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CANBERRA
Home > Regional News > Canberra
Water saving leads way on environmental scorecard
14 Apr 2009
Charles Sturt University (CSU) has already reached its 2015 target for water savings having slashed its water use by over 40 per cent in the past two years. These figures were highlighted in the 2008 CSU Environmental Scorecard recently released by the University. “This is a fantastic effort across the whole University, all the more important as most of these campuses are or have been in drought declared areas across NSW,” said William Adlong, Manager of CSU’s sustainability office, CSU Green. “Water usage at CSU in 2008 decreased by 16 per cent.” Energy use has decreased by eight per cent since 2006, with a slight increase by 1.5 percent during 2008. “However, there has been an increase in the area of buildings heated and cooled as CSU continued its extensive building program in 2007 and 2008,” said CSU Energy Manager Edward Maher. CSU is also addressing the carbon emissions caused by its staff travelling in cars and aircraft by replacing its large petrol cars with hybrid, diesel and small four cylinder cars in 2009.
Media Note: For interviews with CSU Green manager, Mr William Adlong, or Energy Manager, Mr Edward Maher, contact CSU Media. The 2008 CSU Environmental Scorecard is available here. Print this story Broadband on track
07 Apr 2009
 The Federal Government has finally got the plan right for the National Broadband Network (NBN) according to Charles Sturt University (CSU) adjunct researcher Mr Peter Adams. Mr Adams, who has studied household broadband adoption for the past seven years, said today's announcement by the Rudd Government that it would form a public-private partnership to build the NBN is the best outcome from what has been an issue poorly managed by successive governments."Having the Commonwealth control the building of such important national infrastructure will ultimately achieve the best outcome for broadband users by ensuring there is clear separation between the provider of the cables and the commercial companies who compete to service consumers.” The researcher from CSU's Centre for Research in Complex Systems warned the Rudd Government now has a big job: it will manage the building of the network, and needs to convince households they will be better off under the proposed NBN. "Research conducted at CSU in 2008 showed householders are not convinced they should spend their income on higher speed broadband. Clear information must be provided to consumers about the benefits of NBN services."
Media Note: Mr Peter Adams is based in Wagga Wagga and can be contacted on mobile 0438 255 964. He is an adjunct researcher with CSU's Centre for Research in Complex Systems.
Print this story Vale Sheila Swain, AM
31 Mar 2009
The Charles Sturt University (CSU) community was saddened to hear of the recent death of Mrs Sheila Swain, AM. Mrs Swain was first appointed to the Council of Mitchell College of Advanced Education, a predecessor institution of CSU, in 1981. She became Deputy Chair in 1984 and was Chair from 1986 to 1988. The building housing the School of Nursing and Midwifery on the University’s Bathurst Campus was named after Mrs Swain in 2000. Mrs Swain was a councillor on Hunters Hill Municipal Council in Sydney from 1971 to 1991, becoming the first woman elected mayor of the suburb in 1980-82 and was re-elected in 1987-89. She was also active in the Australian Local Government Women's Association - as treasurer, secretary, president of the NSW branch and later national president. In 1986 Mrs Swain was named Outstanding Woman of the Year by the Australian Federation of Business and Professional Women, and in 1987 was appointed a member of the Order of Australia. In 1989 she established and funded four scholarships for female students at CSU suffering financial hardship.
Media Note: More information of Mrs Swain’s life is found here. Print this story Graduation honours for social justice work
31 Mar 2009
 A Charles Sturt University (CSU) student who has made a ‘tangible difference’ to the delivery of community and health services in rural and remote communities has received the Lila Kirilik Social Action Prize. Ms Lee-Anne Drewery will be presented with the annual social justice award when she receives her Bachelor of Social Work from CSU in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 2 April. Now employed as the Community Projects Officer for the Central Darling Shire Council in Wilcannia, Ms Drewery was selected by staff from the CSU School of Humanities and Social Sciences for her work while on placement at the council in 2008. “Lee-Anne completed a service mapping project of the towns of Wilcannia, Menindee and Ivanhoe with the hope of improving service delivery to this very disadvantaged region,” said CSU lecturer Dr Juliane Allan. The Lila Kirilik Social Action Prize was established in 2004 in honour of the late Ms Lila Kirilik, senior lecturer in Social Welfare at CSU.
Media Note: Ms Lee-Anne Drewery will graduate with a Bachelor of Social Work and receive the Lila Kirilik Social Action Prize from 10.30am on Thursday 2 April, at Joyes Hall, Pine Gully Road, CSU, Wagga Wagga. Further details about six graduation ceremonies at CSU at Wagga Wagga from Wednesday 1 April until Friday 3 April can be found here. Print this story Leading Australian joins CSU Council
24 Mar 2009
 Director of the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney and the former Director of the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, Dr Dawn Casey, PSM, FAHA has been appointed to the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Council. Dr Casey is the newest member of the University’s governing body following her appointment by the NSW Minister for Education and Training, the Hon. Verity Firth, MP, on recommendation from the CSU Council. Dr Casey, who is nationally and internationally recognised for her leadership of the Powerhouse Museum, the National Museum and the Western Australian Museum, has been appointed until June 2011. Dr Casey has made a major contribution to Indigenous policies and programs in Australia as well as to Australia’s cultural heritage, including. the establishment of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. She also initiated the joint Commonwealth-State response to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody as a senior executive in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Dr Casey’s appointment comes as the University celebrates the 20th anniversary of its establishment through the Charles Sturt University Act 1989. Read more here.
