Feature Magazine May 2020 by The Local Times

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06 Anna Tullemans

Juanita More

CONTRIBUTORS

Taking Austism Spectrum Disorder

Sheree Hoddinett Rebecca Fawcett-Smith The University of the Sunshine Coast Nicola McDougall Richard Lancaster Jayden Johnston and Moreton All Body Care

The mother of a 34-year-old son who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at the age of six, Anna became an expert in her field by researching how she could help her own son, and then passing that information on to teachers and other parents.

14 Dr Uwe Terton

The Potential of Gaming

Senior Lecturer in Design at University of Sunshine Coast Dr Uwe Terton focuses on serious games or games for change through his studies. He says that while there is often a negative view of gaming due to children spending a long time in front of a device, it’s important to recognise the benefit of skills development.

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Carinity

Caring for Seniors During Covid-19 In these uncertain times, the effects of social isolation can be particularly stressful for people living alone, including older members of the community. Queensland not-for-profit organisation Carinity is ensuring the continuity of care for Moreton Bay seniors through its in-home care service.

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Talking Autism Spectrum Disorder With Parents And Teachers

Consultant, author and presenter in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Redcliffe local Anna Tullemans has been working closely with schools, teachers and parents for close to three decades.

Holding a Diploma in Education Support, Anna is passionate about sharing and communicating information and strategies to school and teachers, particularly in relation to managing sensory issues which often accompany ASD.

Words: Rebecca Fawcett-Smith Photo: Contributed

he mother of a 34-year-old son who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at the age of six, Anna became an expert in her field by researching how she could help her own son, and then passing that information on to teachers and other parents. “At the time of my son’s Asperger’s Syndrome diagnosis (now known as autism spectrum disorder), there wasn’t a lot of information available on what they called mild autism or high functioning autism,” explained Anna. “The only types of information that you could get your hands on was all about autism, and the advice was to put those with the developmental condition in an institution, lock them away and forget about them. Even our psychiatrist at the time said that our son would never learn to drive a car, he’d never get married and have children, and that he’d probably suicide by the time he was fifteen years old, and it was quite overwhelming. “But me being me, I decided that our son wasn’t going to suicide at fifteen, and I needed to find out how I could stop that from happening. So I did lots and lots of research, and found that there was some information coming out of the United States at the time around Asperger’s and high functioning autism and what we could do.” Relocating from Melbourne to Queensland in the nineties, Anna was dismayed at the lack of local resources and support services available. Galvanised into action, she founded the Asperger Syndrome Support Network (Qld) Inc in 1995, and within just two months, 800 families had joined the organisation. “There was a wealth of information for anyone who had a classically nonverbal, head banging autistic child, but for someone like my son who was quite high functioning but who would scream at particular sounds, who’d put holes in walls, and who could be a beautiful, beautiful child one second and then the most amazing terror in the next, there wasn’t a lot of help available,” explained Anna. President of the organisation for seven years, Anna oversaw its growth as a fledgling support group for parents to what is now Asperger Services Australia Ltd. Still actively involved as a consultant, Anna facilitates parent support groups on everyday inclusion and successful behaviour strategies for both at home and at school. “Sadly, the same sorts of issues that I experienced thirty years ago are still popping up in schools now,’ said Anna, “so it is about being able to give that support to parents to say, these are the things you need to talk to your teacher about, and these are the things that we can do in the classroom that will help your child be settled without too much input from the teacher.”

“One of the biggest issues for teachers is managing behaviour triggered by sensory issues,” said Anna. “Any of the five senses that we have - sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch – can all significantly affect a child with ASD in a classroom at any stage of any day, and the worst part is that you could learn about a child in a classroom who does this, this and this when there is loud noises, but another child could react very differently and display different behaviours again. Teachers therefore need to have quite a number of different strategies in place, and that is where I come in.” To the many parents and carers of children with ASD who are undertaking home education as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, Anna suggests establishing structure and routine using the ‘Now, Next, Later’ template and Coronavirus specific script, both available on her website. “The ‘Now, Next, Later’ template provides a visual reminder of now we are going to do this, next we are going to do that, and then later you can go and do your most favourite thing that you love doing, such as playing on the computer, playing with LEGO or reading a book. “I would also suggest that parents build in lots and lots of break time, and that they make sure that the child has time to walk away and clear their head before coming back and starting afresh. “Lastly, I would suggest having some sensory tools available, as a lot of our kids need a fidget tool that they can squeeze, clip and rub.” The author of ten books, Anna is currently writing an article on sensory issues for Learning Difficulties Coalition (LDC), a coalition of individuals and parent support groups which provides support and information about children (518 years) with learning difficulties and related conditions. “I think it is so important for parents, teachers, grandparents and family friends to understand that sensory issues play a big part in behaviour, because behaviour is what people see, and it is behaviour that people make judgment calls on. But if we look deeper into that behaviour we usually find that it is some sort of sensory issue going on in the background.” For more information visit www.annatullemans.com.

