Navigating the politics of assisted dying

Editor's note

Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill is likely to be tabled in parliament this week. MPs are being lobbied fiercely by both sides as they decide which way their conscience vote will go. As Ben White and his colleagues write, in such an emotionally charged debate it’s important to deal in research and evidence, rather than just rhetoric.

And a new tenner will soon find its way to our wallets. The banknote released today may not be pretty, but it’s world leading in terms of preventing counterfeits.

Amanda Dunn

Editor

Top story

Victorian MPs are about to debate an assisted dying bill. How can they sift through competing claims? Shutterstock

As Victorian MPs debate assisted dying, it is vital they examine the evidence, not just the rhetoric

Ben White, Queensland University of Technology; Andrew McGee, Queensland University of Technology; Lindy Willmott, Queensland University of Technology

There is now a reputable body of research evidence from places that have introduced assisted dying, and MPs must examine that evidence before deciding how they will vote.

Business + Economy
It may not be beautiful but the new ten dollar note is pretty secure Tom Spurling, Swinburne University of Technology; David Solomon, University of Melbourne The new series of Australian banknotes are not a designer's dream but they are the strongest yet in terms of preventing counterfeiting.

Science + Technology

Preventing Murray-Darling water theft: a space agency can help Australia manage federal resources

Andrew Dempster, UNSW

There are local, practical implications linked to failed advancement of infrastructure projects that rely on expertise in space. Protecting Australia's water is just one example.
Curious Kids: Why is the Earth round?

Jonathan P. Marshall, UNSW

Imagine the Earth pulling everything it is made up of, all of its mass, towards its centre. This happens evenly all over the Earth, causing it to take on a round shape.
Speed plus control in new computer chip: slowing down light to sound

Moritz Merklein, University of Sydney; Benjamin J. Eggleton, University of Sydney; Birgit Stiller, University of Sydney

The speed of light is of great advantage when sending data over the internet, but it is a real challenge to master on a small chip. A new design offers a solution: convert the energy to sound.

Cities
Interest in tiny houses is growing, so who wants them and why? Heather Shearer, Griffith University New research has found a marked increase in people, particularly among women over 50, who are building or want to build a tiny house. However, inflexible planning rules often stand in their way.

Health + Medicine

Hurricane Irma nursing home deaths shows stark dilemma of whether to stay put or evacuate

Joseph Ibrahim, Monash University; Melissa Willoughby, Monash University

Evacuating nursing home residents during a disaster can be even more dangerous than staying put.
Artificial intelligence won't replace a doctor any time soon, but it can help with diagnosis

Luke Oakden-Rayner, University of Adelaide

The first generation of medical artificial intelligence systems are already rolling out to clinics. What are the plus- and down-sides?

Arts + Culture
Fred Williams in the You Yangs: a turning point for Australian art Anita Pisch, Australian National University A new exhibition features more than 50 works by Fred Williams, centred on the You Yangs peaks, west of Melbourne. They illuminate a breakthrough moment in Australian art.

Environment + Energy

Vietnam's typhoon disaster highlights the plight of its poorest people

Chinh Luu, University of Newcastle; Jason von Meding, University of Newcastle

Vietnam has been hit by its fiercest storm in a decade, bringing home the reality of the risks faced by many poor and vulnerable people in flood-prone regions around the world.
Keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees: really hard, but not impossible

Dave Frame, Victoria University of Wellington; H. Damon Matthews, Concordia University

It's still possible to hit the more ambitious of the two Paris global warming goals, according to a new estimate of the global carbon budget. But it sure won't be easy, and we need to start now.

Education

NDIS failing to catch children with late-onset difficulties

Alison M Marchbank, Charles Darwin University

Parents need support from early childhood educators to build capacity to claim for NDIS services.
Excluding Indigenous youth from schools may severely increase their risk of incarceration

Grace O'Brien, University of Technology Sydney

Indigenous youth are over-representation in juvenile detention centres, and excluding them from education could make this worse.

Politics + Society
Book review: Abbott's Right Judith Brett, La Trobe University A new book attempts to cloak Tony Abbott in a political philosophy, but is not entirely convincing.