Recent tragic deaths in Australia caused by so-called ‘cyber bullying’ underline the importance of legislation to deal with malicious behaviour aided by new technology, writes 19-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent Sharlene Sturk from the state of Victoria. Bullying is a substantial concern not only for Australia but also for many other nations around the world. The extent …

"Education about bullying and its effects on lives is imperative" Read More »

The Harry Potter books have intrigued and thrilled millions of adults and children alike. With the imminent release of the final movie adaption the end of an era approaches,  writes 19-year-old Alisha Lewis, a Commonwealth Correspondent from New Zealand. Growing up, many children have imaginary friends. I had Harry. I was almost nine when I …

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Thousands of young people in Australia share care home accommodation with the elderly. With incredibly different and complex needs, it is unsurprising that many experience depression,  reports Sarah Kilcoyne, a 28-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Brisbane, Queensland. It is almost incomprehensible – being 20-years-old and living in a nursing home, surrounded by the elderly and infirm. Sadly this is a …

“Young people in aged care homes can experience social isolation” Read More »

Thousands of young people in Australia share care home accommodation with the elderly. With incredibly different and complex needs, it is unsurprising that many experience depression,  reports Sarah Kilcoyne, a 28-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Brisbane, Queensland. It is almost incomprehensible – being 20-years-old and living in a nursing home, surrounded by the elderly and infirm. Sadly this is a …

"Young people in aged care homes can experience social isolation" Read More »

Newspapers and government agencies are right to embrace social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, as legitimate forms of information provision during natural disasters, writes 25-year-old Aletha Nightingale from Australia. The use of social media applications as a means of communication has flourished during the last five years. Recently, a new use for social media has been …

“Communities are relying on social media during a disaster” Read More »

Newspapers and government agencies are right to embrace social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, as legitimate forms of information provision during natural disasters, writes 25-year-old Aletha Nightingale from Australia. The use of social media applications as a means of communication has flourished during the last five years. Recently, a new use for social media has been …

"Communities are relying on social media during a disaster" Read More »

The destruction of natural habitats is not only damaging for biodiversity, but also has a long-term impact on the socio-economic welfare of humans, reports 17-year-old Grant Duthie, a Commonwealth Correspondent from the Gold Coast of Australia. Let’s cut to the chase: biodiversity is in a shocking state and global action to mitigate the erosion of …

“Governments must provide the framework to protect biodiversity” Read More »

The destruction of natural habitats is not only damaging for biodiversity, but also has a long-term impact on the socio-economic welfare of humans, reports 17-year-old Grant Duthie, a Commonwealth Correspondent from the Gold Coast of Australia. Let’s cut to the chase: biodiversity is in a shocking state and global action to mitigate the erosion of …

"Governments must provide the framework to protect biodiversity" Read More »

State police in Australia were last week given powers to remove the veil from Muslim female crime suspects. Amanda McClintock, an 18-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Queensland, examines the roots of intolerance in the Pacific country. I walked into the lunchroom at work not too long ago to hear a few of my colleagues discussing a …

"The White Australia Policy was a low point in my country's history" Read More »