May 2020

Feature

I decided that our son wasn't going to suicide at fifteen, and I needed to find out how I could stop that from happening!

The USC Counselling and Wellbeing Clinic has partnered with aged care health and wellbeing provider ComLink to offer the Tele-Friends program, a weekly phone or video connection for clients seeking support and companionship. Master of Counselling program coordinator Dr Mark Pearson said the final-year students had received evidence-based training on how to help boost resilience and would be closely supervised by qualified clinical counsellors during the calls. “Our students know how to converse in a way that lifts spirits and enhances wellbeing at a time when people are feeling particularly isolated or lonely,” Dr Pearson said. “The plan is that they will develop an ongoing relationship with an older person and arrange a certain time each week for the call.” “These students know the importance of really hearing what someone is saying and letting them share their worries, but then also when to turn the conversation to positive memories and to remembering times when clients have coped well in the past, and how they can do so again.” Dr Pearson said many older people had clear memories of tough times, including World War II, and could be gently reminded of how they had found the resilience to cope. “Students will be helping clients to review and reconnect with their strengths to re-tell and relive positive experience connected with positive emotions,” he said. “For us at USC, this is a very uplifting project. It’s taken some creative thinking, but it’s actually a winwin because it helps our students complete their required client hours while supporting the community.” ComLink CEO Feda Adra said research showed that isolation could have a major impact on older Australians and vulnerable and lonely people, so it was important to maintain a connection. “We’re honoured to partner with a dedicated band of volunteers and students from USC Australia to deliver this crucial contact, much-needed company and chat with our valued clients,” she said. The USC Counselling and Wellbeing Clinic is offering telehealth counselling services to the community via phone 0458 811 220 or counsellingclinic@usc. edu.au on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. ComLink is offering telehealth services at comlink.org.au and 07 5390 1200 (Sunshine Coast) or 07 3487 0780 (North Brisbane).

USC STUDENTS CONNECT WITH ELDERLY DURING ISOLATION Words: University of the Sunshine Coast

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Library Programs go digital Libraries across Queensland may be physically closed to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Still, Moreton Bay Region Mayor Peter Flannery says Council is working to ensure students don’t miss out on their education this year. “We want to help local students by providing free and accessible learning resources, especially after the Premier announced students will be learning at home for the first five weeks of Term 2,” Mayor Flannery said. “Our online eLibrary catalogue provides students with thousands of books, audiobooks, magazines and more at their fingertips, or in this case, at the click of a button.

“In honour of Anzac Day coming up, a number of online video sessions for school will soon be released, featuring stories from the Moreton Bay Region. “Council is also rolling out several popular activities online each week for all ages to enjoy, including Baby Rhyme Time, Storytime with local author Anita Heiss and Yes, You Can Ask That: Meet the Author series that featured Brisbane writer Nick Earls earlier this month. “The first Baby Rhyme Time proved to be a huge hit with families, with 1121 views and watched for more than 33 hours! “These online programs are just some of the ways Council’s libraries have adapted to continue to service the community. “There’s more to come too; we’re currently looking to switch our popular Minecraft Club and Lego Engineers Club to online. “We will also be sharing an online series of talks on exciting contemporary topics, as part of our Moreton Minds program, which is run in partnership with USC that opened earlier this year. “Our physical doors may be shut, but our library team is still here ready and eager to help if you have any questions.” For more information, visit https://library. moretonbay.qld.gov.au/ To view the online activities, visit youtube. com/user/MoretonBayLibraries/

May 2020

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new live for petrie mill timber Almost 100 pieces of recycled ironbark timber from the former Petrie Paper Mill have been transformed into a characteristic one-tonne boardroom table, now living at USC Moreton Bay. The table was designed by USC Architect Zeyad Elkojje and constructed by Narangba recycled timber specialists Kennedy’s Timber. Mr Elkojje said a team of fifteen was involved in sculpting the table. “The table comprises four separate pieces, each weighing 240kg,” he said.

