journalism

We are because you made me: The Ubuntu Spirit of Langa
Credit: Jens Kirsch
If Bluey knew the impact of balloon releases, the playful pup would likely swap balloons for “Keepy Uppy” games that save our environment.
Credit: Sea Shepherd

Beaufort Books’ Novel Move
After 14 beloved years in the Mount Lawley and Highgate neighbourhood, Beaufort Street Books has moved just 50 meters up the road to the corner of Vincent and Beaufort Street.

Credit: Jens Kirsch

Vape compromise unwraps
Independent pharmacies are questioning hastily-drafted legislation aimed at curbing Australia’s vaping epidemic, saying they could be forced into selling products they’d rather be kept behind the counter. 
Credit: Jens Kirsch
Vaping: Yesterday, today, vape-away!
As Perth commuters grapple with the surge of vaping on public transport, it feels like a déjà vu, says JENS KIRSCH. Do you remember when smoking was anywhere and everywhere? The battle has shifted, but the strategies remain eerily similar.

Credit: Jens Kirsch
Vincent’s Clean Scene
Vincent council’s Fresh Air – You’re Welcome project has successfully established popular smoke-free and vape-free zones around the city, allowing residents and visitors to savour the crisp, fresh winter air without a cloud of smoke in sight.

Credit: Jens Kirsch
Vaping rates on the rise
The number of 18-to-24-year-olds who vape daily has skyrocketed from 5 per cent in 2019 to 21 per cent in 2024, while 7 per cent of adults vape daily, a nearly three-fold increase since 2019.

Credit: Jens Kirsch
Rooted to Home
A recent study shows that urban trees shape how we connect or how we fail to connect to the places where we live.

Credit: Jens Kirsch
Butt ban gets heat
There are calls for a total ban on filters in cigarettes after recent research found more than half of all smokers don’t bother putting them in a bin. 

Credit: Sea Shepherd
Dryandra Woodlands, be immersed in nature
With sprawling city development, the challenge now is finding a local, undisturbed caravanning spot, parked in nature. Dryandra Woodlands is your hidden treasure, 165 km or a two-hour cruise, south-east of Perth WA. 

Credit: Cristina Ramalho
Coral Bay – A sensory adventure, full of life.
Inspired by Tim Winton’s documentary on SBS, we traveled the Western Australian coast, up to Coral Bay. The World Heritage area is home to Australia’s largest fringing reef system, just meters away from Coral Bay’s beaches and it is the only place in Australia where you can swim with the giant, but gentle whale shark. The article highlights Coral Bay as a sensory experience.

Credit: Cristina Ramalho
Lab-grown diamonds – Can we believe in their value?
The quality of lab-grown diamonds has reached its peak and with wholesale prices decreasing, retailers benefit from increasing profit margins.

Credit: Glorious Studio
New Nurdle Effort
Beach cleanups later this month will try to clear plastic nurdles from Bathers Beach and Minim Cove and determine what threat the pollutants pose for Perth’s waters.

Credit: Jens Kirsch 
What can young Indigenous Australians do to stop racism?
A survey reflecting the views of over 2,500 Australians shows a change in Australia. The 2022 Australian Reconciliation Report states that racism endured by Indigenous Australians is on the rise. 60% of First Nations peoples have experienced at least one form of racial prejudice in the past six months, an increase of 8% since 2020 and up 17% since 2018. 

Credit: Andrew O’Connor