Background Briefing

About 30,000 hospital admissions every year are for dental problems. The main reason children under five get admitted to hospital is teeth troubles. And now science indicates that bad teeth and gums affects the whole body, and can lead to heart disease. The state of dentistry is costing us plenty. Reporter, Wendy Carlisle.

America has a new policy for Iraq: soft power. It's cultural counterinsurgency. Possibly too little too late, it may even be impossible. Americans don't speak the language, and don't understand the many cultures. Reporter: Stan Correy.

Canberra's low key intervention in Bougainville has helped shape a peace agreement now used as a model in many parts of the world. Yet its billion dollar state building experiment in the Solomon Islands is running into serious problems. This tale of two Pacific policies investigates Australia's often fraught relations with its nearest neighbours. Reporter, Diane Martin.

It's a tropical paradise worth many millions on the open market. The debate is intense about how the indigenous people will fare when new laws allowing privatisation of land open up a different world. Reporter, Ian Townsend.

Psychiatric consultants in Queensland speak out about gross inadequacies in the mental health system in that State, placing lives at risk. Documents show there have been problems in some regions for decades. Reporter: Heather Stewart.

It was the first country in Africa where Europeans arrived to trade, in gold and slaves, and 50 years ago it became the first black African nation in the sub Sahara to become independent. Since then it has had a history full of ideals and tyranny, promise and despair. In that way Ghana is Africa in microcosm. A BBC production.

In the health industry and government circles patient responsibility and self care are the new buzzwords. It's all about getting people out of the expensive end of medical care, and into self care groups much earlier. It may come to mean if you're a smoker, you won't get surgery. Reporter Sharona Coutts.

One was a campaigning greenie rock star, the other a silvertailed barrister, businessman, and republican. Now both Peter Garrett and Malcolm Turnbull are in the bear pit of politics, where glamour takes you only so far, and old ways have to be put aside in the contest for power. Reporter: Wendy Carlisle.

It's a whiteboard jungle out there as educationalists and economists haggle over the surest way to get the best out of our kids. One proposal being considered is more money for teachers whose students get the best test results. The status quo is not an option, and teachers unions are in a difficult position. Reporter: Stan Correy.

The anger and hurt of divorcing parents often spills over into custody and access to children. Accusations of child abuse are defended with claims of lies and alienation using Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) resulting in the accusing parent losing custody. PAS has been discredited in America but there's concern that it's still being used in the Family Courts of Australia. Reporter: Jane Shields

Despite optimism after the recent Davos meeting, the global free trade talks remain moribund. Last July, the developing world formed a new coalition, and pulled the plug citing unfair and intimidating tactics by the EU & USA. What goes on behind the scenes? A BBC investigation.

As consumers demand more and more 'stuff' the impact on the freight industry will be enormous. The number of trucks on the roads will double in two decades. This will have important implications for traffic, roads, pollution, and energy use. Steve Skinner reports.

The government is bringing in a new national card, called the Access Card. Everyone who uses Medicare, Centrelink, or any government service, will have one. And they're not just normal cards. They have mini-computers inside them that can store data about your name, address and anything else. The government says they're like mp3 players, and big business loves them, but opponents say they're a new...

Scientists, lawyers, politicians, security forces—everyone's walking a fine line with avian flu, between the rights of the individual and the rights of the wider public. When a pandemic happens each of us will be on our own, as the authorities look at the big picture. Reporter, Ian Townsend. (Originally broadcast 16 July 2006)

The incidence of self-harm is rising and there's a search for understanding and solutions. Princess Di admitted to it. As many as one in five young people are likely to deliberately hurt themselves to release internal tension and pressure. What is it, and how can parents handle it? Reporter, Jane Shields. (Originally broadcast 23 July 2006)

Whatever happened to quarantine? As an island nation, free from many of the pests and diseases that have devastated other parts of the world Australia has always imposed extraordinarily high standards of quarantine. Until now. What has changed at Australia's quarantine service and its policy adviser Biosecurity Australia? What will it do to our food and environment? And why has there been so littl...

Donating your body, or the body of a child, to medical research is a great gift to mankind. Most of you can be recycled: your eyes, your skin, your bone or even a little piece of your heart. Now they want to grind your bones for surgical putty. Then, your dead bits will be helping a biotech company's bottomline too. Can altruism and commerce live side-by-side when it comes to giving "the greatest...

Sir Robert Menzies was at the centre of the Suez crisis - one of the great failures of western political history. He was sent into negotiate with Nasser, but behind the scenes the UK, Israel, France and the USA all had other agendas. Were they treating Menzies as a mere tool in their wider game? Reporter Stan Correy. (Originally broadcast on 24th September 2006)

It's been a tough year for Australian Muslims. The Hilali controversy has exposed deep divisions in the Sydney Muslim community - between different religious factions, generations and classes. But the younger generation of Muslim leaders is saying it's also a time to renovate - and lay some new foundations. They've asked us to come on-site and watch their backyard blitz, Aussie Muslim style. Repor...

The government is bringing in a new national card, called the Access Card. Everyone who uses Medicare, Centrelink, or any government service, will have one. And they're not just normal cards. They have mini-computers inside them that can store data about your name, address and anything else. The government says they're like mp3 players, and big business loves them, but opponents say they're a new...

Madonna, Angelina and Brad, and countless other rich celebrities seem to be taking the missionary position with small countries such as Malawi. There are suffering children and desperate need all over the world. What is it with Africa? Iman says it's in our DNA and has Gwyneth Paltrow in tribal makeup. Reporter Wendy Carlisle.

The eminent scientist Richard Dawkins puts forward, in a no holds barred manner, the arguments again religion - be it Muslim, Christian, Jewish or any of the other hundreds of gods across the world and across time. This talk was given in Philadelphia recently.

The business world is agog as the private equity consortiums storm the globe with their trillions, buying and selling and skimming fees. They've been called locusts, barbarians, and gluttons - but it's not illegal and the profits are huge. Reporter, Stan Correy.

Europe, as a union of nations, could emerge as an important force in world affairs. Chris Patten, now Lord Patten of Barnes, is one of the most influential men in Europe and the UK. A leading political analyst, he has 'maintained morality clarity in murky times'.

The cost of electricity will soar in coming years - and the biggest culprit is the air conditioner. In South Australia, 90 percent of homes use them. At present, whether you have one or not, your electricity bill is higher because their cost is spread among all electricity users. Reporter: James Panichi.