LJ Journalism Portfolio

My name is Lisa Jaunalksnis and I'm an aspiring journalist. I have recently graduated from a Bachelor of Media and Communications, majoring in Journalism.  This is a portfolio site to display my work.

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Rising from the ashes.

In the beginning of the year, I wrote an article about the 2019/2020 Australian bushfire crisis. As we get closer to the bushfire season, it is important to remain vigilant. My article was posted to Junction Journalism as a look back piece.

https://junctionjournalism.com/2020/10/12/rising-from-the-ashes/

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Visit Original Link

La Trobe News bulletin audio recording: Assignment 3 JRN3BEJ. 

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The waiting game.

The whole country is gradually going into lock down. The public is confused and scared, but Kristine Elberts has the added stress of the loss of her income. She finds herself wondering, how she will pay her bills, and if she will have a job after the pandemic?

Weeks go by and the bills start piling up while she waits for her Centrelink claim to be processed, and money to be put into her bank account.

Thousands of Australians are in the same position. Losing their jobs due to the pandemic and struggling to pay bills and buy groceries; as if fear of the COVID-19 virus itself wasn’t enough.

The news is flooded with stories about the never-ending Centrelink lines and the large amount of Centrelink claims being put through daily. No wonder its taking so long.

Luckily, Elberts manages to pick up one shift per week at her workplace – nowhere near her usual hours, but at least it’s something.

This is the unfortunate reality of many young Australians if not worse; suffering from the loss of income due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused an extreme shift in everyday life. Society as we know it has changed dramatically causing stress levels to rise. From strict social restrictions, to work places shutting down, Australians are frustrated and afraid.

The fast spreading side effects of COVID-19 and the pandemic’s effect on the economy, has been the main focus on everyone’s minds these last few months, but what about the young Australian’s struggling to make ends meet without any source of income?

Unemployment and loss of income rates have increased dramatically in Australia throughout the pandemic period, with young adults being the worst affected.  The Australian Bureau of statistics shows that 780, 000 jobs were lost due to the heightened restrictions placed across Australia; with 9.9 per cent of workers under the age of 20 losing work, and 8.8 per cent of Australians in their 20’s without work.

Kristine Elberts, a 23-year-old casual employee at Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park, worked 5 days a week as a zoo keeper, in the primary role of reptile and koala keeper, before the pandemic.

Elberts originally lost her job due to the pandemic but since has managed to pick up a small amount of work.

“I have been out of work for over a month now as my workplace closed to the public, and only full and part time staff were kept on, to maintain animal welfare. As of last week, I have gotten 1 day a week back in my old position as zookeeper and the hope from the workplace is for me to regain my full 5 days again once the pandemic is over, but only time will tell whether this is possible,” she said.

Over the pandemic period, thousands of Australians are turning to Centrelink payments to be able to survive this tough time. However, due to the large number of claims being put through at this current time, Australians are waiting for weeks to receive any sort of payment.

Jordan Parisi, a 21-year-old university student, who worked two retail jobs before becoming unemployed due to her stores shutting down for the COVID-19 period.

“I find myself constantly checking my bank account to see if any money has been put in, it is long and gruelling having to wait,” Parisi said about the Centrelink process.

Treasury Secretary Steven Kennedy disagreed with suggestions of Centrelink payments being processed too slowly, arguing that payments are being made as fast as possible.

“We have not seen a shock hit this fast in any period,” Kennedy said at a Senate committee investigating the national response to COVID-19.

Despite the lengthy turnaround times, Centrelink payments are proving to be extremely helpful, allowing for young Australians to be able to pay off their bills and being able to afford the essentials.

“The loss of income really stressed me out as my bills continued but my income stopped. My savings were severely halted as a result of the loss of income over the last month, but now that I am receiving the job keeper payment I am back on track, and able to pay my bills.

I think the Australian government is doing the best they can in terms of looking after individuals who have lost their income during this pandemic - the supplement I have received has been overwhelming and lifted my stress levels” Kristine said. 

Elberts is one of the fortunate ones. Thousands of young Australians are still waiting on claims to be processed and payments to be received. In such difficult times, income uncertainty can be overwhelming for most people.

