Learning in a cold climate

Lydia Sawtell

Published by Melbourne Leader, 28/10/2011

Papua New Guinea journalist Anisah Issimel cannot help but describe Melbourne as “pretty cold”, despite being here to learn about reporting on global warming.

Ms Issimel, 36, is part of a five-week leadership program at the Asia Pacific Journalism Centre in North Carlton working with the journalists to improve their coverage of climate change issues.

She said the concept of change is was still relatively new in PNG.

“I am hoping to learn something here so I can go back to my country and help educate the people”, she said.

Fourteen journalists from Kiribati, Indonesia, Fiji, East Timor, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and PNG are exploring the various challenges in providing effective coverage of the issue.

Topics include how to source reliable information and how to use sources outside the typical domain such as government and the courts.

Anugerah Perkasa, 33, a reporter at Bisnis Indonesia, said he was hoping to improve his writing in environmental issues surrounding coal mining and crude palm oil. APJC, a non-profit organisation, received funding from the Federal Government aid agency AusAID to run the program.