Media Note: Further information about the CSU Council including membership is available here. Print this story Photography students on national exhibition
24 Mar 2009
Media Note: The portraits entered into the National Photographic Portrait Prize by students Ms Kate Lewis and Mr Matt Regan are also exhibited in the H R Gallop Gallery, building 21 near car park 2, Darnell Smith Drive, CSU, Wagga Wagga. Ms Lewis also has a new solo exhibition, Thirteen: Faces of Edel Quinn at the Museum of the Riverina in Wagga Wagga. Photos available from CSU Media. Print this story Call to rethink investment in land conservation
10 Mar 2009
 Governments across Australia have spent billions of dollars on programs to encourage rural landholders to implement sustainable farming and biodiversity conservation practices, but has this money been well spent? Drawing on his research in south eastern Australia, Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic Professor Allan Curtis will address this question when he speaks at the Fenner Conference on the Environment in Canberra on Wednesday 11 March. Professor Curtis will highlight the reality that most conservation work undertaken by private landholders is not funded by governments and that government investment in conservation programs, particularly those that invest in building and engaging human and social capital in rural communities, makes a difference. “The ‘business as usual’ approaches to engaging rural landholders are unlikely to work in the future given the remarkable change occurring as a large proportion of longer-term owners leave the land,” he said.
Media Note: For interviews contact CSU Media. Professor Allan Curtis, Professor of Integrated Environmental Management at CSU at Albury-Wodonga, will speak on Wednesday 11 March at the Fenner Conference on the Environment, Shine Dome, Gordon St, Canberra. Print this story Marking the years
10 Mar 2009
 While 2009 provides Charles Sturt University (CSU) with an opportunity to celebrate its 20th anniversary, the year is also a time to honour the 114-year tradition of excellence and innovation in teaching, learning and research. The University was established when the Charles Sturt University Act was passed by the NSW Parliament in July 1989, however the institution’s history can be traced back to the Bathurst Experimental Farm, established in 1895.The official opening ceremony for the University’s 20th anniversary will be held from 11am, Thursday 12 March, in Joyes Hall at CSU at Wagga Wagga. Read more here.
Media Note: CSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Lyn Gorman is available for interview about the University’s 20-th anniversary. A copy of Professor Gorman's speech to the 20th anniversary opening is available from at the end of the CSU news release here. Manager of CSU Archives Mr Wayne Doubleday is available for interview about the University's history. Photos of the official opening of the 20-th anniversary are also available. Contact CSU Media. Print this story St Patrick’s Day service
10 Mar 2009
 A warm Irish invitation is extended to the Canberra community to attend the annual ‘Celebration of St Patrick’, to be held at 12noon on Monday 16 March in the chapel of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture (ACC&C) in Canberra. The service is a joint project of the ACC&C and the Canberra Friends of Ireland Society and will be presided over by Reverend Professor James Haire, AM, ACC&C Director. The homilist will be the retired Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, David Cremin, and Ms Susan Ryan, AO, a former Minister in the Keating Government, will give the Irish-Australian Address. Representatives of other churches will take part, as well as representatives from the Embassy of Ireland and diplomatic missions of other countries with historic ties to Ireland. Canberra’s Irish organisations, the Celtic Choir and Irish traditional musicians will provide music, songs and prayers in English and Gaelic. The collection will aid the peace and reconciliation of the Inter-Denominational Corrymeela Community in Northern Ireland.
Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews. The annual ‘Celebration of St Patrick’ will be held at 12noon on Monday 16 March, in the ACC&C chapel, corner of King’s Avenue and Blackall Street, Barton, Canberra ACT. Parking is available in the grounds of the Centre and in nearby public car parks. For more information, contact Ms Jessica Nelson at the ACC&C on (02) 6272 6201. Print this story Victimology explored at 'stalking' conference
03 Mar 2009
.jpg) The development of the study of victimology will be explored by Dr Diane Westerhuis, lecturer in Justice Studies at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Social Sciences and Liberal Studies, during the conference, 'Stalking' on Friday 6 March in Bathurst. “Victimology is an indication of the concerns we have as a society about ever-increasing levels of violent crime,” Dr Westerhuis said. “In order to understand how to respond to such levels of violence and to program for prevention, we need to study the impact such violence has upon the innocent, particularly children and women, who are most often the victims. Victims of stalking are particularly vulnerable, because the nature of stalking affects the victim’s long term psychological, social and interpersonal functioning. This is a particularly difficult issue to research, because stalking is not always reported, and you will not find stalking identified in the latest crime statistics.”
Media Note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews with CSU lecturer Dr Diane Westerhuis. The state-wide conference on 'Stalking' will be held on Friday 6 March from 9.30am to 4.30pm at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre, William St, Bathurst. Please direct all conference enquiries to the Central West Women's Health Centre, Bathurst, on 02 6331 4133. Other speakers at the conference include keynote speaker Mr David Vaile, Executor Director of the Cyberspace Law and Policy Centre, University of New South Wales (the latest research and laws relating to cyber stalking), Ms Fiona Gray, Solicitor, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions ('Prosecuting stalking cases'), and Dr Shaunagh Foy, Forensic Profiler ('Profiling perpetrators').
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Two Bachelor of Arts (Photography) students had works selected in 2008 to hang in the National Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra. The students, Ms Kate Lewis, who is now studying a Masters of Arts Practice at CSU, and Mr Matt Regan joined staff from the CSU 