Unfortunately, there is no way around this waiting game, and the reality is that claims may take a while to be processed, as all Australians are going through the phases of this pandemic together.

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Torn over techno.

A well-known, Melbourne based DJ who goes by the name ‘Boogs’ headlined at The Prince Hotel at his own event, attracting hundreds of party goers to see him and other featuring DJ’s perform. The event was held in the prince bandroom, on Saturday the 30th of March 2019, from 10pm till 5am, at The Prince Hotel in St Kilda.

‘Boogs’ is a professional DJ, who has been a resident DJ at Revolver Sundays for over 12 years. He has been DJing in Melbourne and around Australia since 1996. Mixing techno and house music that he describes as “Robot Soul”, referring to his style as “electric spaghetti.” Other artists that featured at the event included Short Round, Sammy La Marca, Eliza Brayshaw, Mitch Bain and Sammy Swayn.

The Prince bandroom, for over 75 years, has been an iconic location for music lovers. It is one of Melbourne’s best known live music venues with many big names performing gigs and attracting mass crowds. However, as of 2016, the Prince bandroom has been best known for its new club called “Prince.” The club features many DJ’s every weekend and is recognized by its partying ‘beneath the flags’ – an interior décor they have chosen to include, by stringing up multiple colourful flags all around the venue’s ceiling.

As the event was held at a club, it is clear that the event was aimed to capture the interest of party goers and techno and house lovers; and as tickets were only $25, it was affordable enough for the younger demographic to attend.

The club was packed full of excited teenagers, dancing to the music and buzzing off of the energy. Despite the good music and popularity of the event, some attendees didn’t enjoy it as much as they hoped it would.

Grace Perin, aged 20 said “The sets were amazing; however, I wish it was held at another venue. The club [prince] attracts a younger crowd than I like.”

Samuel Gale, aged 21 said “I love boogs, but I didn’t enjoy the night that much. Lately everyone at his shows have been high school age, so I feel a bit out of place.”

Boogs has been a popular DJ for quite some time but has lately been attracting younger crowds, resulting in less ticket sales amongst the young adults. Some think that it is due to the venues that Boogs holds his events at, whereas others are starting to think that maybe they are just growing out of his style of music.

“I don’t really know how I feel about him [Boogs]. I still love techno music, just haven’t really been enjoying his for the last couple of years” said James O’ Riley, aged 21.

Despite all the negativity amongst the older millennials, the younger crowds seemed to have a great time, not bothered about age differences at the event. Zoe Gillett, aged 18 said “It was such a fun night. Everyone had a good time dancing. I would definitely go again.”

The event was a success with majority enjoying the music performed by boogs and the other featuring artists; but unfortunately, has left a few wondering if they have out grown certain clubs, or just boogs’ style of music.

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Profile piece: A nine-year battle – Kintija Jakse’s story.

Kintija Jakse and her nine-year struggle for Australian citizenship.

Picture yourself in the position of an 8-year-old girl.

Imagine being told that you are moving to the other side of the world, away from friends and family, and not knowing anything about the country you are moving to. To a place where everything is different and unknown.

This is what Kintija Jakse experienced.

Kintija’s experience of moving to Australia illustrates both the positive and negative sides of a journey that international families have to go through in order to become Australian citizens.

Her story explains the difficulties associated with residency and citizenship, as well as gives an insight into what it is like for foreigners integrating into Australian life and society.

In 2008, Kintija found out that she was moving away from her home in Latvia, all the way across the globe. On the 18th of June 2009, she and her family arrived in Australia, only to receive their citizenship 9 years later.

“I just cried my eyes out because I was so scared… I didn’t know what language people spoke here and didn’t know anything about Australia,” Kintija said when describing the events leading up to the move.

When the Jakse family first got to Australia, an agency helped move them into a house with a volunteer household, to assist them with Australian living. Unfortunately for them, the housing agreement only last for 2 weeks and after that they were on their own.

Kintija described the difficulties of finding a place to live. Nobody wanted to rent to the family due to both parents being unemployed, and the lack of English language spoken. However, against all odds, the family finally found a small unit in Ivanhoe.