“Each piece had to be carried individually through the building where they were assembled together in The Boardroom. To support the weight, the table sits on six sets of purpose-made black powder-coated aluminium leg frames that were laser levelled to ensure that the top was true.” The entire table measures 8.8m in length, 2.4m at its widest point and weighs 960kg, almost a full tonne. Head of USC Moreton Bay Professor Karen Becker said the table was a fitting monument to the deep history of the area, and the mill that used to process and recycle paper near

to where the new campus has been built. “This boardroom table is an impressive piece of design and workmanship,” Professor Becker said. “It honours the history of Moreton Bay as we look towards an exciting future, with plans for this precinct to develop into a collaborative learning, research and innovation zone that will benefit industry across the region.” A YouTube video of the creation process is available at youtube.com/ watch?v=n99flbCeo6k

ROYAL COMMISSION TO EXAMINE BUSHFIRES AND CLIMATE CHANGE The Bushfire Royal Commission officially got underway last month with the Climate Council welcoming the fact it will explore the role of climate change in the unprecedented 201920 bushfires.

“It was only a few months ago that fires were fiercely burning across the country, endangering lives, homes, livelihoods, communities, wildlife and the economy,” said Climate Councillor Professor Lesley Hughes.

“Climate change and how it is driving extreme weather must be a central part of the Royal Commission. Climate change was the main driver of the catastrophic fire dangers we experienced that destroyed so many Australian lives and livelihoods,” said Climate Councillor Greg Mullins.

“Despite the current threat of the coronavirus pandemic, we must not lose sight of the urgency of climate change,” said Professor Hughes.

“I’ve been fighting fires for decades, and there has never before been a season like the one we just experienced. Australia is incredibly vulnerable to worsening climate change threats, and we need to be better prepared,” he said. Mr Mullins will be making a submission to the Royal Commission on behalf of ELCA - Emergency Leaders for Climate Action - a group of retired fire chiefs and emergency leaders from every state and territory.

“The threat of fires in Australia is almost year-round now as a result of climate change. Last year fires began in winter, and now, in autumn, we are seeing severe fire danger ratings in the Adelaide Hills, with a total fire ban being put in place this week,” said Mr Mullins. “Much like our response to the current global pandemic, we must listen to the scientists, we must work together, and we must act before it is too late,” said Professor Hughes.

May 2020

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Gaming:

More than meets the eye Words: Sheree Hoddinett

What comes to mind when you think of gaming? A child spending hours in front of a gaming console? A person gambling with card games? There’s so much more to gaming than you might think. While there are many negatives to gaming, there is a flip side with a positive impact through learning and education. Senior Lecturer in Design at University of Sunshine Coast Dr Uwe Terton focuses on serious games or games for change through his studies. “Games for change help the way people look at an issue,” he says. “So it’s awareness creation and games for education, it’s a way of educating through games.” Dr Terton says while there is often a negative view of gaming due to children spending a long time in front of a device, it’s important to recognise the benefit of skills development. “Whatever we do, it doesn’t really matter if it’s bicycle riding or if it’s going to Ikea and buying a flat-pack piece of furniture, all those activities teach us something,” he says. “Even if children sit in front of a computer, Playstation or television set, they develop some sort of skills. But it’s important to recognise how they use those skills, for instance, problemsolving. In games, there’s always a problem to solve.” A previous study from Dr Terton looked into the way games catered to a particular purpose, by means of use through education. “We looked into how a game could

help nursing students before they go onto the ward,” Dr Terton says. “They learnt about how to diagnose and how to communicate with a patient. We have fantastic students, but they lack in communicational and people skills, it’s a big issue. This could be due to children playing too many computer games, and we are using the antidote for help to overcome another problem!” So how did Dr Terton immerse himself into the world of studying gaming? “It came from my own children,” he says. “They grew up without television and hardly any computer access. But they had friends, and one of my sons had a sleepover at a friend’s house, and they played a car racing game for 4 hours in a row, it had some interesting effects on him, like triggering anxiety. “I started conducting research and looking into the negative effects of games, but in doing so also uncovered the positive effects of gaming. There is a very negative view out there, and I think a lot of education needs to happen to show with everything we have in this world there are the positives and the negatives and that’s how it started.” In good news for those who like their gaming and want to take it a little bit further, USC’s Bachelor of Design (Game Design) will be offered at the new Moreton Bay campus from 2021. It covers all aspects of gaming, from theory to hands-on. But as Dr Terton points out, gaming is more than just digital. “We investigate and analyse existing games, and there are digital and

