Leaders  text PHRASES to 33444 or click the link above.