When it came to education for Kintija and her siblings, they were enrolled into Collingwood College which wasn’t an ordinary school.

She remembers being in a class of 40 with little, to no structure. All Kintija would do is sit in circles having discussions and doing arts and crafts all day rather than learning. This contrast from her strict Latvian schooling was hard and a big shock for her.

The importance of education for future generations is stressed upon greatly on an international scale. However, the altering of environments can cause huge setbacks and confusion, especially when a language barrier is involved. Kintija’s English language was very poor at the time of her arrival in Australia. She had learnt English in her language classes back in Latvia, but not well enough to be able to converse with others. This made school a very confronting and frightening place for her. She never settled in or felt comfortable.  

Kintija said: “I got put into a school straight away, where I couldn’t communicate to anyone, I didn’t know the language and I didn’t know what was happening.”  

During the residency and citizenship process, Kintija remembers having to go through a lot of medical checks. Every individual attempting to obtain permanent residency in Australia has to go through a system of checks including X-rays, blood tests, body examinations and more.

When the Jakse family first began their process, Kintija was only 15 years old and therefore did not have to do the 16-and-above HIV test, that the rest of her family did. Unfortunately for her, all of the residency papers only got through a whole year later, causing an obstruction for Kintija.

Kintija had to go back on her own to the medical centre to re-do all of the tests, in order for her to continue to the next stage of the process.

There are high expectations place onto internationals coming into Australia. The medical tests, the bills, the proof of reliability and good integration into Australian society. It can all get overwhelming and make people second guess their decisions, just like Kintija and her family experienced.

In the end, Kintija described the process as challenging but “releaving,” and through the support of her family and the Latvian community in Melbourne, they got through it. Illustrating to other struggling families that it is all worth it in the end. Throughout the Australian immigration process, the amount of medical checks can build up.  It is all to ensure the well-being and safety of every individual living in Australia, in order to achieve optimum health for all. However, can be very daunting.  Although put in place for good reason, the medical process of residency was a lot for Kintija. “I was 15 when we first applied but 16 when they finally looked at our papers. That was a very scary process, especially since I had to get re-examined alone at such a young age,” Kintija explained.

After a long 9 years of living in Australia, Kintija and her family obtained their citizenship on the 30th of March 2018.

Kintija has since applied for university in 2019, hoping to study architecture in Melbourne.

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Opinion piece: Animal testing.

Research on living animals has been around since at least 500 BC and has progressed throughout the years to testing for cosmetic, medical and toiletry purposes. These experiments are not only morally wrong, but can cause pain and suffering, whilst reducing animals’ quality of life.

Animals such as rabbits, cats, dogs and mice, are used to trial medical treatments, conclude the toxicity of medications, inspect the safety of commodities designed for human usage, and many other biomedical and commercial products.

Although there are some positives to animal testing such as the growth and development of products we use every day, all of the negatives outweigh the positives. Yes, the amount of animal suffering has minimised dramatically throughout the years, but the point is that there still is suffering occurring. Not only that, but the claim that “testing on animals, benefits humans in ways that other methods cannot” has never been proven. In fact, there have been studies which have shown that alternative testing methods would produce equally valid results.

If there are alternative methods to animal testing, we should be using them! There hasn’t been any evidence that shows that animal testing is needed in order to determine whether a product is reliable for human usage. Alternative methods such as using human tissues and cells, advanced computer-modelling techniques and studies with human volunteers, would all not only decrease animal abuse but actually increase the development of safe products for that we as humans can use. So why do governments not implement these methods? The answer is simply that it’s too difficult to achieve through product exportation.

The exportation of products from all over the world creates difficulty in controlling the issue as animal testing laws differ in every country. For example, Revlon, being a privately-owned company, tests on animals where required by law. This means that it is avoided when possible however, since the brand is sold in China, they are subject to animal testing as it is a requirement for products sold in China, and therefore the brand Revlon isn’t cruelty free.

Many other brands have similar situations such as Mac, Colgate, Lynx and Maybelline, and most brands are trying to implement the cruelty-free movement in their products. However, until all countries, on an international scale agree to change their laws to get rid of animal testing all together then the lines are too blurred and becomes too difficult to control.

