Media, Policy and the Law: The Case of Crystal Methamphetamine

Crystal methamphetamine has been constructed by Australian media as the most dangerous illicit drug of the twenty-first century. Such representations, so readily available in print media commentary, have transformed the image of the drug from relative obscurity to a drug worse than heroin and a modern-day folk devil. Media calls for swift and urgent political action to address the methamphetamine problem have urged policymakers to respond to this ‘national drug threat’. This thesis explores the media construction of crystal methamphetamine, its users, manufacturers, importers and those who policed them over the period 2000-2009. It examines whether, and if so, to what extent, media have contributed to the development of illicit drug policies and legislation during this period. The state of NSW was selected as a case study for this analysis. A total of 433 print media articles and six methamphetamine-related policies and laws were subject to a discourse analysis. It is argued that media created a ‘new ice risk’ that encouraged punitive policy making. The research reveals that the media response to the drug during this period drew on law enforcement, public health and government discourses. Embedded within this media response were competing and contradictory discourses of the ‘methamphetamine user’, ‘the enforcers’ and ‘the folk devil drug’ and their respective discourse strands. These discourses and strands, fuelled by dramatic metaphors, research evidence and expert commentary, contributed to a media narrative that presented the public and policymakers with an image of a risky and dangerous drug. Through the convergence of these discourses, a ‘new ice risk’ was created that became part of the larger risk environment. This ‘risk’ fed off a ‘culture of control’ that had developed in government responses to problematic social issues. Media and policymakers thus worked together to produce a punitive response to a drug purported to be a major threat to society

Addressing the cyber safety challenge: from risk to resilience

Addressing the cyber safety challenge: from risk to resilience describes the cyber safety issues emerging from a range of technology trends, how different populations are using technologies and the risks they face, and how we can effectively respond to each group’s unique cyber safety needs. Written by the University of Western Sydney for Telstra Corporation Ltd, the report advocates for continuing to move cyber safety from a ‘risk and protection’ framework to one that focuses on building digital resilience, as well as fostering trust and confidence in the online environment. To do this we need to: Address the needs of populations often neglected by current policies and programs – including adults, seniors, parents, and small to medium enterprises Continue to build the digital literacy skills of all populations, because digital literacy strongly influences users’ ability to engage safely online – this is best achieved by a hands-on learning approach Keep risk in perspective – the risks and benefits of digital participation go hand in hand Broaden the focus from awareness-raising to long-term behaviour change. As digital technologies become further integrated into the everyday lives of Australians, users are potentially exposed to greater risks. However, the risks and benefits of digital participation go hand in hand. The challenge, therefore, is to support users to minimise the risks without limiting their digital participation and their capacity to derive the full benefits of connectivity. If Australians are to benefit as either consumers or providers of online services and products in the e-commerce environment, consumer safety and trust need to be improved. Cyber safety needs to be considered against a transforming backdrop of technology trends, products and practices. While the rise of social media has tended to dominate recent debate and developments in cyber safety, particularly in relation to young people, a range of other trends is also shaping how users engage online, the risks they potentially face in the new media landscape, and the strategies used to address them. These trends include the rise of user generated content and content sharing platforms; the uptake of mobile technologies and, in particular, the adoption of smartphones; cloud computing; platform integration and single sign-on mechanisms; and the rise of GPS and location based services