Latest news with #Curtin
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
He's unique: Crows coach sings praise of youngster
Adelaide's boom second-year winger Dan Curtin has traits of captain Jordan Dawson, his impressed coach says. And Crows coach Matthew Nicks says Curtin has only scratched the surface with his eye-catching patch of form. The 20-year-old West Australian has overtaken Brisbane's Levi Ashcroft as favourite for the AFL's Rising Star award. After seven games last season, Curtin has played all 18 games and recorded 20 or more disposals in three of his past four outings. The form surge comes after signing a contract extension a month ago to remain in Adelaide until the end of 2029. Prompted about any Curtin's similarities with Crows skipper Dawson, Nicks replied: "There are. "They are similar characters," the coach told reporters on Wednesday. "They have both got incredible belief in themselves; they prioritise team, 100 per cent. "Dan is well and truly above his age from a maturity point of view of what he focuses on what he prioritises and that is similar to Daws. "That's why Daws is our captain - it was a standout that he just had a leadership to him that we knew would help our group develop. "And Dan's already in a great space when it comes to how he works with his teammates and what he prioritises." Most impressive to Nicks was Curtin's prominence in crucial contests in Adelaide's rise to third on the ladder. "The standout, for mine, has been key moments, he has stood up in really big moments," Nicks said. "That's unique for such a young player to be able to do that. "He's still got so much more that he's working through and a lot more in his game that he's going to improve on. "But you need a big moment and you need a player to win a contest? He's shown that multiple times over the last couple of months." Adelaide's boom second-year winger Dan Curtin has traits of captain Jordan Dawson, his impressed coach says. And Crows coach Matthew Nicks says Curtin has only scratched the surface with his eye-catching patch of form. The 20-year-old West Australian has overtaken Brisbane's Levi Ashcroft as favourite for the AFL's Rising Star award. After seven games last season, Curtin has played all 18 games and recorded 20 or more disposals in three of his past four outings. The form surge comes after signing a contract extension a month ago to remain in Adelaide until the end of 2029. Prompted about any Curtin's similarities with Crows skipper Dawson, Nicks replied: "There are. "They are similar characters," the coach told reporters on Wednesday. "They have both got incredible belief in themselves; they prioritise team, 100 per cent. "Dan is well and truly above his age from a maturity point of view of what he focuses on what he prioritises and that is similar to Daws. "That's why Daws is our captain - it was a standout that he just had a leadership to him that we knew would help our group develop. "And Dan's already in a great space when it comes to how he works with his teammates and what he prioritises." Most impressive to Nicks was Curtin's prominence in crucial contests in Adelaide's rise to third on the ladder. "The standout, for mine, has been key moments, he has stood up in really big moments," Nicks said. "That's unique for such a young player to be able to do that. "He's still got so much more that he's working through and a lot more in his game that he's going to improve on. "But you need a big moment and you need a player to win a contest? He's shown that multiple times over the last couple of months." Adelaide's boom second-year winger Dan Curtin has traits of captain Jordan Dawson, his impressed coach says. And Crows coach Matthew Nicks says Curtin has only scratched the surface with his eye-catching patch of form. The 20-year-old West Australian has overtaken Brisbane's Levi Ashcroft as favourite for the AFL's Rising Star award. After seven games last season, Curtin has played all 18 games and recorded 20 or more disposals in three of his past four outings. The form surge comes after signing a contract extension a month ago to remain in Adelaide until the end of 2029. Prompted about any Curtin's similarities with Crows skipper Dawson, Nicks replied: "There are. "They are similar characters," the coach told reporters on Wednesday. "They have both got incredible belief in themselves; they prioritise team, 100 per cent. "Dan is well and truly above his age from a maturity point of view of what he focuses on what he prioritises and that is similar to Daws. "That's why Daws is our captain - it was a standout that he just had a leadership to him that we knew would help our group develop. "And Dan's already in a great space when it comes to how he works with his teammates and what he prioritises." Most impressive to Nicks was Curtin's prominence in crucial contests in Adelaide's rise to third on the ladder. "The standout, for mine, has been key moments, he has stood up in really big moments," Nicks said. "That's unique for such a young player to be able to do that. "He's still got so much more that he's working through and a lot more in his game that he's going to improve on. "But you need a big moment and you need a player to win a contest? He's shown that multiple times over the last couple of months."