World leaders seem to brush off animal rights as if it isn’t an important issue, but they seem to be forgetting that humans are considered to be animals too. It is morally wrong, not to mention against the law, to treat humans this way, so it should not be okay to burn, poison and kill animals for testing purposes.

Our world leaders have to come together and realise that this is a bigger problem which needs addressing now. It needs to be internationally recognised that animals have rights, and no country or brand has the right to take that away. Period.

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When the ‘buzz’ wears off.

*Full names have not been used in this article for privacy reasons due to it’s sensitive content*

We have all been there. Partying, having a good time with our friends, experimenting with drugs and alcohol…but what happens when the buzz wears off?

Mental health is an extremely delicate feature of our overall wellbeing that can be swayed and manipulated easily by many differing factors.

Whether you are going through a rebellious stage, or you are just curious; many people going through adolescence to young adulthood, experiment with illicit drugs and alcohol consumption.

Unfortunately, these activities do have repercussions and can affect your mental state, but nevertheless, behaviours like these are not un-common.

The Australian institute of health and welfare (AIHW) found that 3.1 million Australians aged 14 or older had used illicit drugs in the last 12 months, with 28% of those users being between the ages 20-29. The AIHW also discovered that 82% of 12 to 17-year-olds consume alcohol, and from the group, 9% of males and 7% of females often consume alcohol in a risky way.

In an interview with Grace, a 20-year-old girl who has previously struggled with mental health, shared her experiences with substance use. “I started using substances for partying purposes but as I grew up, it became kind of like an escape… something to take the edge off,” she said.

This is not an unusual occurrence. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, most teens start experimenting with different kinds of substances to fit in and have a good time. Although it might be a feeling that you enjoy at the time, the side effects or “come down” can become daunting.

The term “come down” has turned into Australian slang for the emotional aftermath, from using both drugs and alcohol. This term is usually associated with feelings of tiredness, depression, aggression and over all unhappiness. It refers to the opposite of what you feel when using substances (feeling high).

Grace said that she had always struggled with mental health but found that “on a come down” she had to push herself to get out of bed and to continue living her everyday life. After alcohol or drugs use, it is common to feel depressed, tired and drained of energy and often having negative thoughts throughout the week. “For the next few days, my depression had gotten so bad that I disconnected myself from my friends, and I honestly didn’t have a positive thought in my head,” Grace told Group Therapy.

For those who are unaware, consumption of drugs and alcohol causes a chemical imbalance and reduces the level of serotonin in your body. Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter which creates the feeling of happiness and feeling good.

When drugs are consumed, it causes a deplete in your serotonin levels, and therefore when the rush of substance is over, feelings of unhappiness may increase.

Understanding what can follow after alcohol and drug use is crucial information which explains the dangers of getting into a pattern of substance use. Ironically, the “come down” after substance use could be worse than the feeling that was originally trying to be escaped. Although many people think that they are being careful, and are just using it for recreational purposes, it is clear to see the possibilities of substance use turning into substance abuse.

Group therapy spoke to Jayden, a 22-year-old, previous drug user, about his experiences with drugs and alcohol. Jayden had experimented with substances because “everyone was doing it” and it seemed like “harmless fun”. He discussed the impact that drugs had on his mental health with Group Therapy. “No one ever warned me that I would feel so depressed afterwards and the fact that it’s so common… these things need to be discussed more,” Jayden said.

Peer pressure or not wanting to miss out on the fun is often seen when teens and young adults experiment with substances. According to Alcohol.org “The perception that ‘everyone is doing it’ can also influence a teenager to consume alcohol so they are part of the crowd.” This is a more common factor around schools, than with adults; however social pressures can occur in any place, at any time.

As mental health is a confronting topic, there is no surprise that young adults struggle to discuss the emotional stress they go through after using either drugs or alcohol. Luckily, we live in a society that can provide helpful information and resources to both people who are struggling with mental health, and people who want to understand and help others to cope.

The Beyond Blue website has a specific tab dedicated to ‘drugs, alcohol and mental health’ for young people aged 12 to 25-years old, as well as services such as help lines available to all who need someone to talk to, if not comfortable speaking with anyone else.

