The Australian Bite

A bridge, a horse and a tricky question of law

7 May 2010

Listen and download: MP3

This week on the Bite we take a walk on Brisbane’s very striking and innovative new foot and bicycle bridge with architect Michael Rayner. We meet the owner of Noddy, the world’s tallest horse.   And  sex offenders and Australian law – should states have the right to keep offenders in jail after they’ve served their sentence?  The United Nations says no.

UN rejects Australian sex offender laws

In Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia and Victoria sex offenders are kept in prison past their release date if psychologists deem them to be an ongoing risk to the community. But following a complaint against the Queensland law that permits continued detention of sex offenders, the United Nations Human Rights Committee has ruled that this practice is in breach of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Australia needs to find another way to deal with the issue. Triple J Hack reporter Kaitlyn Sawrey speaks to legal academic Professor Patrick Keyzer of Bond University who has helped prepare two complaints to the UN committee, and Hetty Johnston, the founder and director of Bravehearts, a child sex assault support agency.

You can read a couple of informative newspaper articles on these issues here and here

Brisbane’s Kurilpa Bridge a world first

Queensland’s capital city now has a striking new foot and cycling bridge across the Brisbane river. It’s called the Kurilpa Bridge and it links the Gallery of Modern Art on Southbank with the heart of the city and the legal precinct where the new law courts are being built. The Kurilpa Bridge has really polarised people, with some unable to appreciate its unusual design. It’s also the first major structure in the world to use the design principle known as tensegrity. ABC broadcaster David Fisher visits the bridge with architect Michael Rayner.

*The bridge is named Kuripla, an aboriginal word meaning ‘place for water rats’, because of the large rats that infested the area close to the river.  You can see more photos of it at the Cox Architects website

This interview was originally broadcast on Radio National’s By Design program.  You can listen to a longer version at their website.

Noddy, the world’s tallest horse

Noddy, the world’s tallest horse, is on tour around Australia and he was the star attraction at the Gatton Heavy Horse field days in Queensland last weekend. Noddy is a Shire horse, which is a rare breed of English draught horse. He was born in Queensland but moved to Victoria as a 15 hand weanling. Now he’s seven years old, stands 20.2 hands (2.05 metres) and weighs 1.5 tonnes – and he’s made it into the Guinness book of world records. Robin McConchie caught up with Noddy’s owner Jane Greeman.

You can see more photos of Noddy (whose real name is Luscombe Nodstrum) at the ABC Rural website

Music (not in podcast)

Singer songwriter Perry Keyes grew up in the inner city working class area of Sydney known as Redfern. He bought his first guitar from a pawn shop at the age of 12 and wrote his first song six months later. This track Will You Shine is from his third solo album - Johnny Ray’s Downtown, released earlier this year.

You can watch an interview with Perry Keyes on the ABC Television’s Stateline program below

Artist: Perry Keyes

Track: Will You Shine

Album: Johnny Ray’s Downtown (2010)

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