May 2020

non-digital games so physical games like sports or board games and card games, dice, all of those,” he says. “Then, of course, we have digital games which everyone would be familiar with.” So where can studying a games degree lead you career-wise? It would seem the world is your oyster. “When it comes to developing games and Indie games, small game companies have survived well in Australia,” Dr Terton says. “The Indie gamers do well, especially in educational games, workplace health and safety, the mining industry, visualisation and science. That’s where this is all beneficial. If you become a game developer, you develop programming skills. As a narrator creating interactive stories, you can create them for other media formats as well. Artists are digital artists, and they can work anywhere in the industry as well. There is a variety of jobs, and we call it the creative industries, you can go from one industry to another easily.” With the study of gaming being a big part of his career, does Dr Terton have time to do a bit of gaming in his downtime? “I used to, but now I’m busy,” he says. “I love being outside in nature, that’s my outlet. But a game we just rediscovered as a family is a board game called Settlers of Catan. Because we didn’t have television, we played a lot of board games and card and last Christmas we all got together and played the game, and now it’s back.”

Feature

Concussion

Concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that is caused by direct trauma to the head, or a violent shaking/ whiplash injury, causing the brain to strike against the skull. Concussion is common in contact sports such as football and boxing, but also have a high prevalence in activities where falls are common, e.g. cycling, skiing, horse riding and diving. Children are more prone to concussion and take longer to recover, with four weeks for a full recovery to occur in children, compared to 10-14 days in adults. Concussion may present itself in many different ways. The most obvious is a hit in the head or heavy landing on the head or neck. If the athlete loses consciousness, they will fall heavily and almost flop to the ground, in what is referred to as a “rag doll fall”. However, less than 10% of concussions include a loss of consciousness. Other indications that concussion has occurred include; holding the head, slow to get back up or dazed, unsteady, confused and disorientated (they may go back into the wrong position). These signs are similar to those of alcohol consumption. Thus people with a concussion can appear

as though they are intoxicated. If an athlete is suspected of sustaining a concussion, they should be removed from the field immediately. Firstly, if they are confused and disorientated, they will not be an effective player. Most importantly, the time immediately after a concussion is when the greatest risk of sustaining a subsequent injury occurs. Research shows a larger percentage of lower limb injuries occurring in athletes post-concussion. This may considerably increase time lost from injury from 1 week to 6-8 weeks. After a concussion, the athlete may experience headaches, nausea, unsteadiness, confusion, dizziness, irritability and emotional instability. These signs may not be immediate and can develop up to 48 hours after a concussion. If an athlete is concussed, they should not drive home or drink alcohol and must be accompanied by a responsible adult. It is important not to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as Nurofen. However, Panadol is safe if pain relief is needed.

May 2020

The following are signs to look for, which may suggest medical intervention is required: continual or progressively worsening vomiting; drowsiness and confusion that are worsening, abnormal/irrational behaviour, increasing headache and deteriorating memory. Physical and mental rest is necessary for approximately 14-48 hours postconcussion. This includes avoiding the use of phones, iPads, laptops and computer games. It is important to avoid schoolwork and/or administrative tasks until the headache has dissipated, which may take 1-3 days. It is important to be able to return to mental activity symptom-free before returning to physical activity. A graduated return to physical activity is required beginning with light walking for 10-15 minutes at a time. This is known as “scenery and greenery”, where activity is light and visual stimulus is at a distance. If a concussion is suspected, a physiotherapy assessment is highly recommended to track progress and assess recovery before returning to match play.

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Should vendors stay or sell during the coronavirus? Words: Nicola McDougall

