On 2 September 2008, in a valley in eastern Afghanistan, Trooper Mark Donaldson made a split - second decision that would change his life. His display of extraordinary courage that day saw him awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia, making him the first Australian to receive our highest award for bravery in wartime since Keith Payne in 1969. Yet Mark's journey to those crucial moments in Afghanistan was almost as exceptional as the acts that led to his VC. He was a rebellious child and teenager, even before the death of his father - a Vietnam veteran - when Mark and his brother were in their mid - teens. A few years later, their mother disappeared, presumed murdered. Her body has never been found. Mark's decisions could have easily led him down another path, to a life of self - destructiveness and petty crime. But he chose a different road: the army. It proved to be his salvation and he found himself a natural soldier, progressing unerringly to the SAS, the peak of the Australian military. From his turbulent early years to the stark realities of combat in the mountains and valleys of Afghanistan, Mark's book is the frank and compelling story of a man who turned his life around by sheer determination and strength of mind.

Why are so many Aboriginal Australians still disadvantaged? Why is so much potential still wasted? Why is 'the Aboriginal problem' still intractable? Why can we not even agree on the causes, let alone ways forward? Why have billions on special programs had such little effect? Is it all bad news? How can we: realise the talents of all Australia's Aboriginal citizens, eradicate disadvantage, grow Aboriginal success, and achieve at last the real potential of this country? In Black and White: Australians All at the Crossroads seeks to illuminate the issues through perspectives of concerned blackfellas and whitefellas, both, on root causes, how issues play out on the ground, and what needs to be done. It is the hope of the editors that experiences and ideas, from the community base to the heights of policy, may reveal the common ground that is sine-qua-non to working out real answers and practical programs that will make a difference. As the subtitle's reference to our National Anthem suggests, all Australians - that's all of us - must put an end to the wastage of Indigenous talent and the denial of the real Australia that has diminished our nation far too long. Aussies can do anything. Together we can't lose!

Using the notion of ‘crossroads’ to provide a unique lens through which to examine the realities of rural crime, Crossroads of Rural Crime provides an understanding of the nature of rural life and ways in which transgression manifests itself in the context of a presumed rural-urban divide.

Navigating Career Crossroads shows you how to confidently take a new direction. This book delivers practical, actionable advice to help you land your dream position. You'll learn how to craft an attention-grabbing resume, how to expand your career network, the best way to really work with recruiters, and how to dazzle your new employer through the interview process.Follow these 7 essential steps for career success:?Confidently manage change?Assess what makes you tick?Resumes and your marketing communication?Express Your Personal Brand?Explore job search strategies?Relate your value and impress at interviews?Strategies for career successConfidently conduct an effective job search and successfully transition into your new role. With these 7 steps it will be sooner than you think