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
He's unique: Crows coach sings praise of youngster
Adelaide's boom second-year winger Dan Curtin has traits of captain Jordan Dawson, his impressed coach says. And Crows coach Matthew Nicks says Curtin has only scratched the surface with his eye-catching patch of form. The 20-year-old West Australian has overtaken Brisbane's Levi Ashcroft as favourite for the AFL's Rising Star award. After seven games last season, Curtin has played all 18 games and recorded 20 or more disposals in three of his past four outings. The form surge comes after signing a contract extension a month ago to remain in Adelaide until the end of 2029. Prompted about any Curtin's similarities with Crows skipper Dawson, Nicks replied: "There are. "They are similar characters," the coach told reporters on Wednesday. "They have both got incredible belief in themselves; they prioritise team, 100 per cent. "Dan is well and truly above his age from a maturity point of view of what he focuses on what he prioritises and that is similar to Daws. "That's why Daws is our captain - it was a standout that he just had a leadership to him that we knew would help our group develop. "And Dan's already in a great space when it comes to how he works with his teammates and what he prioritises." Most impressive to Nicks was Curtin's prominence in crucial contests in Adelaide's rise to third on the ladder. "The standout, for mine, has been key moments, he has stood up in really big moments," Nicks said. "That's unique for such a young player to be able to do that. "He's still got so much more that he's working through and a lot more in his game that he's going to improve on. "But you need a big moment and you need a player to win a contest? He's shown that multiple times over the last couple of months."
West Australian
a day ago
- Health
- West Australian
Curtin University study reveals having common STIs during pregnancy increases risk of birth complications
Having gonorrhoea during pregnancy almost doubles the risk of stillbirth, new research has found. That was just one finding from a large-scale study of almost 60,000 births between 2005 and 2020 in the Northern Territory. Curtin University researchers found strong links between several sexually transmitted infections and a higher risk of birth complications. The research revealed congenital syphilis, passed from mother to baby, tripled the risk of preterm birth and more than doubled the risk of restricted growth in the womb. Other common STIs like chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and trichomoniasis were linked to babies being small for their gestational age. Researchers said the links between maternal gonorrhoea and increased stillbirth risk could be reflective of 'more severe placental dysfunction or foetal infection in some cases'. Lead author Jennifer Dunne, from Curtin's School of Population Health and the enAble Institute, said the findings highlighted the need for ongoing STI testing throughout pregnancy. 'Current STI screenings happen early in pregnancy, but we need additional checks later in pregnancy, especially in high-risk areas,' Dr Dunne said. 'Many of these infections are common, preventable and treatable — we just need to be able to catch them in time to treat them as early as possible.' STIs are often asymptomatic yet highly prevalent in women of reproductive age. Untreated infections can lead to adverse outcomes. Co-author Jacqui Hendriks said the study, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific, also underscored additional public health challenges faced by people living in regional and remote areas. 'Barriers to timely testing and treatment still exist in isolated communities. The Northern Territory has some of the highest STI rates in Australia, yet healthcare access in remote areas is often limited,' she said. Dr Hendriks said accessible, culturally appropriate services needed to be strengthened, including early prenatal and follow-up care.
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Avocado alert as popular fruit's future in doubt warns new study
Avocados are a popular choice for healthy shoppers at Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Aldi and other supermarkets A new study has issued a warning that avocados could disappear from our plates if native vegetation doesn't survive alongside crops. Avocado trees, originally from Mexico and Central America, are now cultivated in various parts of the globe, including Australia. Australian scientists have discovered that the survival of avocado crops may hinge on preserving patches of native vegetation near farmland. The research, published in the journal Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, highlights the crucial role these habitats play in sustaining the insects vital for crop pollination and maintaining our brunch menus. The team from Curtin University found that insect communities in avocado orchards next to native remnant vegetation fed on more than double the number of plant species during periods of limited crop flowering, compared to those in orchards bordered by pasture, reports Surrey Live. Avocado future and crop pollination They explained that insects with a diverse diet are more likely to survive and pollinate crops, suggesting a potential strategy to ensure global food security. With estimates suggesting that up to 10 billion people worldwide will need access to safe and nutritious food by 2050, agricultural productivity may need to increase by as much as 75%. Lead researcher Dr Joshua Kestel, who carried out the work during his PhD studies at Curtin, described the study as "particularly compelling" since it had historically been challenging to measure the variety of pollen gathered by complete insect populations - especially across expansive farming regions. He said: "Using a novel method pioneered at Curtin University, we applied a cutting-edge biodiversity assessment technique - environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding - to pan traps to identify the diversity of pollen transported by entire insect communities collected during sampling. This approach allowed us to demonstrate that natural vegetation adjacent to orchards may enhance the resilience of insect communities, potentially contributing to greater food security." 'Healthy insect communities are needed' Co-researcher Professor Paul Nevill, from Curtin's School of Molecular and Life Sciences, described the findings as crucial given that insects are responsible for pollinating 75% of all farming crops, despite many species facing extinction threats. He said: "In order to meet the food needs of the planet, diverse and healthy insect communities play a critical role in supporting essential ecosystem services such as pollination and the biological control of pests. "In Australia alone, an estimated 320,000 insect species exist, yet only 35% have been formally identified - and the plant resources many of them rely on remain largely unknown." He added: "By using sophisticated eDNA metabarcoding capable of detecting the trace of a single grain of pollen or even the footprint of a bee, we're helping to close these knowledge gaps and better understand how these insects might contribute to safeguarding global food security." The scientists gathered over 2,000 insect samples and pinpointed more than 250 plant varieties through eDNA analysis, encompassing crops, weeds and indigenous Australian vegetation. The research team suggested integrating standardised biodiversity assessments into routine agricultural monitoring, preserving ecosystems through recognising the importance of natural plant life and replanting barren areas within farming operations.