One of the myriad unknowns amongst the sea of unknowns at present is whether vendors should sell their properties or opt to ride out the coronavirus storm. However, like many things in life, there are positives and negatives to each side of that equation. There is a significant percentage of people who have to sell every day of every week, perhaps because they’re upgrading or downsizing, moving for work or personal reasons, or they’ve already bought elsewhere. Then there are vendors who have to sell, unfortunately, due to financial distress, divorce or even a death in the family. All of these scenarios are common regardless of the market conditions, including the current one. However, the first cluster in particular should take comfort in the fact that they’ll be selling and buying in the same market – both sides of the transaction will in the same property boat as it were. In times of economic turmoil, though, there is also always a cohort of people who sell because of fear and that usually never works out well for them financially in the long run. The many financial assistance packages currently available, including the ability to pause mortgage repayments as well as rental grants for tenants, will hopefully result in fewer of these types of sales over the months ahead. What Do the Experts Say? The impact on the Queensland property markets from the coronavirus is another unknown, because it will largely depend on how protracted the shutdown is as well as the overall impact on the economy. Antonia Mercorella, CEO of The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) says Queensland property owners are well-placed to ride out the upheaval with most markets across the State in robust shape prior to the crisis. “At the end of last year, our Brisbane median house price hit a record high, while many other locations around the State were recording healthy market conditions,” says Mercorella. “On top of that, house prices here remain affordable compared to Sydney and Melbourne, which is likely to be a positive for our market in the months ahead.” Indeed, CoreLogic research was already showing a pivot to more affordable property before the pandemic began. CoreLogic Director of Research Tim Lawless highlights that rebounding price growth in Sydney and Melbourne over the past six months had started to benefit more affordable property. “Considering the stronger conditions evident across the top quartile of the largest cities, this sector is now becoming significantly less affordable and demand has been rippling towards housing where values are more affordable,” adds Lawless. It’s also a concept that 2020 REIQ Buyers Agency of the Year and Propertyology Head of Research Simon Pressley believes could provide a “safe landing” for Queensland property markets once the crisis is over. “There’s no doubt that Queensland’s housing affordability will play a significant role in underpinning a safe landing from the temporary disruption caused by this germ,” explains Pressley. “Propertyology actually anticipates we’ll see a strong bounce back once it’s safe for everyone to come out of our cocoons again.” Unfortunately, he doesn’t think the same can be said for many property owners and investors in expensive locations interstate. “When making the decision to buy during an environment of prosperity, many will not have paid enough attention to how their portfolio might stack up during times of adversity,” continues Pressley. “For some, the emotional

and financial scaring will be motivation to, in the future, prioritise affordable locations as opposed to Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.” 2020 REIQ Auctioneer of the Year and Apollo Auctions Director Justin Nickerson says the ability for property owners to pause mortgage repayments will help to prevent a run of mortgagee sales, which is generally one of the reasons why prices fall. Plus, the market is unlikely to grind to a halt. “People transact out of want, but people also transact out of need such as job transfers, school transfers, families getting bigger, families getting smaller, relationships breaking down or financial situations changing,” explains Nickerson. “All of these are reasons why people need to transact. People are still buying property at the moment because they have to. I don’t think it’s going to grind to a halt.” A Post-Coronavirus Market Looking ahead, albeit with an element of crystal ball-gazing at the present time, the experts agree that the future of Sunshine State property is a potential bright spot. Justin Nickerson predicts the market might pause over the shortterm, but the pent-up demand over that period of time could return quite quickly, including auctions. “Remote auctions are a necessity move at present. The functionality of auctions has always been that we have no price, which emotionally engages buyers, we create competition, and we deliver a cash unconditional contract – those things haven’t changed,” he says. “What has changed is the spectacle of it – and in a country where property is almost a spectator sport in a lot of ways, that’s hard for some people to wrestle with, but the actual mechanics of an auction haven’t changed at all.” Simon Pressley sees some Queensland property markets are likely to fare better than others over the short- to mediumterm, with tourism locations the most likely to experience challenging conditions. However, other locations and industries are likely to hold their ground. “On the other hand, mining, manufacturing, agriculture, health and professional services look solid,” adds Pressley. “Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Toowoomba and Brisbane have good prospects.” Tim Lawless says the number of transactions across the nation is expected to fall significantly over coming months as some vendors opt to stay rather than sell. But the temporary sales slowdown will help to insulate prices. “Considering the temporary nature of this crisis, along with unprecedented levels of government stimulus, leniency from lenders for distressed borrowers and record low interest rates, housing values are likely to more be insulated than sales activity,” further explains Lawless. “The temporary nature of this crisis implies that most homeowners will do their best to weather the storm, hoping for an eventual upside as the virus is contained and economic conditions improve. Once the virus is contained, we expect economic conditions to quickly improve, driving a turnaround in consumer spirits, which should flow through to housing market activity. When that will be, remains highly uncertain.” REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella says it’s vital for agents as well as property buyers and sellers to remember that in times of economic instability, real estate throughout history had remained resilient. “The term ‘safe as houses’ is not just a pithy marketing catchphrase. It’s a fact,” she says. “Property markets have held firm throughout history because, quite simply, they are providing shelter for their population.”