All of this aside, not everyone experiences this kind of unhappiness and exhaustion from drugs and alcohol. 20-year-old Chloe, talks to Group Therapy about how she personally doesn’t get effected by the “come down” of substance usage. “I’m pretty lucky in that I never feel any kind of depression after drinking and stuff, but I see it all the time in my friends,” Chloe said.

The effects of drugs and alcohol differ from person to person. Symptoms can vary based off of gender, age, height, weight, mental state and more. Consuming drugs and alcohol will always have risks associated so no matter how ‘experienced’ you may feel.

Ensure to always take precautions and remember that help and support is out there for you. 

You are not alone.

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Social media revolutionising business advertising.

Over the past few years, ‘Influencers’ have taken social media platforms by storm, flooding our newsfeeds with content promoting products and brands to the public.

Through the growth of social media, a business platform has been developed that allows for companies to reach a wider audience that is cheaper than other traditional forms of advertisement.

Social media coordinator, content creator and director, Adelaide Hawkins, says that most businesses use social media as a cheap selling platform to access a larger audience.

“There are billboards, newspapers and TV advertisements, but they are so expensive. Social media is a free way of advertising and marketing. It’s created this world where anyone can promote themselves for free,” Hawkins said.  

In terms of promoting brands and companies, ‘influencers’ provide an additional, more specific target demographic, based on what product or service is being advertised.

An ‘influencer’ refers to someone with a large following, usually due to the kind of content that they share or the way that they interact with their following.

“Influencers are so influential because you think you know them, so you trust them, and then when an influencer creates or promotes a product, their supporters want to buy the same product based off of that connection,” said Hawkins.

In an article called ‘this is how much instagram influencers really cost’, Lexi Carbone says that instagram influencer partnerships are the best performing platform for companies to have a widespread effect amongst audiences with an average of 3.21% engagement rate, compared to only 1.5% through all social networks.

“On Instagram in the last year and a half, its turned into this world where everyone is just interacting and it’s kind of like ‘the’ place to go now to promote things because it’s what most people use now-days,” Hawkins said.

Lisa Stark, chief operating officer of marketing and digital strategy, says that the influencer approach to business and product promotion is widely popular due to being in style and attractive to the public.

“Influencers can increase audience awareness or create demand for a product or service by displaying it and making it ‘cool,’ or ‘desirable’ or the ‘next trend’. This drives customers to buy or investigate,” Stark said.

According to influencer marketing hub, the influencer marketing approach is estimated to become an eight-billion-dollar industry by the end of 2020. This kind of business approach is now close to replacing traditional forms of advertising on social media.  

Although this rapid progression of social media use as a marketing platform benefits companies greatly when reaching a wider audience, it can also cause serious issues in the spread of negative information.

Stark says that through the use of social media, companies and brands can benefit a great deal, however there is always a possibility of risk if negative reviews and comments circulate online.

“In a negative sense, social media is also dangerous for a business. If a company has an inferior product or a newsworthy event, literally thousands of people can find out in minutes. Sales can plummet because a company is caught cheating workers or causing an environmental problem. That, or the product does not live up to expectations,” Stark said.

Despite the risks involved, social media advertising has been proven to assist in reaching out to a larger population, especially with smaller companies.

More than 50 million small businesses now use social media as a platform to reach their customers, with the number increasing daily.

71% of customers who have had a good experience with a brand on social media, are more than likely to recommend the company to their friends and family. This gives businesses further promotion.

For smaller companies who may not be able to afford other forms of advertising, consumers recommending their products to others would be extremely valuable.

“For a small business, social media posts definitely have a major impact as it’s a really cheap form of getting your product ‘out there’ generally to a wider audience. If they then have happy customers, they would usually go and promote the product further,” said Stark.  

The inclusion of social media into business strategies, relies heavily on the trending apps and websites. This means that there will most likely be a drop in social media marketing, in the years to come.

“Social media and influencers will have a place until the ‘next big thing’. Influencers will need to build a lot more substance to continue to have big impact, and to continue being successful in that area,” said Stark.

Although eventually becoming out-dated, the industry is currently widely popular and developing rapidly, with more companies and people using social media platforms on the daily.