Sky News AU
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Former Home Affairs chief Mike Pezzullo tears into Albanese's 'unoriginal' tribute to John Curtin in 'mythical' portrait of legendary PM
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's recent portrait of John Curtin was an unoriginal and mythic repetition of the Curtin tropes. He painted Curtin as a canonised Labor hero who locked horns with Churchill over the return of Australian troops from the Middle East, and who maintained a ceaseless vigil as those troops made their way home by sea. Somehow this was a declaration of independence, when Australia, supposedly for the first time, thought and acted for itself. Never mind Alfred Deakin building our own navy before World War I, or Billy Hughes pursuing our security interests after that war at the Paris Peace Conference. The real Curtin was a courageous political leader who, after being appointed Prime Minister in October 1941, did his best to mobilise the Australian people for the coming war in the Pacific. In December 1941, he famously turned to the US. He had little choice but to appeal desperately for US military assistance, as Australia could not defend itself, and could not rely upon Britain, which was fighting for its life against Nazi Germany. Curtin knew that Australia would be a crucial base for future US operations against Imperial Japan. First, however, Australia would have to be defended. In early 1942, he and Churchill had a disagreement over the disposition of Australian forces. Curtin wanted them to return home; Churchill wanted them sent to Burma. The resultant flurry of cables between the two was a minor dance of allies arguing over war strategy. Churchill and Roosevelt had far more serious arguments, especially over the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. In 1944, as James Curran showed in Curtin's Empire (2011), after the danger to Australia had passed, Curtin tried to resuscitate the idea of 'imperial defence', whereby Britain and its self-governing British dominions would better coordinate their defence strategies and foreign policies. Curtin turned back to the British Empire, which is surely an inconvenient blindspot in the mythic origin story of an 'independent' Australian foreign policy. Forget such myths. A grittier and unsanctified version of Curtin would serve us better today. Indeed, that Curtin would be a leader for these dark days. With a largeness of mind and a strength of character, the Curtin of history grasped the terrible reality that global circumstances did not suit his agenda of socialistic reform. Instead, he had to focus on questions of war. After he became Leader of the Opposition in 1935, Curtin recognised that he would have to champion what was, for him and his party, an unnatural cause – namely, how best to independently defend Australia, at a time when the prevailing orthodoxy was to rely on Britain, and its naval base in Singapore. Had Curtin won the elections of 1937 and 1940, Australia would have been better prepared. The national panic of 1941-42 might have been avoided. Australia might have even re-armed in time to be able to deploy a powerful force in its sea-air approaches to confront Imperial Japan's southwards thrust. Perhaps, Australia might have 'looked to America' sooner - but demanding the final say in its own local defence. Those who would seek to appropriate Curtin's legacy should not be allowed to admire only what he did as a wartime leader. To honour him properly, we have to ask what a modern-day Curtin would do in the face of a looming war. While working tirelessly for peace through diplomacy, Curtin today would be vocal about the threat posed by China. He would argue for greater defence self-reliance and dramatically increased defence spending. He would be concerned about the threat of missile and air attack, offensive cyber strikes, raids in remote areas, attacks on shipping, and so on. He would be deeply engaged with his professional advisers on how best to deal with these military problems. He would show a deep interest in complex matters of war. He would recognise that, in a new 'look to America', ANZUS would need to become a warfighting alliance, with a standing headquarters (but this time headed by an Australian). He would authorise the development of war plans, including jointly with the United States. He would ask to see those war plans, and to approve them. He would also give priority to home defence, mobilisation, defence production, and the introduction of national service. The problem with meeting our heroes is that they always disappoint us. Meeting the real Curtin – the one who was focused on technical military issues, even if that meant setting aside a socialistic reforming zeal – would disappoint the Prime Minister. That, however, is the Curtin that we need today. The Curtin who in the 1930s was concerned that Australia was not doing enough to get ready, and who would today be deeply concerned to see history repeating itself. Michael Pezzullo was the Home Affairs Secretary from December 2017 until November 2023.