May 2020

Feature

Carinity cares for seniors during coronavirus In these uncertain times, the effects of social isolation can be particularly stressful for people living alone, including older members of the community. Queensland not-for-profit organisation Carinity is ensuring the continuity of care for Moreton Bay seniors through its in-home care service. “While some home care providers have scaled back or ceased services for seniors, Carinity Home Care remains committed to supporting older residents,” Carinity Home Care Brisbane North Lifestyle Coordinator Tina Larden says. “During the pandemic, Carinity Home Care is continuing to assist older Queenslanders to stay healthy and safe at home with a range of services including assisting with personal and nursing care, social support, attending appointments, shopping, and other activities.” One service available to Carinity Home Care clients to support social connection is Mobi powered by Breezie, a fully personalised, simple-

to-use tablet specifically designed for seniors that cuts through the complexities of technology.

Carinity Home Care is balancing the need to support seniors with adhering to COVID-19 virus control measures.

“With unlimited access to the internet, Mobi makes it easy for seniors to stay in touch with friends, family and their Lifestyle Coordinator,” Tina says.

Manager of Carinity Youth and Community Services, Janelle Heyse, says a comprehensive virus infection management and control system ensures Carinity “retains the capacity to maintain safe and effective services for our clients”.

“In addition, access to video calling and telehealth integrations allows you to discuss your health matters and care without having to leave your home. “Using this technology can improve health and wellbeing outcomes for seniors and help them to maintain mental fitness via apps, games and music therapy.” Nychelle Hanlon, who runs classes on tablet devices and technology for seniors, says the devices can help seniors to stay socially connected. “Isolation is a big issue for seniors. Tablets are a brilliant way to keep in touch with family. By using Skype through the internet, you can speak to and see people anywhere in the world for free,” Nychelle says.

SHORT + SHARP: Words: Jayden Johnston

“Would you like some more time to prepare? You look nervous.” They’re not wrong. It feels kind of cheap that my entire life’s work could boil down to a ten-minute speech, but no matter what I think on the topic, it’s happening anyway. Sweat travels slowly down the rolling hills of my body; I can feel the warm trickle. I’m quite uncomfortable. My speech has taken what seems like millennia to complete. I scoured libraries, interviewed people, and spent countless hours touring every corner of the internet. There are many sources on the topic at hand; some of which are carefully researched and constructed, although many people just appear to believe that they are the only person who has any knowledge of what genetics are. I’ve done my own research, of course. But my limited funding stopped me from doing too much on my own— plenty of outsourcing. The audience looks uninterested. I can understand why. I’m certainly not the first nobody to come up to them and begin preaching; I’m not even the first one today. I won’t be the last one today, either. But hopefully, I can grab attention with what I’m about to say. My presentation doesn’t exactly start flawlessly. A cord isn’t plugged in properly or something; I never find out what happened. All it does is exacerbate my nerves. I chuckle nervously, hoping the latest issue won’t cause the audience to slip into a coma.

“All staff have received recent additional training in preparation for COVID-19 and follow strict infection control procedures to ensure the safety of our clients,” Janelle says. “The Department of Health has advised they will support us with advice and a supply of appropriate protective equipment for our staff to use should we need to provide care to clients who have coronavirus. “We also encourage everyone in the community, including seniors, to observe hand hygiene, cough etiquette and social distancing measures.”

A Lifetime But eventually, we get underway. And it becomes apparent that my high hopes are not going to be fulfilled. The audience still appears to be daydreaming. But that’s okay. It’s not them I have to impress, after all. And I’ve still got friends in the crowd, smiling and giving me a thumbs-up. It does wonders for my confidence, and I immediately begin to project my voice more. I’m glad I found some confidence because this is something I’m really passionate about. It’s something that I want to do for the rest of my life, and it’s something that I can’t accomplish without external backing. I can feel the adjudicator’s eyes on me as I talk to the audience; I’d like to believe she’s smiling. At one point, I get too into the speech and forget to press a button. Still, my confidence leads to improvisation, and I continue off-script, using my knowledge of the fantasies that genetic research could make a reality. And I’d like to believe that the audience looked ever so slightly more interested than they were before my speech. I wait for any questions, before taking my place back in the crowd. A friend of mine leans over and whispers, “Drama queen! I told you that you’d be great! Plus, we’re not even seniors, it’s not like this matters that much.” I grin, and shift my attention back to the front of the classroom. The teacher smiles at me, making me think I might get a good mark for my first Year 9 assignment.

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Protect Yourself from COVID-19 Cyber Scams! An overload of COVID-19 communication sets the perfect scene for malicious actors, says a UNSW cybersecurity expert. With a full lockdown looming, working remotely is expected to be the new norm for many professionals. But for many organisations, working outside a secure office environment could lead to vulnerabilities in the maintenance of IT systems that cyber criminals can exploit. “While the world is grinding to a halt, cyber-attacks are on the rise, preying on public fear and anxiety,” says Yenni Tim, researcher of Cybersecurity at the UNSW Business School. As the number of COVID-19 victims increased throughout the month of March, so did the number of phishing email attacks. Between 10 and 26 March, the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) received more than 45 cybercrime and cyber security incident reports from individuals and businesses. All 45 cases were linked to COVID-19 themed scams and phishing activity. The ACSC reported that many of those phishing emails were sophisticated and contained malicious links to fake websites that automatically installed viruses on the user’s devices once opened. In doing so, cyber criminals have the ability to steal the user’s financial and personal information. Anxiety and fear fuelling the rise in phishing attacks In times of crisis, opportunistic malicious actors aim to exploit our vulnerabilities, Dr Tim says. “Being able to quickly identify common patterns in phishing emails is very important because the health crisis has triggered anxiety and fear in our nation – emotions that malicious actors are always taking advantage of,” she says. Cyber criminals feed off the fear of individuals, especially during current uncertain times where people are more likely to act irrationally and will do anything to get more information about the pandemic. KPMG’s report on COVID-19 stated that malicious cyber actors use the tactics of impersonating well-known organisations such as Australia Post or the World Health Organisation (WHO) to lure people to provide their confidential data. “Being isolated from the workplace community has increased the risks of phishing attacks as people can no longer easily turn to a colleague to confirm the legitimacy of an email,” Dr Tim says. Many people can also be more vulnerable and have less capacity to be vigilant as they are overwhelmed by a new way of working, while simultaneously having to look after their family and ensuring their own health and safety. A lack of concentration is a key factor in scam success. “Due to an increase in the volume of communication relating to COVID-19 – such as official company updates, check-ins from insurance and healthcare providers and the government – people have become overloaded with information. This sets the perfect scene for malicious actors looking to throw a phishing email in the mix,” Dr Tim says. The reported surge in traffic on video conferencing apps such as Zoom is also a cause for concern for many businesses that are carrying out meetings through virtual conferencing and collaborative tools. “As more people start using online communication platforms, such as Zoom or Teams, opportunistic and malicious actors will be very quick in setting up phishing attacks. They send Zoom look-alike emails embedded with malware, or bring people to malicious websites with the word ‘Zoom’ in them to trick them into providing data or download malicious files,” Dr Tim says.

What are common patterns of phishing attacks? Phishing emails and SMS phishing (also called smishing) typically take the form of the following three patterns. Dr. Tim cites a few real COVID-19 themed phishing emails as examples: Demanding urgent action E.g. Dear colleagues, we have been hit by COVID-19. One of our team members has tested positive for the virus. Please study the attached document and follow the next steps. Too good to be true E.g. Hi, I have tried to call you twice today. Because of the coronavirus situation, we are reaching out to transfer some support fund to your account in the next few hours. Please confirm here that your details are correct. Impersonation of well-known organisations E.g. The WHO is sending you important safety information, click this link or open this attachment. E.g. This is an email from HR: Please take a minute to enrol in the following ‘working remotely’ online module. Note: this is a compulsory module and we expect all staff to complete them today. E.g. Service companies such as telecommunications and travel companies are sending you their renewed refund policies in response to the health crisis. Click here to learn about your eligibility. “We have seen malicious actors tailor their social engineering attacks based on the latest trends at the time, such as Bitcoin back in 2018, and now we are facing COVID-19 themed social media, text messages and email campaigns,” Dr Tim says. The malicious activations in such phishing emails and texts commonly include: •

Attachments which can trigger the download of malware (e.g., a macro-enabled Microsoft document triggers the download of Emotet malware)

•

Links to fake versions of authority websites (such as WHO) that solicit the user to provide their username and password

•

Links to websites with service advisories prompting people to download malware-infected files and executables

How to protect yourself from social engineering attacks Dr Tim has four recommendations to protect yourself from cyber scams. First, be very vigilant when an email or text asks you to do one or more of the following actions: •

Open or download an attachment or mobile application

•

Click on a link, and/or

•

Provide your data (by going to an impersonated website or replying to the email)

These are the most common giveaways that an email or text message is malicious. Dr Tim also recommends that you: Avoid acting on emails using mobile devices Research carried out by Dr Tim shows that people are more susceptible to phishing attacks when reading emails on their mobile devices. This is because it's more difficult to verify the legitimacy of an email when viewed on a mobile device. Mobile users also tend to be always ‘switched on’ and

May 2020

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malicious actors can easily take advantage of this – especially with phishing emails that demand immediate action. People also tend to be more distracted when reading emails on their mobile phones, which means they are less likely to apply the proper scrutiny. Verify the sender and look for the official announcements Hover over or tap the sender’s email address to make sure the person is who they claimed to be. It is common for malicious actors to disguise their email addresses with lookalike letters, or domain names that closely resemble legitimate domain names. When in doubt, do a quick search instead of replying to the email or do anything they are asking you to do. “For example, if you receive an email that appears to be from the government, informing you of a new mandatory registration process that you would need to comply with due to the COVID-19 outbreak – do not action directly through the email,” Dr Tim says. “Instead, search for the official government website and look for the official announcement.” Be wary of emails and texts that directly solicit your username and password Just remember, authorities such as WHO or the government will never ask for your username and password to unlock an email attachment or access health and safety information. They will also not request your bank account information through emails or texts to process a donation or to access any funds. What are the key security challenges that organisations are facing? As the workforce rapidly shifts to working from home, there are a couple of key security issues that many businesses face. The first issue is that many organisations didn’t plan to have their entire workforce working from home and had to move quickly to provision for remote working capabilities, says Bianca Wirth, Director of Cybersecurity at KPMG Australia. “In such situations, if these businesses didn’t have the right infrastructure in place, security may not be at the forefront of rapid deployments and compromises would have to be made.” “It is also important for organisations to ensure they are not just looking at security from a phishing perspective, but on their mobile devices. Having the right device management

solutions and policies for accessing emails on non-work devices is critical to ensure your data stays safe while people are working remotely,” Ms Wirth says. There is also the physical security aspect of people working from home and the risks involved with discarding confidential documents in residential garbage bins instead of secure destruction bins. In its recent COVID-19 report, KPMG advised employers to protect themselves by taking additional steps such as: •

Ensuring all communications go through an official single channel in your company and providing regular communications on the approach your organisation is taking on COVID-19.

•

Making sure your finance processes go to the finance team for approvals, especially any requests for large payments. This safeguard can protect the business against the risk of business email compromise and CEO frauds. Ideally, use a different channel such as calls or texts to confirm an email request.

•

Re-assessing your approach to pushing critical security patches down to computers connected to your VPN, updating firewalls and anti-virus software across your IT network and encrypting data at rest on laptops used for remote working.

Although a number of SaaS-based phishing simulation services companies have published COVID-themed templates, Ms Wirth discourages organisations from running these phishing simulations as part of their security education and awareness program due to their insensitive nature and to avoid any confusion with official announcements made from the corporate communications team. “In situations like COVID-19, it is important to have streamlined and coordinated communication throughout the organisation. You have to work closely with your internal communications and crisis management teams to vet security communications and integrate security messaging into the broader business communications,” Ms Wirth says. The ACSC anticipates an increase in scams and phishing attacks over the coming weeks so it is essential for organisations and individuals to stay vigilant and be on high alert.

Appetites. If ever there was a more powerful argument for humans not eating the flesh of exotic animals, Coronavirus or COVID-19 is it. Scientists now firmly believe that COVID-19 originated from a seafood market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where exotic species of wild animals are butchered and sold for human consumption. Animals, reptiles and birds such as bats, pangolins, salamander, frogs, civet cats, cobra and even bear are all part of a deadly mix captured and brought to the markets to satisfy the human appetite. These live animal markets where even domestic dogs and cats are sold for human consumption are perfect breeding grounds for diseases such as Coronavirus. These live animals are locked in small cramped cages, which are stacked together. The stress of this inhumane captivity weakens the trapped animals immune systems, allowing easy access for viruses to jump from one species to another.

It is now acknowledged that the 2003 SARS epidemic had its origin from a virus transmitted from bats to civet cats and then onto humans. But China is not the sole repository of these live animal markets. In parts of Africa, live chimpanzees are caught, slaughtered and sold for human consumption. There, chimpanzee meat is considered a delicacy. HIV/aids is believed to have originated from this source. Similarly, African bats are relished and consumed in quantity in some African countries. Again the more recent devastating Ebola disease outbreak is believed to have had its origins from that source. Many other virus-based diseases are transmitted from animals to humans, and these include rabies, cat scratch disease, swine and bird flu, mad cow disease and plague. The general term of `Zoonotic` diseases is used for all of these animal to human transmitted infectious diseases.